How much do sports matter?(please help!!)

Applying to College
1

Hey everyone!
I’m a sophomore in high school and I don’t play any sports. I made the JV swimming team my freshman year, but this year I decided I didn’t want to do it because I dreaded going to practice every morning, I hated it.

I do, however, commit myself to a ton of other extra curricular activities like Harvard Model Congress, my schools International Studies Academy (applied and accepted), junior editor on my schools newspaper (right below editor-in chief), and I have 60 volunteer hours by my volunteer position at my local hospital. My grades are also really great (3.8 unweighted gpa)

I’m not trying to brag at all, in fact I feel like I’m not involving myself enough to get into a top-rank college like UMich or UCLA. To the point of this thread, I dont play any sports. All my friends and family try to get me to join sports teams and when I say no they say “good luck getting into a good college without a sport” This didn’t even bother me until I started hearing it so much.

So is it true that I wont get into a ‘good’ college without playing a sport? I’m not very athletic but I could join swimming again my junior year and probably even make varsity even though I wouldn’t enjoy it…

Any input appreciated! Thank you for helping me!!

2

Sports are just like any other activity in that it helps you stand out from the crowd. Your family might say that sports are necessary as not everyone applying to UCLA is good at sports (which helps you stand out from everyone else) unlike GPA and Test scores where most people applying to UMich and such have high GPA and test scores.

Basically, if you don’t like sports, don’t do it. You won’t get much out of it and it won’t help your admission. If you like volunteering at your hospital, do that, if you like model congress, do that etc.

You’ll be fine, just do what you like to do and try to go beyond what other people do (once again, to stand out from the crowd). For example, becoming some sort of leader at Model Congress or becoming Editor in Chief of your newspaper etc.

3

If you’re good enough to play in college then sports can be a very big deal. But for the vast, vast majority of kids sports are just another EC activity and are no more valuable to admissions than any other activity. If you don’t like them, don’t play them and devote your time to your other interests.

4

Indeed, sports could be a worse EC. Colleges want a well-rounded student body, ideally where they get students that excel in different things. Someone who has a passion for volunteering and helping others or excels at Model Congress/debate will be more attractive than someone mediocre in a sport; they have already recruited athletes, after all.

5

So, swimming is the only sport you ever tried?

6

"All my friends and family try to get me to join sports teams and when I say no they say “good luck getting into a good college without a sport”

That is just ignorance speaking. Many kids at selective schools did no sports at all in high school. My kids are two of them. Do what you love.

And by the way, UCLA and UMich recruit athletes for their Div I teams. Unless you are looking to be part of this elite group of athletes, playing a sport makes no difference what so ever - it’s just another EC, neither better nor worse than any other EC.

7

Just a data point. My daughter was admitted to several “most selective” schools (and wait-listed at a few more) without ever playing a sport in high school. She excelled at other stuff.

8

Lots of students get into top schools without playing sports in high school. I (and several of my friends) got into UCLA without playing a sport in high school. You’ll be fine.

9

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throw balls into hoops and run really really fast
gain admission into intellectual institutions
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10

In fact, far from being no better or worse than any other EC, sports can be a worse EC if you can’t get to the recruited athlete level. Colleges want kids who are good at and passionate about stuff (MUN/Model Congress/debate, helping other people, academics, whatever) and preferably unique. That’s at those schools looking to craft a student body. Giant publics like UMich and UCLA do look at stuff other than stats, but being mediocre at a sport would definitely not give you a boost there.

11

Unless you’re like all city, county, division, state athlete then it would be highly recommended to stay swimming. But other than that do what you’re hear/mind tell you. Do what you love the most cuh

12

Unless you’re an amazing swimmer, sports don’t matter. Sports are only interesting for colleges if you’re at recruited athlete level. (You can see if you are close by checking the swimming times of colleges you’re interested in.) If you’re not a recruited athlete, then sports are honestly a pretty bad EC. IMO, don’t keep swimming. Do something more worthwhile that you enjoy more.

13

@PurpleTitan‌ @merlion‌

Just because a person isn’t good at a sport doesn’t mean he/she isn’t passionate about it or doesn’t love it.

I know plenty of average people who play because they love the game and have been doing it their entire lives. OK so they haven’t committed at 16 and might want to play D3 or not play at all. Maybe they don’t want to do it in college anymore because they want to have more of a social life or they want to have a clearer focus on academics or volunteer service or working…that shouldn’t stop them from playing now. Everyone does something different. So Judy might be a top debater and Janie might be a decent (but not all star) soccer player. That does not and should not lessen Janie’s accomplishments and passions. If she loves soccer and enjoys it, more power to her.

Some people obviously come to the revelation like you know what, this isn’t worth it. I’m not going to the World Cup/Super Bowl/Stanley Cup/World Series. That’s fine. People are free to do their own thing, but skill isn’t proportionate with passion. There are people who are quite aware they aren’t going to be D1 collegiate all state superstars but they play because they want to. Playing in college isn’t the goal for everyone, but if they could go to D3 where academics can be a priority, that’s okay too.

Sports shouldn’t be classified as “mediocre.” It’s debatable whether or not it’s fair for a great basketball player with a 2.0 to get in over a 3.9 non athlete but sports should be held on an equal level with every other EC out there. Also, when did sports become ubiquitous? I know it seems like there are a lot of kids that are athletes, but I’m sure there are just as many kids involved with Model UN, debating, the yearbook, school newspaper, mock trial, robotics etc.

Sure, sports matter to colleges when you’re being recruited. If you’re not being recruited, it’s held on an equal pedestal. OK Janie did varsity 10, 11, and 12 and got letters all three years. Judy won the All State Debaters award in 11th and 12th. Cool. In both circumstances, neither student is different. They have equal passion and dedication to their extracurricular and have learned tremendous life lessons and have gained friends through the experience.

One should not be held over the other.

To respond to @PrepGirl47‌, since I believe the topic wandered a little from the original question, you have fine EC’s now. Don’t pick up a sport if you’ve never even played before, expecting to have it be a shoo-in for college! If you want to play a sport to try it and to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people, that’s great too. Whatever you choose, it will be fine either way.