How do you think schools look at sports?

<p>I assume some of you have more experience with college admissions than I. I am not a particularly stressed student- the whole process really seems fascinating. </p>

<p>I'm curious about how colleges look at sports. I don't see people on this board mentioning them very often in their self-information spiels. I have been played sports since freshman year and now I'm a varsity athlete during every season. This takes up a lot of time and limits my other extracurriculars. For example, I cannot tutor younger students because the window of time for that falls during practice. It also would not be practical for me to get a regular volunteering position due to the unpredictable schedule of practices and competition.
So I guess my questions come down to these:
- do you feel colleges tend to count sports as a valuable activity that happens to take up a lot of time, or do they see it as a conscious choice to forgo other activities in favor of something that isn't doing anything to help my academics or my community?
- do you think they would look favorably on my awards for athletic performance if I don't intend to play for their teams?</p>

<p>I wouldn't trade my times on these teams even for a few more extracurriculars because they have been so enjoyable. If I have decent standardized tests and APs and regular grades and all that stuff, I doubt it'll make a big difference either way.</p>

<p>colleges like passion and dedication. they won't look at sports and think that they are a waste of time or that sports are "a conscious choice to forgo other activities in favor of something that isn't doing anything to help your academics or the community." if you demonstrate to colleges that you love sports and that you are truly passionate about them, then they will appreciate that.</p>

<p>im in the same boat.....but if u love sports like me...stick to it!!</p>

<p>Oh my God, here we go with that passion crap again...</p>

<p>You don't have to show a passion for what you're doing, that's just something made up by CCers so they can feel better about their applications!</p>

<p>If you like sports, stick with them. If not, try some other things.</p>

<p>sports>all
no one cares about art and drama clubs lol jk but sports i believe are the best ec besides eagle scout. asb/leadership is a joke because at my school most use it for there application and do nothing</p>

<p>If you have little or no chance of getting recruited for one of your sports, I would do other ECs too. After soph year in HS I put my focus behind the sport I had the best chance in and just played the club version of my other sports to give me time to do other things. I did get recruited but I know the ivy I attend also like my other ECs.</p>

<p>Ohkay thanks all for the responses. I do have a few other extracurriculars which is good.</p>

<p>would colleges accomodate people who play varsity sports all year round?
varsity sports take time out of everything, even on weekends and of course afterschool. But it also makes it a lot harder to get homework done. If your grades suffered a little bit from being an all year athlete, how much would that hurt you?</p>

<p>I am not in any clubs besides sports. I play sports all year round, even during the summer. The admissions officers should know that when you are playing sports all year you can't do many clubs or anything.</p>

<p>but if you aren't a recruitable athlete, will they give you or your grades any sympathy since they cant really use you on a team?</p>

<p>I don't know about grade sympathy. For me I do better when I am playing sports because it keeps me focused.</p>

<p>My S received his letter in tennis in his sophomore year and will be the captain of the tennis varsity team this coming year, his senior year. I never really viewed it as a big deal in the eyes of colleges. I guess maybe I have been wrong. I always felt that his position as editor of the paper was more
noteworthy. Then again, who really knows what these admis. counselors talk about..??</p>

<p>You don't have to show a passion for what you're doing, that's just something made up by CCers so they can feel better about their applications!</p>

<p>Actually a lot of the colleges websites/brochures I've read say that they look for passion in your ECs.</p>