<p>I am applying to a bunch of really selective colleges, and I have a question: How important are extracurricular activities? I live in switzerland, and people here do a lot of sports, arts, etc.. , but not in school, and we don't keep track of those things. In the past 3 years only, I was a member of three sports teams (Water-Polo, Rugby, Ice hockey), but I don't play any of those anymore! Same thing with music. This is ****ing me off. How are activities important in college education?!?!?!</p>
<p>I also don't understand if JV/Varsity sports count only if you do them in school, which I don't.</p>
<p>Relax. Colleges that are highly selective in their admissions simply want to be sure that they are evaluating who you are as a whole person, not just as a student. To do so, they need to know what you do when you are not in school and are not studying.</p>
<p>Don’t worry if your activities, including sports, are outside of school. Go ahead and list them with as much detail as possible. However, it is easier to show dedication and impact by stating that you are the captain of the conference champion basketball team than if you say that you played basketball with your buddies every day for four years. The more information that you can provide to demonstrate your involvement the better.</p>
<p>Sports are only one extracurricular. Volunteering, clubs and paid work are other common activities, although there certainly are far more.</p>
<p>Colleges want students who will impact their campus and make it a better place. If you are a good student who can demonstrate that you are doing this in high school, then you are a better applicant than someone who does nothing but study.</p>
<p>Also, colleges are aware that high school in Europe is different than the U.S… Just use your essays to explain who you are and what things interest and motivate you. Really selective schools usually have plenty of options for you to explain yourself with their supplemental applications.</p>