<p>I have been running cross country since 7th Grade. While I never truly enjoyed the running portion of cross country, I have loved the people on the team with me. (I also play Varsity Tennis (since 10th Grade (JV since 8th)) which I plan to continue). Many of my friends on the team have graduated while others have quit. Recently, my asthma and allergies have acted up making running difficult and joyless though not to the point where I would be forced to quit.</p>
<p>Now, with the pressures of college essay writing and admissions looming near, I'm worried I won't be able to deal with practice as well as 6 AP classes (I managed 3 and a self-study last year). Grades aren't as much of a concern as I have quite a good GPA and don't struggle to pull A's (I still have to put in work). I also volunteer with a local volunteer ambulance service. Over the summer, I have become very involved, beginning medic training and being told by a leader at the service that I will receive an award for exceptional dispatching at the annual awards banquet in late November. If I choose to do cross country, I will only be able to volunteer on some weekends due to shift timing conflicting with practice (the late shift starts at 6, xc practice ends at 6:30). As president of several clubs and layout editor of the school newspaper as well, I will have to balance more than just cross country.</p>
<p>I'm worried that if I quit cross country in the fall of my senior year, colleges that I will apply to will see a "quitter". But I really treasure my volunteering more (I averaged over 25 hours a weeks this summer) and will be happier spending more time on the ambulance. I don't plan to continue xc in college. Will it impact college decisions that I quit a sport I've been doing for 5 years in the fall of senior year? Which will "appear" better, a volunteering position or a school sport?</p>
<p>EDIT: I also recently became in charge of statistics for the corp which took up a lot of office time which I haven't recorded as community service.</p>
<p>IMO, I don’t think you should continue XC for any reason if it would conflict with your schoolwork and ECs that you are passionate about. You’re already juggling a lot and I don’t think colleges would hold it against you if you stopped running senior year, but make sure you use that extra time to, like you said, volunteer at the ambulance service. You could even make a little note of it on the app, as that might stand out as something strange. I ran cross country for three years (freshman year being the odd one out) and I didn’t really begin to love it until the final year. But as I said, if you don’t like running at all, you probably shouldn’t be continuing it. </p>
<p>As an EMT, I am interested in your medic training. I thought most paramedic programs were two-year programs? Or were you deciding to stay at home/nearby to attend college and be able to complete the paramedic curriculum at the same time?</p>
<p>It is had to not fall into a cliche trap here but, here it is anyway: follow your heart. If what makes you excited and enthusiastic is available to you…go for it and don’t look back. People change and priorities shift. It is all part of growth and development. Like post # 2 said - use the essays to touch on the tough decisions and the joy that you get from your chosen path. </p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. At this point I probably won’t continue with xc.</p>
<p>93tiger16, sorry for the confusion. Medic is a term my corp uses for certified first responders who assist the either the EMT or paramedic. In our area, paramedics are usually called ALS techs almost never called paramedics</p>
<p>You have enough on your application that and extra year of XC doesn’t add anything significant. It’s your senior year! Go have some fun an do what you truly enjoy!</p>
<p>Oh, so you don’t have your EMT cert yet? Are you thinking about getting it? It’s nice to have if you’re thinking about medicine and have an interest in emergency services, as it sounds like you do.</p>