How special is being nationally ranked in a non NCAA sport? Is it worth it to invest lots of time into it, potentially lowering my grades, even if I can’t be recruited for it?
Grades are always the most important…esp if that sport is not played at college.
If you have a 2.9 but are a nationally ranked football player, that is one thing, but if you have a 2.9 but are nationally ranked in underwater ballet colleges won’t care as much…unless underwater ballet is your passion…then you will find a college that will work for you anyway.
Also, even non NCAA sports have recruiters - judo, handball, squash…
like if 2 people have a 4.4 gpa but one of them just does basic clubs in high school while the other one is nationally ranked in that sport, who would technically have a better chance?
The one who can sell himself to the admissions office. Why does he do the sport, why does he love the sport, how did he become involved? Did he fall in love with darts or cricket while at an English boarding school? Was his grandfather the championship dart guy and did the student take up darts to spend time with gramps? Did the student learn about luge because he happens to be from Lake Placid and luge is all the rage there?
Some sports are popular in certain areas. Many western schools have rodeo teams and there might be a curling team in the frozen states. They student isn’t waived in to schools, but the school is interested in the reason why this student is so accomplished at that sport.
Or why the other student with the 4.4 is so accomplished in debate, or MUN, or robotics.
They may be more interested in the national athlete…because they could juggle the time on the sport with academics…
But if your grades go down then ?
Grades are the most important. Could it make a great essay? Absolutely. If you maintain your grades, can it demonstrate that you are hard working and able to juggle your time? Yes. If you sacrifice your grades and try to explain it by saying I am the #1 ranked cardboard tube dueler in the nation, it may back fire on you.
When were you ranked? In another post you talk about being ranked in chess when you were in young (7 or 8 and middle school) and said that you stopped playing chess in 10th grade. Things that far in your past won’t do much for an application as you did not follow through to achieve a high level while in HS. Are you considering playing competitive chess again or is this about something else? I would say that re-starting competitive chess (if that is what you are considering) is not worth compromising your academics for.
@happy1 its for something else, and the sport is an olympic sport, not a ncaa sport
Just to clarify for everyone, the sport isnt something random like cardboard tube dueling, it is an Olympic sport
I still don’t believe that something that will adversely affect your grades is going to help you in the college admission process. Both my sons have competed in uncommon sports that are Olympic events. One even made an All-American team. It was only a club sport at his college so no recruitment opportunities. The other won a state championship in a different sport as a youth. That being said, I would never let either of their sports interfere with their grades. In fact if their grades started to slip, they knew their outside activities would be the first thing to go. Showing that they could manage their grades and their activities are what made them strong applicants. Were their grades straight A+s, no. But both graduated HS in about the top 10-15% of their classes at a fairly competitive HS. Your activity could make a great EC but please don’t think it will be something to use as an excuse for not performing well in school.
@123Mom456 Thank you! Yeah i go to a very competitive school in the United States and my gpa is around a 3.9 unweighted, while balancing the sport training and some other activities. My main concern is how will I compare to people in my school who have more time to pursue much bigger and popular clubs, like FBLA and Speech and Debate? Because of my sport commitment, I am not part of many large clubs in my school
@throwaway123455 - It’s a great activity and will probably make you more interesting that someone in FBLA or Debate.You did something more than just join a club. You sought out something and showed passion and dedication. There probably are more captains of the debate team than those excelling at your sport. A 3.9 UW GPA is superb and does show you know how to balance your obligations. I am all for doing something that makes you stand out. Maybe even find something in your sport that let’s you add to it. i.e., coach younger kids, obtain a certification, volunteer at a tournament. That being said, my initial concern was your comment that said it would lower your grades. You can do something and be good at it but still find that balance. Keep your grades up. You don’t need a 4.0 to be noticed but you shouldn’t show a downward trend and think that your sport will compensate for it. Good Luck to you! Send me a private message - I would love to hear what your sport is.