<p>I will be a Junior this fall and some questions about new involvement. I am considering volunteering at the humane society starting this summer (you must be sixteen to volunteer, and my birthday was in December). I am also for sure playing football, and may try lax next spring. Now, I am worried that my schools will be suspicious of me doing things to boost my app, but I am not. I have just recently been well enough to participate in more activities (I was diagnosed in 2006 and have just recently been in remission) and I decided to play football several months before I decided I wants to attend Princeton, as for lax, a few of my friends convinced me to play. I really want to attend, and am worried they think I am simply boosting my app. </p>
<p>Alright, I knew they wouldn’t get me in, I was just afraid they would think I was boosting. I have always wanted to volunteer at the humane society. :)</p>
<p>You are overthinking this. If you’ve always wanted to volunteer at the humane society then do it. No college is going to treat a genuine interest as resume enhancing, because it isn’t. Nobody expects a 16 year-old to have all his interests set in stone. In fact, they’re going to be looking for someone willing to try new things. Go for it.</p>
<p>Just have your counselor explain your circumstances in her recommendation letter (you were diagnosed and went through remission) for why you were not able to play sports earlier. And volunteering starting the summer before your junior year isn’t even that late in the game, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’d say go for it.</p>