I’m planning for the summer right now, and instead of going to math camp this year, I’m staying home. I’m deciding whether I should focus on violin, or swimming. I really want to strengthen my application for next year, but I’m not sure what would seem better.
Here’s some background.
Violin (8/9 years)
I’ve played in many concert halls (most notable performance was for parts of the general assembly in the United Nations).
However, if I reapply next year, I will most likely send in my recording from this year. I don’t want them thinking that I didn’t improve from this year. And to be frank, I am not taking violin as seriously now as I used to. It used to be music before athletics/other ECs, but now the tables have turned. (I’m kind of burned out to be honest.) So if I don’t take up violin seriously in the summer (I’m talking 5 or more hours a day), I doubt that I will be able to polish a piece fit to be in a recording.
Swimming (6 years)
I started swimming from a young age, but I quit for a while. (I think 3 years). I started again last year to get exercise (with no hopes of being good), but I improved a lot. I’m talking from going from like a 1:30 to a 1:02 in my backstroke. However, my times are still not amazing. They’re decent, but not enough to get a wow from a coach/AO. I am also about a second away from qualifying for the Junior Olympics at my state.
What would seem more desirable? Swimming and getting times my times better (and possibly qualifying for Junior Olympics) while just sending the same recording from last year? Or practicing violin and not swimming, sending a great and new recording in, but not getting any “wow” times/possibly qualifying for the Junior Olympics?
I know the ideal answer would be “do both”, but I doubt I will have enough time and energy to carry on with both. I know for a fact that the swimming option would be a lot more fun for me, but if it means that the violin option will enhance my application, I’m happy to go that route.
I am in no position to offer advice but it seems that you say you would enjoy swimming more. I would say do what you enjoy more because you can say at least you enjoyed it no matter what happens. Also, do something you can make bigger improvements with the same effort.
Not to discourage you though, it does seem that these ECs are quite common. Math/String/Swimming seem very common activities especially for asian children.
I think the problem with my application this year was that everything was just decent/good, and not great. Many of my ECs (and I guess my grades too) are just “good”, and not the “wow” that I mentioned before that I need to get accepted as a ORM from an over represented state needing FA. This is why I am deciding which one EC I will choose this summer to push over to a “wow”, especially because all of my ECs are quite popular.
…If only I wasn’t an ORM from an over represented area needing FA with over represented ECs. I wish I played the tuba, did water polo and squash, and was full pay… / :-? #-o
The real question, mathman, is what is more desirable to YOU? What do YOU enjoy doing more?
If you’re going to pursue something only because you believe it makes you more attractive to boarding schools, what happens if you get W/L’d everywhere again? Will you feel that extra year of work you put into swimming/violin will have been a waste?
I’m also catching an undertone (perhaps even an overtone?) of burnout/ennui for both of these pursuits. “I started swimming from a young age, but I quit for a while.” “And to be frank, I am not taking violin as seriously now as I used to.” While I think there is a “my parents make me do it” to many activities of kids these days (and TBH, I think that’s fine, especially if the alternative is hours of sitting on the couch playing Xbox), if you want either of these activities to be your hook, then I think the drive has to come from within. You should do an activity not to impress a school — but for the fulfillment you get out of it.
You mention the JOs and qualifying for them. As pay4ward notes, to stand out in the crowd “you need to be great not merely good”. So it’s one thing to qualify, but another thing to go to JOs and do well.
I’m the immigrant Asian son of immigrant Asian parents. I’ve lived this stuff. And I know how your particular chapter of the story can go.
Neither violin nor swimming nor math will get you anywhere. You’ve done about all that you could with these activities, and its pretty clear that it doesn’t set you apart. So why do more of the same for next year?
Heed the advice of @sevendad. Find something that YOU LOVE, and pursue that with incredible passion. Don’t do an EC simply because you think it will impress an AO. You have 4 more years before applying to college. We can’t tell you what to do, it has to come from within.
As always, @SevenDad gives good advice. The absolute worst thing that anybody can do is start/continue an EC with the goal of impressing AO’s and getting into a top college/boarding school. This invariably leads to disappointment. AO’s see right through this ruse.
The best thing that you can do is to find an activity that gives you joy and passion. Not only will you then have an activity that you enjoy, it’s that excitement and purpose that will translate in your essays and interviews.
