<p>I will be walking on to varsity lacrosse next year in my senior year to get a varsity sport and letter. Unfortunately, the season does not begin until the Spring, when appointments will be offered. When would I need to get the varsity letter in order to add it to my application? I feel that the letter is the only thing keeping me from putting up a pretty solid application. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>They use athletics as a proxy for leadership…do you have other things that you have done that demonstrate leadership potential, or other athletic pursuits, though not a team sport, show commitment and/or fitness? </p>
<p>As far as going out for a team sport in the Spring of your senior year, it won’t hurt, but may not help considering the applicant pool. Our cadet had 5 varsity letters by the end of his junior year, and finished with 7, and I don’t think that was out of the ordinary even for a non-IC.</p>
<p>The only other thing that would show leadership potential would be that I founded an organization called Teens4Troops. We basically raise money to make care packages for soldiers who are deployed and do other things to boost morale. I have been in orchestra for four years and, depending on my audition results, I may be in the varsity orchestra my senior year. Not the right kind of varsity letter but I guess it helps.</p>
<p>Just passing through, but thought I would lend a comment. My son attended the NA; he was also an orchestra student.</p>
<p>As you have been advised, the Academies [at least teh NA] looks for indicators of leadership. In son’s case, he was elected President of the Orchestra for his senior year. In addition, he had loads of other activities, including being selected by teachers/counselors for various activities. In other words, there existed elements of leadership [as well as other attributes, grades, recommendations, etc.] to which it could be pointed that overcame a lack of varsity sports.</p>
<p>He also had demonstrable fitness as a result of doing well on the CFA in summer seminar. Joining a sport in your senior year is not going to overcome other weaknesses; in other words, you will not lose out on being selected SOLEY because you have no sports.</p>
<p>My son had no varsity sports letters in high and was still accepted. I agree that as long as there is leadership and commitment shown in other activities and as long as a student has a good level of physical fitness that can be enough. DS did participate in a couple of high school sports (baseball, wrestling, tennis) but only for 1 year each, but did a lot of individual stuff such as rock climbing, back packing, and running that showed he was active and fit. His leadership was through high school band drum major, youth symphony, officer in NHS and other positions in clubs and things. He did obtain his private pilots liscense and worked at the same summer job for 3 years which I think helped show commitment as well. He was very strong in academics.</p>