<p>since junior year is hectic, im contemplating playing a varsity sport but im not sure if it is worth the time committment
i have some great ECs such as DECA president, school newspapper editor, school litmag staff, community service, writing awards, etc and am not sure if it is worth playing a varisty sport</p>
<p>i enjoy lacrosse but do not know if i shuld put more ofcus on school
im looking to get into top 20 schools</p>
<p>For you it will be another EC, so decide if you want to take time from other activities to do this. No matter which path you take, you have a great topic for an essay!
It may also depend if your school is large enough to have tryouts, or if it's small enough that even if you wander by the field the first couple days they throw you a uniform!</p>
<p>its a large school so id tryout
the problem is i barely have 3.8 and im in hard courseload so is it worth it</p>
<p>my opinion is only to do it if you really love it ,can fit it in your schedule and devote enough time to practice.</p>
<p>if you are doing it to look good for colleges, i think the answer is don't bother unless you love lax and are willing to make the effort to cram it in among your other activities.</p>
<p>so if it for you and you carefully organize your time to maximize productivity then go for it!
it really helps to write down everything you do and when for a week or so.. then you can see what you are really interested in and where you are wasting time...</p>
<p>...bump anyone else</p>
<p>what about just playing JV? were you on V in the past? If you really love lax and play to have fun, then JV should be fun with less pressure.</p>
<p>jv is as rigiorous as varsity and id be on varsity</p>
<p>but my question is how important is a varsity sport in college admissions</p>
<p>Not important unless you are a recruited athlete! I know...I am 3 year varsity rower (practice 20 hours per week and travel team), didn't help one bit for ED to Ivy school (3.9 gpa, 3 AP's - good scores, 30 ACT, rank 35%- my scores and rank needed to be higher and even then no guarantees) What counts is you, the EC's that are important to you, your GPA, test scores, rank, essays, and recs NOT a varsity sport. Do what you enjoy BUT make sure you keep up the grades/scores!</p>
<p>Varsity sports are just another EC. Period.
Although I would personally play lacrosse this year if I were you. Being a member of the XC and Track teams have been the highlight of my high school years, so I wouldnt miss out on that type of opportunity. Not everything needs to be about whether a college admin will approve.</p>
<p>well said tjan91 - i agree...</p>
<p>im a junior too. april is going to be a hell of a month for me, with tons of activities and projects and ACTs all coming together into one giant inconvenient heap. in addition, i will be playing varsity volleyball, which is a very big time commitment, but i think i would be more stressed WITHOUT it. i love the game so much, and the mere fact that i can enjoy it will actually make my life easier that month. so i think it comes down to how much you really love your sport. if you're doing it to look "well rounded" for college or just throwing on "another EC," then you should probably reconsider trying out.</p>
<p>I may be in the minority, but I believe that admissions officers fully understand that the time commitment to a varsity sport is much greater than the time commitment to another school activity. The issue is not whether your size, speed, coordination, talent, etc. is "recruitable," but rather whether you have the commitment to the pain, rewards, humiliation and time entailed by a daily activity that often achieves paramount importance in your life. My son (soon to enroll at Columbia) did the same sort of activities you listed, but football truly meant something to him. I suspect the admissions folks recognized this. If you truly want to play lacrosse, you'll find the time and energy for it. (And those who count will respect you for it.) If you don't, don't do it.</p>
<p>A varsity sport is important if you get recruited because that could be your ticket to admission. Athletes get some leeway in the admissions process.</p>
<p>How about this. Clone yourself. Both have the exact same application. If one clone does a varsity sport and maintains the same grades and other activities while the other clone doesn't play one at all, then I'm sure they would take the clone who plays a varsity sport. It is just another EC, or I guess something to make you seem more well-rounded. If you start playing your senior year, it certainly isn't going to hold as much weight as if you played three years and now have a leadership position. I think they want to see the commitment, and if you just play for your senior-year, they might see behind your motives. Also, if you're playing a varsity sport you don't love, you'll be miserable, especially with a difficult course load.</p>