Welcome back! Today we focus on something that is a bit off the beaten path:
Athletics.
We are not going to talk about it from an admissions process standpoint, but as an extracurricular.
We are unapologetic about our view that every applicant should have some form of athletics on their radar.
Simply put, it’s a box that needs to be checked. And there is no way to approximate it. We are not saying that you cannot be accepted to college without doing a sport, but you are putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage if you are not.
Remember, admissions are holistic, so having athletics helps to provide a more holistic profile.
There’s a few things to understand when we discuss athletics.
First, we are not making a value judgment on the level of achievement you need to have in a given sport. Whether you are an olympic level swimmer or a junior varsity football player, it does not matter for the purposes of having something on your list.
It WILL matter for the purposes of being a more competitive applicant, but you can put forth a complete application with some degree of sports commitment there.
Secondly, athletics on the resume is more about commitment and less about the number that you have done. While no one will fault you for trying a few sports, commitment to one or two sports will resonate with admissions officers more.
The length shows commitment and gives you an opportunity to provide a compelling story. Someone who samples a lot of sports cannot demonstrate a commitment.
Third, you have to understand the difference between individual and team sports. Applicants who apply having played team sports typically have a harder time isolating their value than those who played individual sports.
Put another way, individual sports do not have a lot of the challenges that team sports do. For example, did a coach not let you play because they wanted to promote another kid instead? Did seniors get playing priority?
Too many variables.
But if you play tennis, you play the match. It is all on you. So if you win, you win. And it was because of you. So if your record is 30-3, that is YOUR record.
In football, an undefeated team has the same record for every individual player, regardless of individual contribution.
So if you can opt into individual sports, that gives you the best chance of showcasing your talent without any consideration of others.
Now what does all of that mean?
It means that the best athletics for you will be sports that you play for a long period of time as an individual. It does not matter the level - it just matters that you are committed.
Now that leads to the next question - how do you figure out what to commit to?
The easy answer is just commit to something for a few years and then you can quit when you are in college.
The longer answer is to start early with trying out a variety of sports.
Think in terms of:
What you can afford
What you enjoy
What you are talented in
The level of commitment you want to make
When you think in these terms, the possibilities are much much easier .