How important are clubs in admissions to top colleges? With a decent GPA and transcript, and varsity sports, etc, does it really matter if you’ve never joined a club?
If you’re a multi-season varsity athlete, you don’t necessarily need clubs on top of that. Admissions officers are aware of the time commitment necessary to pull that off. However, you need to understand what each college values and how you match, what you can offer. Some colleges value athletics or school spirit more than others. Some are more likely to expect applicants to have experience related to their major outside the classroom, especially STEM or fine arts hopefuls.