<p>How much of a hook is getting invited to attend the Junior Olympics in an individual sport if you won't attend until after college decisions are mailed out (March 2014)? Is "invited to attend" good enough?</p>
<p>If you’ve been invited to join a team for the Junior Olympics, yes it’s definitively important, even to D3 schools, but it’s a hook only if the school you’re applying to has your sport 
(which I assume they would since one wouldn’t go from Jr Olympics to zero athletic involvement :p)</p>
<p>If you’re good enough to play the sport in college, and you intend to play it, then it could be quite a hook.</p>
<p>If not, then it’s a nice accomplishment, but not a hook at all.</p>
<p>Well, I would be going to the J.O. for Shotokan karate. It’s an individual sport, not team. Does this affect how colleges view my application? Is it not as prestigious?</p>
<p>Regarding what Sikorsky said, I certainly intend to train and attend the J.O. and other, greater karate tournaments while at college. Does this help the fact that it’s not a team sport? I’m anxious because many universities only have it as a club sport.</p>
<p>Also, back to the original question, do colleges view it just as well if I’m going to attend but haven’t yet?</p>
<p>You will have attained a fairly advanced level of skill in one of your extracurricular endeavors. How could that be bad?</p>
<p>But the only time such an accomplishment provides a big admissions boost is when it will enable you to fill an institutional want or need of the college. Colleges need players for their basketball teams, and sometimes even horn players for their marching bands. But I am not really aware of colleges that feel the same kind of pressure to populate their Shotokan karate clubs, or make them highly competitive.</p>
<p>Junior Olympics will be good for you. But in terms of college admissions, it won’t be great for you. I hope it will be great for you in other ways, though. Good luck.</p>
<p>It would only be considered a “hook” if you are being considered as a recruit for that sport in college. A hook is something that fills a need for the college (be it through money, diversity, or athletics), and I’m not terribly in tune with how many schools are recruiting for Shotokan karate but I’d imagine not many. </p>
<p>So it probably is not a hook… but it is nonetheless a very noteworthy and interesting EC to have for your application!!</p>
<p>Does it matter much that I will be attending after my application is decided upon (decision in March 2014, attending August 2014)?</p>
<p>Junior Olympics are an annual event. Are you saying that you have not qualified for the August 2013 JOs, but are hoping to qualify for 2014 JOs?</p>
<p>Sherpa, I qualified for 2013 JO’s, but due to my summer course professor not allowing me to take the final exam earlier or later than August 1st (the day of the competition), I can’t attend this year. I’ve contacted AAU and told them about my situation and they’re willing to allow me to participate in the 2014 JO’s provided I maintain my membership, remain in good standing, etc. Will colleges look down on this because I’m unable to attend this year?</p>
<p>I’ve begged my professor to no avail, and this is a class which I fought tooth and nail to get and which I’ve sacrificed a lot to take.</p>
<p>It isn’t a hook, but it’s a nice accomplishment. Given the circumstances, I think it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to write: “Qualified for Junior Olympics in Shotokan Karate in 2013 and 2014.”</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>sounds like and awesome accomplishment, could even be an essay.</p>
<p>Ask your sports federation if some colleges are ranked #1 or 2 or 3 in your sport. Even at club level, some schools can be quite competitive and this may help your admission.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice MYOS, will do.</p>