<p>I don't play a sport, however I have been playing piano since I was 5 (I'm a sophomore now) and I'm very accomplished in music. I have won numerous national and international awards and have performed in Carnegie Hall several times. I plan on doing a double major in music and biology (or biochem, chemistry, not entirely sure yet) when I go to college. I'm going to probably have over 250 hours of community service by the time I graduate, including 150 at a hospital over the summer (I want to do premed in college). I'm also planning on starting a a mentoring club at the elementary school in my town. Do I have to play a sport to really increase my chances of getting into college? I really want to go to Tufts, but I'm afraid that colleges won't take me seriously without a sport. Is it better to just focus on piano, my community service, and getting good grades/test scores? Or should I try to fit in at least one sport?</p>
<p>No you don’t. The only reason people think that is because there are less good athletes that are also good academically. When schools pick their classes the athletes compete against each other and academically the pool might be weaker. But by no means do you need to be an athlete to get into Tufts or really any other college. Your EC is music and that’s fine.</p>
<p>Why would you even think you would need to play a sport? Absolutely not. They don’t care AT ALL about which ECs you pick. They do care that you are committed to them and passionate about them. I would say that starting the mentoring club or a tutoring club or something is a good idea, it adds an element of leadership that they like to see. But in no way do they care whether you are playing a sport, into music or theater, love robotics or Quiz Bowl, or whatever. They want to see that you care about and are accomplished in SOMETHING, but they do not care if sports are on your list.</p>
<p>Now… one of my kids who would prefer not to exercise does do a sport (fencing). But only because as a parent I insist on it so she gets some physical exercise, which I think is important to her health. But she only does practices with her club, has only gone to one tournament ever, and does not expect it to in any way help with college apps. She does it because it is good for her health and she does like the kids at her club.</p>
<p>no you don’t. I think clubs look really good though.</p>
<p>Stick with what you actually want to do. It’ll communicate better if you ever have an interview and you’'ll write better about it when you have your essays due.</p>