Quick question: I am a junior in high school and have yet to participate in any sports. I believe that this may be a weakness in my application. I was going to try out for track last year but ended up not doing so because I was to afraid I wasn’t qualified (stupid move, I know). Well, track tryouts are coming up and I still don’t think I’m qualified and am considering not even trying out. So, are sports really important if my extracurricular are only slightly above average (imo)?
No, but adcoms want to see what you do away from classes.
Do you meaningfully participate in clubs, competitions, research, have a part time job, etc. They want to see commitment and follow through.
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Not at all!! Do what you love to do, and highlight that. Band, clubs, theater, volunteering, work, music. Anything is fine. All have the same opportunity to highlight your skills and interests as a sport does.
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@circuitrider The OP has never participated in sports and is a junior. I don’t think trying out for a sport for the first time junior year is going to move the needle at any college for this particular student.
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Schools are interested in who you are, what you do, how you spend your time, how you will contribute to the school community, etc.
There are many ways to do this. Involvement in a sport is only one. It has no magic power over other activities. Yes, if you’re a starting QB, you have an advantage. But if you’re an IMO medalist, a founder of a successful company, etc., you also have an advantage.
Sports are just one of many ways to show you can collaborate- and follow adult leadership (adapt to standards, present as ready for whatever it involves, take direction, etc.)
There’s also a presumption you effectively team. Again, other ways to show this.
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Do what you like to do and do it very well.
It could be sports, music, writing…
I think that was what I meant by “Maybe not in the OP’s case”. The trouble with an open-ended question in a general forum is deciding whether to address just the OP specifically or any reader stumbling upon it in the subject heading - as we all did before we actually read the first post. If it were up to me, instead of asking “Are Sports Important?”, I’d edit it to ask, “Will Lack of Sports Affect My Application?” or something like that.
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It won’t matter at colleges/universities that are a good fit for you.
Why would you even want to go to one that places such a high value on something that doesn’t interest you anyway?
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I agree with this. It’s a little disingenuous to say that not being an athlete will not affect her chances when she’s applying to a NESCAC or a Patriot League college. We all know that it will:
Are you saying sports as an EC matter more than other ECs for an unhooked applicant at NESCAC and Patriot League schools?
I’m saying the fact that upwards of 40% of the incoming seats are reserved for recruited athletes clearly affects the chances of unhooked applicants at NESCAC and Patriot League schools.
EDIT: Although, as @Mwfan1921 rightly pointed out in a PM to me, the proportion of suited up players at a particular college does not necessarily represent the proportion of applicants who were athletes the year they entered (thereby crowding out everyone else.) Fair enough.
I still think the most we can say is that the OP’s chances are no worse than any other unhooked candidate’s.
Particularly when the question is asked by a student who specifically refers to their chances, address the question posed instead of turning it into a broader debate.
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40% of seats are not reserved for recruited athletes. NESCAC in particular has caps on slots each year…14 for football, 2 for each other varsity sport. Variances can happen year to year as coaches make trades, and other circumstances may dictate.
Some schools do make use of ‘soft support’ for athletes, but still not sure total athletic recruits total 40%…maybe Amherst if you use Selingo’s numbers from his book (sure would like Amherst to confirm that or not, hopefully the student newspaper will get on it).
But I am virtually certain some of the NESCACs have nothing near 40% of recruited athletes (full or soft support) in each year’s class. At Patriot League schools, which are DI, on average a lower proportion of students are involved in sports so not understanding how you are getting the 40%.
If OP would like to start a sport now, that’s fine, but playing a sport for one season won’t move the needle at these schools in the admissions process (assuming OP doesn’t get recruited).
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To be clear, sports matters a great deal if you are a recruited athlete. If you are not a recruited athlete then they are no more important than any other EC.
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No, colleges will not care that you haven’t done sports.
My kid did no sport whatsoever. She got into a bunch of great colleges (attended a NESCAC), graduated, and was offered a six figure job, which she turned down for a job she was more interested in.
Colleges want to see what actually interests you. Do things after school that interest you.
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35 to 40 percent may represent a common figure at the NESCACs for those participating in varsity athletics (which differs from reserved slots, etc.).
That says 35% to 40% percent participate in a varsity sport, which is common at NESCAC and other LACs. Not all of those participants are recruited, which is what circuitrider said…40% are recruited athletes and that is not true. Hamilton has a cap of athletic recruit slots at 14 for football, 2 for each other sport.
I did say recruited athletes. I should have said varsity athletes. I stand corrected.
In case my earlier post was too subtle: answer the question as posed by the OP, or don’t post. There is no option C to discuss whatever you like. If the OP wants to know about the percentage if recruited athletes, they will ask. If they wanted a free-for-all, they would have posted on the café.
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