So it’s the very beginning of my senior year and I’m applying to some top-notch, super-selective colleges (specifically Harvard Early Action). But I’m torn/in a predicament right now. I’m in Independent Study - Speech (a.k.a. Debate III). This’ll be my third year in the class but I’ve lost interest in competing. Don’t get me wrong; I think debate is great and we got a new teacher who is going to revamp a struggling debate program… but it’s the beginning of senior year and I’m not being benefited by that at this point in high school. On top of that I’m spread thin with a rigrous schedule and other inherently more prioritized commitments (officer of stuco, Model UN, and Math Honors Society). Moreover, Model UN, my favorite extracurricular, is also what I’m best at. I’ve gotten first or second almost every time I’ve competed, whereas I’ve never even made it past semifinals in a speech/debate event. I’m also planning on starting a Quidditch team for my school at some point (because I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time).
My worry is that admissions officers will frown upon this.
My plan, if I end up dropping the class, is to take an off-period (8-period schedule/50 minutes each period) and devote it to my other commitments in which I’m still personally invested (and start a Quidditch team). Then, on the Common App, I’ll try and explain my decision in the Additional Informaton section.
With an already rigorous schedule and other extracurricular priorities, will admissions officers frown upon my decision to quit debate in my third year of doing it and take an off period to work on other things?
No. I joined it two years ago because I wanted to try something competitive that wasn’t a sport. But now, after years of not having much success, a different teacher evey year (the one from last year made it miserable), I’ve just lost an interest to compete really (I mean, I’ve always tried to try out different things and interest is fleeting). But, this semester and my schedule is a really sensitive period for college apps. I’m just wanting to know whether if I’ll suffer any consequences or disadvantages from dropping the class now after being in it for two years. Basically, is my argument sound for deciding to drop the class?
Search this forum for people deciding on dropping a varsity sport – very similar to your situation. Look, Harvard et al want people who are assured and can think for themselves and choose among competing demands. Debate’s appearance on you EC list isn’t going to make-break anything. My kid finished 8 seasons as a varsity athlete. If, at the start of her senior year she had said: I’ve had enough – and had a good reason, I would have been 100% fine with it. that’s my two cents.
While it is fine to outgrow activities in which you lose interest, I notice a mercenary tone to your whole post. Just a thought: kids who are admitted into as you put it “top notch super selective colleges” are very often in my experience students who do not always put themselves first. That graciousness combined with excellence is what I often see in a school’s top top students, the ones who get the big awards and most glowing LORs.