Thank you everyone for your insight. It has started me thinking. And yes, @SevenDad, you are right. I will confess to being very burned out in violin, but I stopped swimming in the past because of schedule issues and such. Now, I love to swim, but I’m not the “amazing” that I need to be.
I wonder what I should pursue now. All three of my sports I love to do, but they are unfortunately the sports that are extremely common… I think I will focus on swimming and running over the summer and getting my times better, since it is something I actually enjoy.
I have no idea what will happen in the next four years to college. Last year, I had no idea that I would do cross country and track. Maybe I will find something next year again that will catch my eye (and hopefully be uncommon.)
FWIW, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with a “common” activity. It’s better to stand out in a common activity than to be mediocre in an uncommon one.
Oh, I forgot to point out that my parents are not “helicopter parents.” In fact, they are sometimes very unsupportive. So everything I do is up to me (including making sure I get to interviews, getting rides to long distance events/swim meets, etc.) It’s overwhelming, but I’m used to being independent now. Being away from my parents actually makes us closer, and I won’t have to worry about things like getting rides and such at BS. Some of my interviewers actually told me that they liked my independence (they must have a sixth sense!)
So no, there is no “my parents make me do it”. It is actually the opposite.
I think you have gotten great advice here. I am voting for try something new, get out of your comfort zone. Do something for the fun of it. I seem to recall earlier threads when you were discussing interviews with the AOs asking you how you had time to do everything? Were you burned out? What do you do for fun, I am not an admissions person, but maybe thats what you could add to your profile, reapply along the lines of “I followed the beaten trail did math, violin swimming, did well didn’t get accepted, so therefore I scratched my head and decided to mix it up a little take some risks, have some fun!” I know we all wish you the best of luck, its not about building the perfect application
…thought about this thread today more than once… @mathman1201 you are doing everything right… you are too young and too motivated to start editing yourself… it’s tough to imagine your future self… you shouldn’t be having to think this much about it at your age. As a parent I am sorry you have so much self scrutiny, if you were my son I’d tell you to be curious and question everything that surrounds you. I’d ask you not question your performance. The key word here is burnout. Imagine the energy you place into subjects or tasks are for your own curiosity, and go forward. Feed yourself.
mathman, you seem super fantastic and worthy, from what I have gleaned from your posting around. I say go on with swimming, because you said you would enjoy it, and also do what LifeLongNYer suggested. I bet a kid like you has a bunch of things he has wanted to try out for a while. Spend your summer working hard on a new activity, one that is different for you and mixes it up a little, and talk about that in your application next year. The admissions people will like seeing that you are still growing and changing and not only doing the same things you have been doing for a gazillion years. More importantly, it might let you breathe a little. You could learn a lot and have some fun this summer.
@mathman1201: after reading your post #8, its hard to believe that you’re only in 8th grade and managing to do all of this yourself. Reminds me of how I had to basically do everything for myself growing up as well. You are incredibly mature and industrious for your age.
Regardless of how this boarding school process works out for you, I can tell you one thing: that you will be successful in life. Best of luck
Or, ( and this is just a suggestion ) you can mix it up a bit and try to reclaim your passion. Instead of endless laps and rehearsals you can use your gifts in other ways: Perhaps you’d like to mentor a young swimmer with a disability or volunteer to help train swimmers for the Special Olympics. Instead of performing at a prestigious concert hall or venue maybe you can book a gig (once a week ) at a senior center, convalescent home or the cancer wing at the local hospital.
You don’t need to chuck everything because you failed to impress a BS AO ( this round ) and never change or package yourself to suit someone else. You just need to find inspiration and add depth to your talent. Look- athletes hit walls all the time ( I cant’ speak for musicians but I assume they do, too ) . Share your gifts with others and see what happens. My kids have worked with the adaptive rowing community for many years and it has added a powerful new dimension and meaning to their lives ( on and off the water ) . Rowing isn’t just about them anymore or the agonizing meters and unforgiving seconds … it’s so much more.
Just another way to look at it and maybe something to think about .
I second PhotoMom (she read my mind) looking for a community service opportunity or a job. You may be too young for doing lifeguard or teaching swimming at a pool over summer. In our area, there is Summer Youth Corps which 14 year olds and up can join. It’s competitive and may be too late to apply. It’s hard work. They work all 6 weeks digging, building trails etc, get paid a little over $8 per hour totaling over $1500 minus tax.
:-? 