<p>"I, myself, am both a 2x USAMO qualifier and a 2 sport varsity athlete (MVP last year) and both activities drain close to an equal of energy. Although sports are definitely more time consuming USAMO qualification is a MUCH bigger achievement than being your average old 3.6 2150 varsity football player… "</p>
<p>the thing is that your “average old 3.6 2150 varsity football player” doesn’t exist. Players like that are very few and far between. balancing 20 hours a week during the season along with 10 hours a week during the offseason AND excelling in school is quite difficult. </p>
<p>and it also depends what school we’re talking about here. If we’re talking a big school, an Ivy league, or stanford, then an excelling varsity athlete contributes more than a mathlete because either him or his contribution to the team/school is alot greater than a mathlete would have. If we’re talking somewhere like MIT, caltech (not football), harvey mudd, or a selective engineering college, then a mathlete would prolly bring more benefit, if it didn’t seem like they were a dime a dozen (i doubt that’s the case, CC just makes it seem that way)</p>