Extracurricular Activities - Do I NEED to join a sport to get accepted into a competitive college?

I’m a junior in high school. I had a 4.5 GPA last year, and I’m taking two AP classes this year. Some of the extracurricular activities I’m involved in are choir, handbells, and student ambassador. I volunteer for three hours each week. Do I need to join sports to be accepted into top competitive colleges? I don’t really like sports, and I’m definitely not athletic. I’m thinking of UC Berkeley or colleges along those lines. Would joining a sport increase my chances of getting accepted? Are sports valued or like “weighted” the same if I focused more on arts, something I actually enjoy?

NO!!! Sports are valued the same as any other EC that takes about the same amount of time. If you’re not passionate about it, spend the time on something you are passionate about, like arts as you said.

For selective colleges, sometimes being “well-rounded” can make you blend in with all the other applicants. If you want to stand out, you could maybe try a less common sport that they don’t see often. However, in all honesty, you’re much better off skipping the sport and further cultivating your skill in arts in order to form a focus (especially because you don’t seem particularly passionate about sports). To put it in the most cliche way possible, just do you! Here’s a good article on the topic: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-into-harvard-and-the-ivy-league-by-a-harvard-alum . On the other hand, doing a less competitive sport for fun (like cross country) can be a huge stress reliever and actually help you perform better in school. It all depends on whether the time you’ll be losing is worth it to you.

Short answer: no you don’t. But you will want to show some depth and objective accomplishment in your ECs.

Start in junior probably won’t get you anywhere. Unless you are highly talented, but then, why wouldn’t you join earlier?

Nah, people really overrate the importance of sports. What’s more important is that you focus on one or two things you are actually passionate about and work really hard on those. Being “well-rounded” is kind of a myth – why waste your time on a sport when you don’t like it and can be working hard on something you love? Colleges love to see a student really work on a few things and go far with them instead of someone who spreads him/herself thin (like joining a sport and every club under the sun).

I think that the reason many people consider sports to be so impressive is because of the time commitment and the dedication involved. But, you can get that with almost any extracurricular. Colleges just want to see what you’re passionate about. For some people that may be volleyball or tennis, but for others it might be art or music-- and that’s fine! Colleges don’t want every single student on campus to be interested in the same things! If you don’t like sports, don’t join just to impress someone. Do whatever you’re passionate about and convey that dedication in your application. Good luck!

Of course you do not need a sport to be admitted to a competitive college. Just involve yourself in activities that you enjoy and are dedicated to. You will shine through in your essays this way.

I considered the same thing. I always hated sports (mainly because I sucked at them) so I worried that not having sports would hold me back. But I ended up getting into a lot of great schools including UCB. So yeah, don’t worry about needing a sport. You do you.