Varsity Sports as EC

BKSquared
Thu, 31 May 2018 20:03:31 +0000

Except in the context of filling a specific “talent bucket”, say in instrumental or vocal talent, colleges use EC’s as ways of gauging more subjective attributes of candidates – qualities like perseverance, dedication, ability to achieve results, leadership, empathy, teamwork, organization. Participation by itself in varsity sports, clubs, charitable causes, job, family care, indeed any EC is not what is important. What is important is what the candidate can demonstrate as to the quality of that participation and how that is an indication of the positive subjective qualities the college is looking for. The advantage of an “unusual” EC is that it may initially grab the attention of an AO reader. However, if there is no substance to what the candidate actually did, it will not be of much use.