<p>I've been told that universities in the UK care less about non academic extracurriculars than in the US. I'm going to be a junior and am really worried about getting my GPA up and scoring well on the SAT's. I really don't want to do band anymore, but it's my only 'activity'. I feel like it will make my GPA lower, (right now it's around 3.6) because it requires practice everyday after school until eight. I would rather join clubs like chess club, speech and debate, and maybe the ski club. My question is if taking band, which I won't be able to drop if it negatively affects my studies, is worth taking because it might impress universities? Do they care about it that much?</p>
<p>Your ECs are utterly irrelevant to any UK application. However, I would not change your life with a view to getting into the UK, in case you don’t! (Or you don’t get into a good choice in the UK, or decided you would prefer the US). Think about whether dropping band would affect your US applications. I would not advise doing anything that might adversly affect your US applications because you might in the future want to go to the UK (what if you change your mind?).</p>
<p>They really do not care. It is simply down to grades and personal statement.</p>