I am debating whether or not to take soccer, since the coach told me that I would make the varsity team. At my school, athletics are considered classes that factor into one’s GPA. After freshman year, I am sixth in my class. I don’t want my rank to drop, but I want to play on the team. With soccer and all A’s, I would finish high school with a 5.149, but without it I would finish with a 5.18. Can someone tell me if this minimal numerical difference will actually make a difference in the long run, class rank wise?
It depends, really.
On one hand, it looks like a very minimal difference.
On the other hand, that minimal difference could mean the world if the top ten students vary from 5.15-5.2. In this case, yes, a 5.18 would be crucial to securing a top spot in your student ranks.
However, only YOU can decide whether or not this is that important to you. Are you willing to take the chance? Risk it all? Sacrifice everything?
In all honesty, you need to decide what’s important. Having fun in High School, and do what you WANT. Or, do what’s BEST for you (I’m not saying GPA is best for you, what may be best for you is Soccer, however I don’t know that). Only you can decide what is fun, and what is best for you.
Are you willing to take the chance to risk it all, and bet on your GPA and lose the Soccer team? Or will your allegiance to Soccer stand the test of time?
Okay, now I’m just being over-dramatic, but really, this is an important decision that only you can decide on.
Hope this made sense!
-Qi
It depends on your school, and how many other tippy top students are out there close to you. If a 5.18 gets you a valedictorian but a 5.14 is not close, and if being val is something important to you, then by all means, drop soccer. Especially if your state gives automatic full scholarships to valedictorians and your family financial situation means you have to do whatever it takes to become val.
But if you are asking will it matter for college admissions purposes, it sounds like you are an exceptional student anyway. You may be a stronger candidate if you play soccer if it helps fill in your EC activities. Any of the great schools you apply to will no doubt inquire about your school profile, and will be able to tell how awesome you are regardless as to whether or not you play soccer.
If you are passionate about soccer - by all means, continue it. Many young people flourish with organized competitive exercise. There are lots of others who decide soccer becomes too violent as your body matures, and the risk of concussion or other injury increases as the competition gets stronger.
I am not trying to turn into a debate about the merits of soccer - nor about the merits of including a team sport in your GPA (as you likely cannot control this) and potentially class rank.
From my time as an ER nurse, I saw too many soccer injuries especially among older kids, to let my pups play beyond 6th grade. There are plenty of other activities kids can do that are not nearly as dangerous. One of my son’s friends played HS soccer and got a concussion in a practice on a routine header. He had difficulty reading without headaches for nearly 8 months of his junior year. This otherwise very bright kid ended up seeing his weighted GPA plummet from 4.7 to 4.3.
Know the risks, but do what you think is best for yourself.