Participating in A Club?

Parents Forum
1

Hi-
I’m a high school junior
Basically, my school has a really competitive science olympiad team. In 9th grade, I tried out for the team, and almost made JV, but I didn’t. I went all of the preliminary meetings until December. I did make varsity science olympiad team in 10th grade and 11th grade. Would it be okay if I included my years in the club as 9th through 12th grade on my college application? I also have a pretty good chance at possibly being captain next year, as I placed well in my events last year.

Thanks

2

Since you are still so involved in the club, you can ask the club adviser if it would be appropriate to include your participation in 9th grade.

3

@happy1 The club adviser changed last year, because the teacher left the school, and the new one said that they were not sure.

4

The extra year of participation in 9th grade isn’t going to make any difference to your application. In that case, it’s entirely up to you to decide how much time and effort you put in during 9th grade. If it were me, and I just attended a half dozen meetings, I’d drop it. I’d hopefully have more impressive things to give the space to. But if you have nothing else and you feel like you really put in a lot, no one is going to question or criticize. It’s just too unimportant to have an impact (except on your conscience.)

5

If it’s just a matter of whether you put down 9-12 or 10-12, in a column, I think it’s fine to put down 9-12.

Our Sci Olympiad lets everyone participate. The year my son was a freshman the B-team was actually the one that qualified them to go to States. The State team ended up being a mix of both teams.

6

You won’t actually be applying to college until your Senior year.

At that point, you can include 9-12.

7

@mathmom @bjkmom @n’s mom
Thanks for your responses. I haven’t really looked at the Common App but there’s only one place where I would write down the grades I participated in, right?
Thanks!

8

I haven’t looked at it in years, but the trick is usually to try to figure out how to bundle activities together so that you don’t use up lines. It’s a little early to be worrying about this sort of stuff now!

9

I would say no, don’t include year 9, you were not on the team…having from year 10 on won’t make a difference than from 9 on.

Varsity Science Olympiad Team, grades 10-12. Because you were on the team.

10

You were part of the club, even in 9th grade, by attending meetings. Put down 9-12 with no guilt. There are people that attend a couple meetings in a year for a club and put it down. You are just in including 9-12.

11

Depending on space you could have Sci Oly Club 9-12 (Varsity Team 10-12).