<p>Okay, I will give you a decent, abbreviated bio on myself and the situation.</p>
<p>I will address the question first so you can think about it while I explain: Do you think sports would be extremely necessary for me to get into a top college? My parents really want me to continue playing basketball through high school, but I know I am good enough to make JV and start easily. But then again I know that I will not have the ability to go pro; I know it's kind of pessimistic, but if you look at the percentage of college players going pro it is TINY! I am just looking at it from a realistic standpoint. I will play and work out a lot, but would not care to play an organized sport.</p>
<p>(Bio):</p>
<p>Well I am an upcoming freshman in highschool and have had all A's throughout my years in middle and elementary, so I assume I will continue with those grades in highschool (hopefully, but I will put in the work). I have played basketball (and other sports, but mainly basketball) in middle school and before. I was the team captain and such. I am also taking the most difficult classes that I am offered at my public high school I am attending. I have played piano for 7 years now and have collegiate level repertoire, I practice up to 3-12 hours a day (above 6 is rare, but those extremely high numbers come from Summer practice). I have a relatively large repertoire and am considering going to a conservatory. I will be going to New York over the next couple of Summers before college to study with some of the faculty at Juilliard. I am also a violinist and have been taking a minute 2 years but have progressed quite fast. Additionally, I am the vice-president and soon to be president of a music club I am in. I have had many people tell that they will look for my name in future because they are sure I will be a famous musician. (sorry for the poor sentence structure, it's late and I'm tired!) ;)</p>
<p>SOO, my question is: Would basketball really help my chances in getting into Harvard, Dartmouth, and other high standard universities (excluding the conservatories because most conservatories care only about the audition)? I am also planning to do some clubs during the school year... I think my life would be too difficult playing basketball in school; it was difficult enough last year in terms of stress. So would it be worth it? My parents really are stressing me out about playing!</p>
<p>Thanks for reading! (it's my first post here)</p>
<p>DO only what you love. If you don’t like it don’t. You will only be successful if you truly enjoy what you do (same goes for your course selection). The colleges will see right through your “resume padder” of a sport. If you like going to practice for two hours everyday (while struggling to maintain As in AP classes) and waking up early on Saturdays, then go for it. If not, then invest your time in something else that you can develop and accomplish great things in (state, national, and int’l awards/winning contests and competitions/working on an art portfolio/learning a subject on your own (self-study some APs!)/etc). </p>
<p>BTW, you’re a great writer for a 9th grader! Your parents are tiger parents, aren’t they?</p>
<p>“there’s a new parent to add to the taxonomy: the Tiger Mother. That’s the term Yale Law School professor Amy Chua gives to the stereotypically strict, high-pressure Chinese parenting style that’s most common among immigrants, and not limited to Chinese families. Those of us who weren’t raised by the Tiger Mother way likely knew someone who was: a straight-A overachiever and classical-music prodigy who feared “a screaming, hair-tearing explosion’’ if she came home from school with an A-minus.”</p>
<p>my advice- do whatever you’re passionate about. and sport IS an EC. </p>
<p>but honestly, i didn’t think about college until the start of junior year in high school. i’m still going to a top 20 school. i’m not bragging. just saying you can still go to a good school even if you’re not being conditioned when you’re just a kid.</p>
<p>You’re just a freshman!! You shouldn’t be concerned with college yet. Don’t worry about getting into a top school - that’s for junior and senior year, MAYBE the end of sophomore year. As for the sports, you really have to do what you love, because it definitely shows if you don’t. Think about it this way: if you hate math, would you start a math club at school just because it would give you an edge in getting into a top college? It’s the same principle with all else - classes, SAT IIs, APs.</p>
<p>Depends. If you’re an OK bball player, it’s just another EC. If you’re good enough that you’re recruited and supported through admissions by the college coach, that could be your ticket to an elite college.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your replies! @anothergalaxy: I enjoyed your answer quite a bit! I am actually not asian nor am I an immigrant. People claim I have some asian in me just because I can play instruments well and because my eyes are naturally quite squinted (sorry for being stereotypical!). And well my parents are a lot harder on me than on my other siblings! I have no idea why. It might be the fact that I actually do the things they tell me and am more cooperative to their advice and lecturing. I love the term tiger mother! Through piano and everything I know mannnnny parents that would fall under the category of tiger moths! One time my mom practically yelled so loud at me, I couldn’t imagine why our neighbors didn’t call the police! I got my report card and I had a C in orchestra class. The teacher was ill so there was a sub for several months, and I had no idea HOW I got a C! It turned out that the lady who was our sub (I didn’t mention she was terrible at English) messed up my grades, and about 7 of my others friends the same way, and when people asked about me, they would say, “How does the teacher give the concertmaster a C?” Then I got it changed, my mom apologized and everything was back to normal ;)</p>
<p>@ All the others: I think I will follow all of your advice in saying to not necessarily think too much about college now! I just get that question from a ton of people! Some of the musicians I do piano duets and such with are in college and ask me weekly what colleges I’m thinking about and that generally forces me to think about it! And for the sport, I think I would be better without it, even though I might be talented at it, if it would serve as a small resume padder, I don’t think it is worth it. </p>
<p>Thank you all again! I realllllly appreciated all of the replies!</p>