I’ve been playing volleyball for about three years now but i’m not very good. My school is very competitive when it comes to volleyball so basically everyone at my school who plays wants to play in college, which i don’t. It’s gotten more intense so I don’t want to do it if it’s not making me happy. I’m a rising sophomore, I do orchestra and am in a few clubs. I take all honors/AP classes and get straight A’s. Last year my weighted gpa was 4.45. The only reason I’ve stuck with volleyball so long is because I always thought it was the only way to get into a good college. Is it still possible to get into a good one if i quit?
First, there are hundreds of good colleges so that’s a starting point. Many of those don’t even look at ECs. Second, unless you are a recruited athlete, the only places that I know of that make a big deal about HS athletics is the service academies. Of course there may be others, but it is a minority.
If you are not recruited athlete, sport or music instrument would demonstrate how dedicated you are and how you manage your time. It would be fine if you have other EC to demonstrate the same thing.
It won’t matter at all. If you don’t like it and it is making you unhappy, you should quit and find something else to put your time into that you enjoy. As said, if you are a recruited athlete, the sport is obviously important. If not, it is just another EC. Many HS students stop a sport during high school and move on to other things of more interest to them. Maybe you can get deeper into one of the clubs you are in, or find something related to the direction you may take in college. It doesn’t have to be a formal activity requiring endless hours, but something that demonstrates your interest(s).
Why do so many people ask this? I find it so odd. There are tens of thousands of kids who don’t play sports and end up at great, top notch colleges. There are tens of thousands of kids who have other interests, and colleges understand that. No. You do not have to play sports to get into a great school. My kid played no sport at all in high school. She got into nine excellent colleges.
@Lindagaf I think everyone’s nervous and looking for whatever edge/step up they can get.
Agree with the above. Unless you are a recruited athlete participation in a sport counts for no more than any other EC. If you don’t enjoy volleyball then spend that time doing something you do enjoy.
I think rumors spread in the HS lunchroom about what colleges look for. “Gotta have a sport” is a common one. A variant on this rumor is the “requirement” for volunteer work to show your good character. And might as well add a belief that ECs are important to all colleges.
OP, if by “good college” you mean a place where you will receive a good education leading to solid prospects for employment or grad school, find great friendships, and have fun while being challenged academically then there are hundreds and hundreds of colleges like this in the country (the fixation on the most selective colleges found on this forum notwithstanding). If by “good college” you mean the top 20 or top 50 or top 5 (some kids have high standards!) then mere participation, whether it be in sports or music or whatever, is not a strong EC; they want to see achievement and/or leadership.