<p>I've invested a lot of time into skateboarding during my high school years, but since skateboarding is generally looked down upon, is it considered an extra curricular? Can anyone give me some advice as to whether I should put it on my apps or not?</p>
<p>It’s more a hobby, avocation unless it was part of a larger event/pursuit like teaching troubled kids at the community skate park. </p>
<p>It’s not that it’s looked down upon – it’s only a quirky fact about you but doesn’t really say much about what you can bring to others or display some great character trait. I’d omit it – much like I’d tell a comic book collector or an avid quilt maker to omit it.</p>
<p>However, it’s great to find a hobby/sport that you genuinely enjoy. It should be a great release for you when studies get too tough.</p>
<p>IMO there is no problem including skateboarding, or any other hobby/sport that you’ve spent a lot of time on. It helps give admissions officers a more complete picture of who you are.
Omitting it won’t increase your chances.</p>
<p>I would omit it from the EC like T26E4 said, but I would use that as my essay since it appears that you are passionate about it.</p>
<p>If you are able to write an essay on how skateboarding made you mature, then it might be good to include. But this will be hard. Writing that “I met a lot of people and made a lot of friends” isnt going to hit the mark. </p>
<p>Tell an interesting story on your essays.</p>
<p>I’d exclude it. It’s easily the most important EC to me and I’ve spent way too much time doing it but I’m not putting it on my app.</p>
<p>I would not exclude it if it is in fact an EC you spend significant time doing. You can put is under an EC of individual sports or something like that.</p>
<p>Who is making up this definition of what a hobby is versus an extracurricular is? Why do ECs have to be competitive, group activities or somehow related to community service?</p>
<p>So stamp collecting is a …?
How about hiking? Or long distance bike riding?</p>
<p>They are only supposed to be hobbies if you are not part of a club?</p>
<p>ECs are what ever you feel contributes to making you a more rounded individual and you feel provides you with personal achievement.</p>
<p>you want to distinguish yourself and not look like one of the 10000000000 other kids out there doing “normal” sports such as football or basketball. If you think you can write a good essay about it, do it</p>
<p>I think some people (including possibly the O/P) might be confusing a “hobby” with an “extracurricular activity.” Both are great things to have and do. But they are different. Yes, the lines can sometimes overlap, but they are still different.</p>
<p>A hobby is an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation.</p>
<p>E/Cs are educational or philanthropic activities that do not fall within the scope of the regular school or educational curriculum.</p>
<p>And, as far as this statement: “I’ve invested a lot of time into skateboarding during my high school years.”</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be a card-carrying parent if I didn’t comment that, maybe, spending a little less time skateboarding and a little more time doing school work might help the college application process more than putting skateboarding on the app would.</p>
<p>Ya know, dude, like, just sayin’ … ;)</p>
<p>Take a look here
[Extracurricular</a> Activities - What Counts as an Extracurricular Activity?](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/f/what-is-an-extracurricular-activity.htm]Extracurricular”>Extracurricular Activities for College Admissions)</p>
<p>What an incredibly obnoxious thing to say GolfFather.</p>
<p>
Everyone is entitled to spend their time how they wish, and the OP gave no indication that he had neglected his studies to pursue skateboarding. Even if he had, who are you to judge him for it? Your username suggests that you have your own hobbies that you enjoy. What makes golf a more worthwhile pursuit than skateboarding? And why are you allowed to make that distinction?</p>
<p>If you respond to this, and I expect you won’t, please skip the condescension. Ya know, dude, like, just sayin’, you’re acting awfully immature for a “card-carrying parent.”</p>
<p>@GolfFather</p>
<p>Be more condescending.</p>
<p>The difference, my dear friends, is that I didn’t “invest a lot of time into” playing golf (especially while in high school).</p>
<p>There is a notion of balance and priorities.</p>
<p>Ne quid nimis. (Not anything in excess.) </p>
<ul>
<li>Terence</li>
</ul>
<p>From a couple of your other posts, I gather that your D is an athlete. Have you informed her that “spending a little less time [playing xxx] and a little more time doing school work might help the college application process more than putting [playing xxx] on the app would”? Or has she just not “invested a lot of time into” it so it’s OK?</p>
<p>Where are you seeing that this student is neglecting his priorities to skateboard? I cannot find any indication that the OP is skateboarding “in excess” or letting his schoolwork suffer because of it. Or, rather, perhaps you are just stereotyping skateboarding as an unwholesome activity full of drug addicts and problem kids?</p>
<p>So, to answer your question OP, if you do list it (and I would) you must be prepared that some of the people reading your application may be as prejudiced as “dear” GolfFather here.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, I took all your posts into consideration. As for the amount of time i spend on skateboarding, yes I do spend a lot of time doing it, but i also spend a lot of time studying. I’ve become a great student and a skateboarder as a result. GolfFather, I tried to comprehend your reasoning, but couldn’t really. Anyways, I probably won’t be putting it on my app since it brings up such a heated debate.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear this board has dissuaded you. That is why they call them forums. 
For what it is worth, my son did put longboarding, rockclimbing and snowboarding on his ap all in a single slot of the ECs. He now is in the rock climbing and snowboarding club at his school. I wouldn’t let the people here with strong opinions get in your way, it is only the opinion of the adcoms that matters.</p>
<p>Poor adcoms…they get one boring application after the next…President of the French Club, orchestra, tennis team. No wonder they get excited when a kid puts his/her toe over the line and does something unconventional. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, all the interesting, unconventional, quirky kids select themselves out because they’ve ‘heard’ that adcoms only want…see boring list above.</p>
<p>I know I’m two years late, but people saying to omit skateboarding as an extra curricular made me disappointed. Anything you do, no matter the general perspective of the activity, makes up who you are. On my personal college apps, skateboarding was an essential focus point–it took up the number one spot on my activity list and I wrote my essay about it. </p>
<p>We’ll see how my decisions stack up, but I would argue it could even look better than an average high school sport, which a vast majority of students participate it, making it not as special. It depends how you portray it on your application. </p>
<p>Probably nobody is gonna read this, but if anyone stumbles upon it years from now, my personal advice is to put yourself on the page, and if skateboaring is a part of you, put that on there.</p>
<p>And on that note, I’m closing this 2 year old thread.</p>