For the past 2 summers, I’ve always done 4-5 hours of tennis per day Mon-Sat every week. This summer I was planning to do the same, BUT I also have the opportunity to be a research assistant at a “local” university (50 min away). If I do tennis, that leaves me with little to no time to research. I would be left with ~2 hours of research each day. Paying for the whole summer is MUCH cheaper than paying per day. I’m dedicated to both, I’m ranked in the state for tennis and I’m a Science Olympiad member.
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Should I take the research opportunity or should I play tennis? Which one would most likely benefit me the most for college? (Please don’t give the advice to do what I love, I understand that, but I love doing both).
Tennis
how highly ranked are you in the state? is it possible that u might get recruited by colleges for tennis? if yes, then tennis.
Tennis will be more fun
If I were you, 100% Tennis. It depends if you want to play in college. If you want to play tennis in college you can’t quit, and if you don’t want to play in college then there’s your answer.
If you’re trying to play tennis in college, then you need to do tennis over the summer.
Is there any possibility of going to the lab in the evenings or working out a schedule where you can squeeze in both?
Also, what do you mean by “paying for the whole summer is MUCH cheaper than paying per day?” It would be weird for a college to expect a research assistant to pay to do work for them. Are you talking about the fees to compete in tennis competitions?
I don’t think he needs to play tennis in college (or know the answer to that now) to be the correct choice. It doesn’t sound like he has a passion to work in the lab all summer, that he’d just be doing it to help with college admission. I think the tennis checks several boxes, including having time off from academics. A 50 minute commute? Being inside all summer?
Tennis wins even it if is just banging it back and forth with a friend.
@studious99 I was referring to tennis, not research (that was my bad, should’ve clarified that sentence more). There is unfortunately no way to go to the lab in the evening, their hours are 9-5 (after that you need a key card), and tennis runs from 10:30-2:00. I’m not planning on playing tennis in college, I just want to move my rank up in the state.
If you’re not planning to play in college, then research experience.
Have you read how to be a high school superstar?