<p>I'm a rising junior and I ran track last year. This was the only year that I have ran track. I'm not sure if it is something that I want to continue with, as I was not that great at it and I feel like I could dedicate my time to something else. I have a difficult schedule next year and I do not want my grades to fall because I am exhausted from practice every day. Would it look that bad to colleges if I decided not to continue with track? If I did decide to quit track, I would become more involved in my other EC's and would most likely pick up a part-time job.</p>
<p>Nope, it would not look bad. Do what you enjoy and don’t worry.</p>
<p>If it is not something you are passionate about and you do not think you will do anything significant in it (placing at meets, competitions ect) then yes quitting would be a good option. A part time job or more depth/dedication to your ECs may look more impressive anyway, not to mention more pleasureable. I quit track after 1.5 years because it was taking too much of my time afterschool, and yes I was exhausted because I was spending more time after school than my other ECs not to mention missing several of their meetings. Then I dedicated more time to my other ECs and my studies- consequently taking on 2 leadership roles in clubs and EIC of our school publication. Do what you are passionate about and you will go far, doing something just for a resume even if you hate it, will not be beneficial in the long run. Plus if you decide to take up a part time job, you could have a little spending money while showing work experience and responsibility. Good luck!</p>
<p>D made the varsity soccer team as a freshman, but had enough after sophomore year and gave it up midway through junior year tryouts - she had taken up theater and was having a lot more fun, so she never looked back. She was never going to play soccer in college, she wasn’t at that level for the schools she wanted to go to, but theater is something she might continue as just a fun thing to do. As long as you do something other than being a couch potato, leaving one thing and taking up another is not going to be a problem unless you had planned on it being a hook. Continuing to do an EC you don’t particularly care for because you think it looks good is possibly the biggest waste of time a HS student could have</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry at all. Both of my kids gave up a sport partway through high school, and that was fine. They had other ECs that they cared more about and showed a commitment to. Part of the point of high school is to try new things, and not all of them “stick” as something you want to continue doing. No problem as long as you don’t skip around on all your ECs. You don’t even have to put it on your Common App if you don’t want to.</p>
<p>Did you do the sport because you didn’t want Admissions officers to think you were a geek?
It doesn’t sound like you did any sports in MS or HS except for a season of track.
Don’t put it on your application.
1 season would look bad on the application in my opinion.</p>
<p>I agree with TomsRiverParent. I would omit it if the only thing you did was one season of track. Focus on the EC’s you enjoyed and spent more time doing.</p>
<p>@TomsRiverParent and @sevmom I did it because I enjoy running. However, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I played other sports throughout middle school but I didn’t enjoy them enough to continue on in high school. I had been planning to do Cross Country my junior year, instead of track, but I started thinking and I just don’t think I would have the time or energy on top of my schoolwork. I probably will opt to not put it on my applications.</p>
<p>IF you enjoyed it, you would not quit.
It is well know, xc/track are no-cut sports so it was clear to me and would be to admissions officers. You don’t have time for track but you have time for a part-time job? lol
Best to keep off the application.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t be a good call, admissions officers wanted to see you’re rounded, and even if you’re bad, atleast they’ll know you tried.</p>