<p>I was just curious what people would think of being a nationally ranked sponsored snowboarder. For my common app I have it listed as 624 hours of snowboarding (does not include travel time). As in does this make my application stand out because I highly doubt that there will be another sponsored snowboarder competing national competitions applying to a lot of Ivy League Schools. I have two companies that sponsor me.</p>
<p>It is a nice EC. If you have the grades to show you remained a good student during this activity, I think it will make you stand out. It will not get you in on its own.</p>
<p>Yes, it will help, but also yes, you need to be able to demonstrate you are a strong student, too.</p>
<p>Are there any ski teams that would recruit you? If so, then it may be an admissions hook. If not, it makes you an interesting candidate if you have the qualifying grades and test scores.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone. I was just curious what people thought. I have the scores to remain competitive as well.</p>
<p>I can see how it might help IF you have test scores and grades showing you can cut it academically at those schools, and your recommendations are good.</p>
<p>If the OP was looking for recruitment from schools, being sponsored wouldn’t help. NCAA has strict rules about not being able to compete if you have been sponsored before. </p>
<p>That aside, I do think it will look good on a college app! </p>
<p>The closer you are to Olympic or national championship status or potential, the better. If you’re ranked 200th, probably not so much.</p>
<p>Send a video - with music. The adcoms would welcome the break. Actually, wondering if one could link a video in answer to the common app question - “describe a place where you are content”. Can’t think of a better place than on top of a mountain. </p>
<p>@HarvestMoon1 I did a common app on snowboarding and one on my leadership in Boy Scouts and the Order of the Arrow. I was disappointed, but the Boy Scouts and Order of the Arrow one destroyed the Snowboarding one.</p>
<p>What do you mean it “destroyed” it? Did you actually link a video or write a common app essay on those things? Not sure about the “linking” thing since they probably print out the apps. And most likely you can’t “link” in the common app essay space. Probably have to submit the video as a supplement.</p>
<p>My son rides and I would like to be able to suggest some way for him to incorporate it into his apps when he applies in a few years. Honestly, he spends more time on the mountain than anywhere else so his other EC’s will be few.</p>
<p>@HarvestMoon1 destroyed as in was better. If your son is going to talk about snowboarding when he applies to college make sure he gets a sponsor so he has something to show for it. If it helps I go 3-4 times a week about 6 to 8 hours each time.</p>
<p>Well he’s in school Monday to Friday so he is on the mountain Saturday and Sunday all day. Although he now has access to a mountain that is open some nights, but unless his homework is done that is not going to happen. We live in a resort town during the school year and its hard to reign him in sometimes. </p>
<p>He is not looking for snowboarding to get him into college but since it really is what he does with most of his free time (mountain opens in Nov. and closes in April) I want him to be able to present it favorably. </p>