<p>Is it possible to get into Princeton without heavy involvement in music and/or sports? I am involved in lots of other stuff and hold several leadership positions. But the details aren't important. The point is: do I need music and/or sports?</p>
<p>I don’t have time now for the long answer, so I’ll just give you the short one.</p>
<p>Do you need music and/or sports? No</p>
<p>Brooke Shields got in, and as far as I know, she was never involved in music or sports.</p>
<p>That may be an extreme case, but I’m making a point. Admissions looks for people who have found ways to stand out in any number of ways (and bear in mind that admissions weighs the academic side and non-academic side 50-50). The more unique your non-academic package, the better.</p>
<p>Sports are nice to appear well-rounded, but unless you’re on one of the coaches’ lists, they are just another activity (even if you’re Team Captain or All-State).</p>
<p>Music is also a nice activity. But it’s certainly not required.</p>
<p>I remember back when Ross Perot was running as a 3rd party candidate for president, a kid I know became the youngest County Chairman for the Ross Perot Campaign in the country (he was in a very small county). That would have impressed the Princeton admissions committee, more than being in your high school band or being on the lacrosse team, but he didn’t apply. It did impress Cornell’s admissions office, and that’s where he wound up going.</p>
<p>Go to the Princeton admissions website. Princeton wants excellence. Sometimes that’s expressed with athletics and art. Sometimes not. </p>
<p>This shouldn’t be difficult to understand.</p>