<p>I participated in Policy Debate in grades 8-10 at one of the top debate schools in the country. I know debate looks good on a college app, but I am transferring to a high school that does not offer debate. I know that admissions officers like to see consistency in extra curriculars, but seeing as I transferred… How will this look on my college applications?</p>
<p>It will look great Explain why you did not continue debate in the extra info section.</p>
<p>I heard from an admissions officer: if you took all opportunities you had, it s good. we do not expect things you did not have access to.</p>
<p>If you love debate so much, why not work to start a debate club at your new school? It will take lots of time and effort to do this, and more than likely you’ll have some major challenges to overcome, but if you do love debate, overcoming those challenges will be worth it to you.</p>
<p>Even if red tape or other problems prevents or delays for a while the start of a club, your attempts to start a club would be something that would be very impressive to admissions officers.</p>
<p>Of course, they would understand if you don’t continue debate when you transfer to a school that lacks a club. However, they would be IMPRESSED if you allow your passion (if you have such a passion) about debate to start a debate club in your school.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, it’s a fallacy that colleges expect students to continue for 4 years all activities that they start in high school. Colleges know that high school is a great time of exploration. Students may try out and discontinue activities that they learn that they don’t like. They also may drop some activities that they no longer have time for as they become more deeply involved in some other activities.</p>
<p>However the few colleges that consider ECs as part of admission (and those are places like HPYS that have such an overabundance of high stat applicants that the colleges can afford to accept students in order to create a vibrant, active class) want students who have some deep involvement – including leadership and/or honors and awards or other reflections of talent-- in activities. Colleges know that such students are likely to continue in college to be involved in campus and community ECS. Since such activities at those kind of colleges are done by student initiative without faculty advisors, the colleges look for students who have displayed the leadership and passion for deep involvement in ECs on their own initiative.</p>