<p>hi! im very interested in harvard and would like to apply there next year but I was wondering--I'm involved in 6 pretty big service clubs and im a very active member in all of them and because i joined all of them quite early on in high school and have been a member ever since, my school really values that and so there's a big chance i can become president for 4 to 5 of the clubs im in by next year, but... I heard that harvard likes it if u are really involved in 1 or 2 clubs and be president for those clubs... would they think it's weird if im president of 4 or 5 clubs? can being club leader for too many clubs actually hurt me? any opinion would be much appreciated! thank you in advance! (ps im not involved in any sports because I find being in community service clubs more fun and sports isn't really my thing... but some people i know who have gotten into ivy leagues were club leaders for 1 or 2 clubs and were in at least one varsity sport... but some people say that ivy leagues aren't solely looking for people who are athletic and that if you're really passionate about the arts/service/anything else, you don't HAVE to be involved in sports... could someone clarify this for me? im really confused...) thank you again!</p>
<p>[Guidance</a> Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Part 3 - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/harvarddean-part3/]Guidance”>Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 3 - The New York Times)</p>
<p>"The term “extracurricular activities” covers an enormous amount of ground. We are interested in whatever a student does: in addition to school extracurricular activities and athletics, students can tell us of significant community, employment, or family commitments. There are many who spend a great deal of time helping to run their household, preparing meals and caring for siblings or making money with a part-time job to help the household meet expenses.</p>
<p>Unfortunately many schools have had to curtail or eliminate extracurricular activities and athletics, or they charge fees for participation. In addition, many students cannot afford expensive musical instruments or athletic equipment — or have families without the resources to pay for lessons, summer programs and the transportation networks necessary to support such activities.</p>
<p>Admissions Committees keep these factors in mind as they review applications, and are concerned most of all to know how well students used the resources available to them. Extracurricular activities need not be exotic — most are not — and substance is far more important. A student who has made the most of opportunities day-to-day during secondary school is much more likely to do so during college and beyond."</p>
<p>Hi gibby! Thanks so much for such a quick reply 
one more thing… do you automatically become unattractive to the adcoms if u arent in any sports/varsity teams? or are there plenty of people who have gotten into ivy leagues (esp harvard) without having been on a varsity team? thanks in advance!</p>
<p>^^ Where do these rumors start? </p>
<p>Harvard, and all the ivy league schools, want multi-talented, multi-dimensional students – not just athletes. One look at a list of available activities on campus should dispel the rumor that only athletics matter: [Student</a> Organization List Office of Student Life](<a href=“http://osl.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k65178&pageid=icb.page305611]Student”>http://osl.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k65178&pageid=icb.page305611)</p>
<p>Hi gibby thanks so much for your response–i really appreciate it. i heard that adcoms like you if you play varsity sports from people at my school… maybe it’s bcuz everyone who has gotten into an ivy league from my school in the past 4 years has been captain for at least one varsity sport…:(</p>