<p>National gaming tourneys, reconfiguring games: OK</p>
<p>OP says he only plays various systems (XBox PS3, etc). If so he’s really taking a chance to mention this, IMHO.</p>
<p>2-20 hours a day?</p>
<p>2 is a significant amount of time when you consider school, hw, dinner, sports, social activities, but even on the most boring summer day, 20 is ridiculous.</p>
<p>It might be a good idea if you have really good grades because then they will be impressed that you played video games all day and had no need to study.</p>
<p>Adcoms are human. And many are young college grads. Many kids applying to top schools still play video games and these adcoms will know that. More than anything, I think mentioning video games gives an immediate tone to your entire application: honest and frank – qualities that most applications to top schools lack. </p>
<p>Plus, some adcoms might play video games themselves and can relate. And, having read “The Gatekeepers,” I know this can play a factor in your decision (at least at Wesleyan). </p>
<p>One note, though: commonapp tells you to list them in order of importance to you. Video gaming might not be your most important ec even if it takes up the most hours. Which means you won’t be writing that 150 word essay on gaming.</p>
<p>I agree with the statement above that it would show that you’re being honest about your application. However, you’d probably only make it past the first few rounds, where the younger adcoms look at your application. Once you hit the committee with the older ones, you may not fair so well haha. </p>
<p>College admissions is not a meritocracy. You get in if they want you, not if you’re good. So, if you have something else going for you, then I wouldn’t worry about it so much. Your general image might be hurt a little though if you add it. I think it’s kind of funny personally.</p>
<p>In general, I would not put down a media consumption form as an EC. I’m not entirely sure why, it just feels wrong. When I was applying, I didn’t put down “reading books” (even though I spent an awful lot of time doing that), “listening to music” or “watching television” as ECs.</p>
<p>I did put those things down on MIT’s “What do you do to chill out?” essay (that is not exactly how the topic is worded, but that’s what it is). I don’t know/remember if other colleges have that essay.</p>
<p>Personally I wouldn’t include video gaming as an EC unless it was related to something more significant like creating or reconfiguring games. But I can see the reasoning in JewCrew08’s comment that it might give an honest tone to an application. I guess it depends on the rest of your app & the schools where you are applying.</p>
<p>This is a link to an adcom’s blog that mentions video gaming as an EC (point #11) that might be worth considering</p>
<p>[Hopkins</a> Insider: Pet Peeves](<a href=“http://hopkins.typepad.com/hopkins_insider/2007/12/pet-peeves.html]Hopkins”>http://hopkins.typepad.com/hopkins_insider/2007/12/pet-peeves.html)</p>
<p>I can tell you’re asian by your username.</p>
<p>Asian, high stats, playing video games.</p>
<p>Just think to yourself for a second how much
that fits the steriotype. Do you really want
to step into that territory? Unless you have liek…
no other activity…</p>
<p>I think listing it when a school asks what you like to do for fun - like on Penn’s application - then it would be fine but I think putting straight out gaming as an ec might be stretching it a bit. By the way that link about pet peeves was good. Is this the same admission officer that posts on CC?</p>
<p>What about being an administrator for game servers? I am part of this website ([StrafeRight](<a href=“http://www.straferight.com/]StrafeRight[/url]”>http://www.straferight.com/)</a>) that has about 10k members and I actively participate in regulating activities on the servers we host. I used to sacrifice a lot of time to that, but not so much anymore (it is still a lot, just not the tons of hrs i used to).</p>
<p>The job requires maturity, integrity, leadership (among others) but I’m afraid it’s just stupid to mention because it has nothing to do with any of the other ECs, ect.</p>
<p>Is that even worth mentioning?</p>
<p>Mr. Advisor is right,</p>
<p>As you’ve described it, video games are NOT an extracurricular and you shouldn’t list it as such. I game and I gamed in high school (don’t tell anyone!), but spending a lot of time doing something does not make it an EC - even if it’s Bioshock. </p>
<p>Now, if you’ve found a way to integrate your love of video games into a more meaningful commitment that’s a different story. And that is worth mentioning if you feel that activity has helped to contribute to your development. Part of the reason we look to those activities is because we hope they are reflective of the person you are and the person you hope to become. If an activity does that, then it’s worth listing.</p>
<p>OMG.. absolutely DO NOT LISTEN to anyone who advocates listing videogames for ANY REASON… the listed reasons for including it - “it shows your honest”, “it shows you can get good grades in spite of spending free time playing video games” and a few others I read, are patently silly. </p>
<p>I don’t know how old these people are who are telling you to include it but as an older student, let me emphatically state that listing video games as an EC will NOT, under any circumstances, help you one bit..it may not hurt you with some adcoms but why take the chance…it has absolutely NO UPSIDE whatsoever.</p>
<p>Like some people already said, it’s not like you’re a champion professional gamer or you started some business or charity revolving around video games, those may be accomplishments worth listing but just playing is not an EC, it’s just a hobby…</p>
<p>I wonder why people don’t list “donwloading internet porn” as an EC? Hey, it shows you don’t waste your time going out with girls because you are concerned with your grades and are totally dedicated to doing well in college,lol… Yeah, people should list that as an EC, it would show your honest and proves your smart enough to get good grades AND still have enough free time to spend 20 hours per week downloading smut.</p>
<p>…You see how stupid that sounds…I hope you get the idea,lol…</p>
<p>Don’t do it! At every college thing ive gone to they say we want to see ur ec’s to see ur doing something and not sittin around playin video games all day. They are going to think that you wont be active in activities at the school and instead want to sit in ur dorm and play games. Although they understand it wont affect schoolwork, they want kids who are going to be an active part of the community.</p>
<p>Exactly, Track87. Anyways, save your interest in video games when for when you have to fill out housing sheets this spring/summer. It’ll be much more useful for finding a prospective roommate than helping you actually get into college.</p>
<p>ROFL…maybe i should have put down that i took honors Socom 2 aahaha and I won NJ’s madden award ahah</p>
<p>You got the most reliable answer from DanAdmiss@Tufts - </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think I’d take his word for it.</p>
<p>LOL. First find out how many students flunked out of each school due to WoW. </p>
<p>I don’t know. It might be cool if you submitted a supp. essay challenging the stereotype of gaming = lazy, as someone mentioned.</p>
<p>Look, most adults generally think playing video games is a waste of time or worse; it would almost be like saying your EC is “gambling.” Do not even think of putting this on your application unless you have a really strong related activity (such as a club or a job). It’s not an extracurricular activity–at most it’s a hobby, like “watching TV” or “reading Sports Illustrated” or “building things with Legos.” I think it’s a harmful myth that anything can be turned into an asset on a college application with an essay explaining why it’s important to you.</p>
<p>Ok now i am a professional computer gamer and i have won and participated in national and international tournaments. I did not mention it as an EC but i put it in my “what do you do for fun?” essay in the Penn and MIT app. I hope that doesn’t harm me in anyway especially considering the fact that I am an Asian.
I would particularly appreciate if the college rep from Tufts could answer this question.</p>