Hello,
I am a senior and a member of my mock trial team. We are very good, coming first in the county last year when I was a witness. This year we have a good chance of going to state. I was wondering how important mock trial is for an application? I am taking a very rigorous course load (4 APs and one honors) as well as boxing three times a week. I also started a varsity sport, which I am the captain of. I don’t want to do mock trial but I know it looks good. Can I drop it, or will that be a big blow to my apps? My top schools are Yale and UC Berk.
Edit: I also have never gotten below an A- in school, so not only has my academic course load been rigorous but I have also done well.
“I don’t want to do mock trial”
Then don’t do it.
“I know it looks good”
Not if you don’t care about it. Find something that you actually enjoy and use your time to develop that activity instead.
Your state competition will presumably be in the Spring so I’m assuming it will happen too late to be listed in your applications. If you were a junior or below, the prospect of going to state would weigh in favor of staying on. But since you’re a senior and don’t want to do it, I’d say don’t do it.
If you wish to attend an Ivy League, I would recommend remaining in mock trial. I graduated Harvard Law School in 2009, then worked as a criminal defense attorney in New York City. I then switched careers and became an admissions officer for Princeton. I now witness the Ivy Leagues’ admissions process first hand. Students who have mock trial on their application are much more likely to be accepted.
On a personal note, I grew up in Seattle as well! (Assuming you did not lie about your first place finish in the country - Seattle Prep won Nationals last year.)
^OP said that they were first in the county. Not country.