First post here…be kind 
My son will be attending a competitive STEM Magnet High School. There are no sports extra curricular at the school, but he is allowed to play at his local high school. The only issue is the timing of the practices and games, and it is too time-consuming to get to one to place another. Another thing is that he is NOT interested. Would this affect his college admissions if they don’t see him as well-rounded outside of academics? He plays an instrument, but they don’t offer band either. The school does offer stereotypical “academic EC”, such as chess club, FBLA, robotics, etc.
He needs some ECs, but schools do not care AT ALL if they are sports or music or academic type ECs. In fact, I think academic ECs are slightly better than other kinds in some ways. They demonstrate more of the skills that a college wants in the classroom anyway. If he wants to do sports, are there any club opportunities in your area? One of my kids club fenced mostly for exercise, but her strong ECs were more academic focused.
Did it hurt the chances of previous graduates of your son’s “competitive STEM Magnet High School”? My guess is it didn’t
There is no need to do any particular EC such as a sport or music. Your S should find ECs that interest him in his school and/or in the community.
It might hurt his body not to have some strength and weigh bearing physical activity at this point in his life but it won’t hurt his chances of getting into college.
Echoing what others have said: if your son is happy with the ECs at his school, there is no need to be concerned. Lots of kids don’t do sports and still go to good colleges.
OTOH, my personal opinion is that a school that values academic subjects but doesn’t care about art, music, and sports is not a place I’d want my own children to be.
"I think academic ECs are slightly better than other kinds in some ways. They demonstrate more of the skills that a college wants in the classroom anyway. "
I completely disagree with this^^^ statement. While I could provide a laundry list of the positive character traits and lifelong skills participating in sports builds in individuals…I’ll simply state that focused EC’s whether they be art, music, academics, sports, service, etc. are equally valuable.
My D had almost no EC’s whatsoever and still got into colleges with merit aid. Granted they aren’t top schools but you do have options even without ECs
If your child is interested there might be teams or bands or clubs offered in the community. I know lots of kids who swim on club teams, or play in the City band or orchestra, or are involved in church sports leagues. There are EC’s in the community like boy scouts or Civil Air Patrol or clubs involving animals.
If he’s not interested, don’t do it.
The school does offer intramural sports (basketball, volleyball) for health and fun for the students. And of course they have 4 years of Phys Ed so the kids don’t get muscle atrophy sitting in front of their calculators! As far as the school offering more well rounded classes, students are also able to take graphic design, art history, culinary arts and other courses through the other specialized schools within the tech school (there are 5 specialized schools within the system). My child’s school focuses primarily on STEM, which is what he wants to study and focus on.
My nephew is at an ivy league college. He never played a sport and never played an instrument. At school he did some tutoring (mostly for friends), played chess, and was part of national honor society. Outside of school he volunteered at the local boys and girls club and at his temple. His other activity was National History Day as required y school and Model UN. At his high school model un was nothing but eating food from different countries.
Intparent is right about this. A few high academic institutions seem to count sports participation and accumulate athletes. Most do not and some applicants will avoid the places that do.
My youngest just graduated from a STEM Magnet HS and they have no sports or PE. Their students won so many of the regional and state academic competitions it became a bit of a joke among the other participants. Many have been racking up scholarships since 9th grade. Those awards look way better on an application than sports participation.
There were a few with pot bellies and programmer humps, but these tend to be high achieving kids more prone to XC and tennis than contact team sports. Probably half the graduating class has a black belt in some martial art, an activity with few mandatory commitments.
My son loved sports. He loved watching them, especially baseball, and he loved baseball statistics. This motivated him to teach himself to use spreadsheets and to learn applied statistics in fantasy sports. He played soccer and baseball when he was young. He never participated in school-related competitive sports. But he was very competitive in policy debate (state individual champion; runner up team). That and his other major EC – opinion editor of school newspaper, for which he also won statewide awards – also helped his admissions.
He was admitted to some very fine, competitive colleges and universities (majored in economics).
Agree with everyone else. My kid never played any type of sport and did well in admissions. Colleges just want to know that you are doing something other than watching tv outside of school. If the new school has Naviance, check it and see where other students have been accepted. That will give you a better idea of what to expect.
The only time it would be an issue is if he wanted to apply to a Service Academy (e.g., West Point).
He should do something productive…Clubs, community service, theater, work, babysitting, student government, volunteering at a house of worship, etc etc.
^Even at Service Academies, it’s not that big a requirement. My S’s friend was very nominally on the track team, and that’s it. Not only did he go to West Point, but graduated near the top of his class, and after active duty and a PhD, he is now a professor there.
Yes, but the first few weeks of camp at a service academy are pretty rough for a student who isn’t physically active or used to working out.