<p>My parents never pushed me to learn how to play sports or an instrument because they’re immigrants and didnt know about that kind of stuff (i m not asian btw) I’m in 10th grade and spring season is about to start.
Is it too late to do sports? Would colleges (preferably ivies) scrutinize the fact that i m not an “academic athlete”, but mostly academic? I feel like an underachiever compared to the ppl in my school who are in sports, band, 3-4 clubs and still manage to get really good grades. </p>
<p>I also volunteer once a week, after school, and i will have like 150+ hrs at the end of the school yr but if i have practice everyday i can’t volunteer.
What should i do?</p>
<p>Do what you love. Being on a team is no more better than joining a club (because Ivys are D1) and showing your passion, unless you are really damn good or a captian (leadership). Sports may be valued more for participation than other clubs, but if you truly love to volunteer, then don’t join a team where you will sit on the bench and waste your time. It would be best to max out on volunteer hours and show a passion for what you do. You can always start an instrument. If you really want to play I suggest you do, but not for college, but for yourself. Ivys will get people incredibly good who get in on music, and lots of the other admits can play in the bands and orchestras too. </p>
<p>It’s not too late to start, but don’t bother if this is only for college. If you end up getting rejected from all of your reaches, you will look back on activities you do not like as a waste of time.</p>
<p>Not necessarily. I didn’t do sports in high school and almost no fine arts. I mentioned on my activity resume that I’ve been playing the piano for 10 years but with no outstanding awards or accomplishments. I’m not even sure if my GC sent that activity resume in. But I still got into my ED school.</p>
<p>I think as long as you’re passionate and excel in your ECs, you should be fine. I mean, a lot of people put instruments as ECs, and unless they’re extraordinary musicians, I don’t think adcoms would necessarily see those as better than clubs.</p>
<p>Well, if you want to get into a top school, you definitely have to have more/better ECs than volunteering once a week. Sports just happen to be a really good example because it takes dedication, etc. Plus if you were actually serious about your volunteering you could easily find time on the weekends even if you had practice 7 days a week (which most HS sports dont)</p>
<p>Two people from my school with 2250+ SATs, 4.0+ GPAs, and better ECs than that (but still not good ECs) were rejected or deferred from their ED schools (both were Ivies). Other people with ~2200 SAT, slightly lower GPAs, but good ECs were accepted to Ivies and other top schools</p>
<p>Do what you want—do you love math? Math Club, math tutoring, etc…no offense, but I play golf, piano (1 1/2 hr a day), yearbook, newspaper and volunteer 4 hours a week. You need time management, but you can do it. </p>
<p>Also, an instrument or sport is not “equal” to a low-commitment club in terms of participation-maybe in terms of slots on an app. An instrument is not a once a week commitment over a few years-it takes dedication, and commitment over a long period of time. A sport also takes more time than a once-a-week club. It is probably equal to a large “ec”—think Speech and Debate, competitive academic team (Academic Dec, etc), Model UN, Yearbook, Newspaper, etc. </p>
<p>Just because you don’t play an instrument or a sport, doesn’t mean it is no big deal. To the person who says “I played piano 10 years or whatever”…I beg t o differ-do you know how much commitment that really is?! I’ve also played about that much time, and a lot of my classmates gave up 3,4,6,7 years ago! </p>
<p>To the OP, in summary, follow your passions. you can still get in-just try to find a similar high-level commitment EC. My brother was VERY active on Speech and Debate (pretty much it), and got into 1st choice ivy.</p>
<p>I didn’t have any sports or fine arts and got into my top choice anyway. Plus they’re on a lot of people’s applications so I doubt they’d make you stand out unless you’re really, really good or wrote a stellar essay on them.</p>
<p>Forget what colleges “like” or “dislike” and do what interests you?</p>
<p>I know it’s like… a totally novel and revolutionary idea, but SURPRISE! you’re your own person.</p>
<p>Colleges would rather see you doing the things you enjoy and are passionate about, and doing them well, then doing what is “expected” of you. It really won’t make you stand out unless you’re amaaaazing at them (in which case you’re a recruit and nothing else matters) as fizix said.</p>
<p>Do what you love otherwise it’s a waste of time and colleges will see that. And you’ll regret it in the end.</p>
<p>Depending on sports, it can be extremely time consuming. Some sports take more time than others. I play blank and it is all year 'round, we have conditioning all summer at 6 in the morning, then practice after school until 6, then after blank season we train all year by playing indoor and in spring leagues.</p>
<p>ya Harvard come to our school to tell us about it and stuuf and told the prople to do what you like and if your doing something you dont then stop</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter…there aren’t categories…just do things you like and you’ll be fine. Hey, I didn’t play any sports and I still got into a top college!! Don’t worry!!! Pursue what you love (in my case, debate) and you’ll end up fine. Good luck!!</p>