<p>I have been on a private, non-school related sports team for 3+ years. The thing is, I'm really, really bad, and won't be going to competitive meets, becoming captain, or anything like that. I'm considering quitting the team. Since I have good grades, scores, clubs, etc . . . will quitting this team have an affect on getting into college? Would I appear "not well-rounded"? Would it hurt to not have a sport, even though I'm not doing well? Conversely, since I'm not doing well, will doing the sport help me in college admissions at all?</p>
<p>Please don't say "Do what you love" or anything. I need to convince my mom as well about any decision I make, and need more concrete evidence/advice to tell her.</p>
<p>Doing a sport only helps so much if you can get recruited. Otherwise, if you feel that your time is better spent focusing on other pursuits, then I say go for them.</p>
<p>I’m definetly not getting recruited. Will not having a sport affect decisions at all? Would it look bad if it says I was on the team in grades 9 and 10 then quit?</p>
<p>@Fledgling, I could not disagree more. Sports are not about getting into college. If you enjoy a sport, and as long as your grades don’t drop, then you should do it. Of course, if you’re only doing sports for getting into college, you should be kicked off the team or just quit yourself.</p>
<p>I never implied that he should do a sport just for college; I was merely saying that his chances for getting admitted would go up IF he could get recruited. But from the way he phrased his post, it doesn’t look like this is an activity he’s particularly thrilled about, which is why I advised him to focus on other areas if he wished to.</p>
<p>If your not good at the sport and there is school clubs at the college of interest for that sport, you could keep it up and it may help (especially if its a unique sport) because they want a diverse school body</p>
<p>Please, no insults. To clear up the little fight, this sport is something I liked before, but since I’m really bad I don’t like it as much now. I’m not that thrilled about it. However, I have been told that it is ideal to have a sport to show how well-rounded you are for college applications. It wouldn’t be something I’m doing only for apps though, since I like. An admissions boost would just be a check on the “pro” side.</p>
<p>Sorry Fledgling, I wasn’t implying you were saying that either. But your post seemed to say that unless you would be recruited for a sport, then there is no point and you should do something “better” for apps. Sorry if I misunderstood though. OP, may we know what sport this actually is? itry is right to an extent. Colleges want diverse student bodies more than they want well-rounded individuals, but at the same time, they want to see that you will do more there than just study. these schools have great resources for various activities and they want to make sure that they are put to good use.</p>
<p>If you don’t like to play, stop playing; it’s as simple as that. It is a bit ironic that you claim you wouldn’t be playing the sport only to impress adcoms yet you create a topic asking if a sport EC is essential to improving your chances in college admissions.</p>
<p>Actually, nowadays wellrounded looks really bad. Lots of schools are looking for people who are specialized in areas (while doing decently well everywhere else) rather than someone trying to cover every single area in an attempt to be wellrounded.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to do it, just quit. Your chances of getting into schools won’t be devastated because of such an act.</p>
<p>1 - The sport is swimming.
2 - Others are concerned that losing the sport will ruin college admissions. Not necessarily me.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the answers!</p>
<p>@Squelchy451 - Congrats! My situation looks like its going to be similar to yours. I won’t be sending in a CD, but I’ll probably have something else like that I can send in.</p>
<p>I didn’t play any sports and I got into 6/7 colleges (waitlisted at the other), all of which were very selective. 11/12 if we count British schools.
It’s better to be involved in ECs which you like and will continue in college. Colleges aren’t just looking for people who have merely been involved in their HS communities. They want continuing involvement.</p>
<p>A sport is not that important at all. If you show dedication to it or like it, of course, it will help you in college admissions. But it is not like a requirement to get into the most selective colleges at all. Focus your time into something else like a club instead. Look at all the applicants to HPYMS, most of them don’t play sports. Colleges just need a specific amount of students that would be competitive in their college sports teams, so unless you’re planning to do that, don’t bother.</p>
<p>“Look at all the applications to HPYMS, most of them don’t play sports.”
Exactly, APPLICATIONS. Look at all the ADMITEES to HYPMS, they have tons of team captains, as well as players (in high school). Now, if you don’t want to do it bro, DON’T DO IT! But if you love the sport, even if you won’t get recruited, don’t listen to app-hors and DO IT! :D</p>