Are Sports Actually Useful in the College Admissions Process?

From my point of view, the students who have experienced the most success in college admissions are those who push their passions as far as they can.

They continue to push themselves, creating opportunities to thrive and eventually excel in their respective niche.

The most competitive applicants will focus their application on crafting a unique narrative that conveys their personality through their actions. They zero in on a specific aspect that sets them apart from others and is what inspires them to grow.

It is for this very reason that I would DISCOURAGE many students from being involved too much in sports. (Unless you want to play in the NCAA, which is a different story)

You only get 10 spots on the Common App to list out your extracurriculars. “With only 10 Common App slots, many students ask: are high school sports worth it for college admissions, or should you focus elsewhere?

For many, those spots could be taken up by a passion project or an impactful summer program. Every spot needs to be used up strategically. 

Are Sports Worth It for College: Season Sports Vs. Club Sports

Before we dive in, I think it’s essential that we understand the difference between a seasonal sport and club sport.

Seasonal sports are split up by their respective season during the school year. Students try out for their corresponding sport during the school year, and they play during that “season”.

You essentially practice right after school hours and will attend games as needed. This, however, is all within the season.

After the season, there is little to no activity within the sports team, which is why it is a “seasonal” sport.

A club sport is usually a competitive environment where you pay to be a part of a sports organization. Most of the time, they will have experienced coaches and mentors who will guide you through the training process.

Due to the environment, you will need to spend a lot longer training to keep up. Additionally, club sports are year-long, meaning that there is little to no downtime between seasons.

Now, this brings me to my next point.

Sports Use Up a Lot of Time

The reason why you need to know the difference between the two is that it can significantly impact your schedule.

Competitive athletes often dedicate a huge amount of time to their sport, making it the most significant extracurricular time commitment on their schedule.

Club sports will only exacerbate that schedule, as you are most likely required to attend more games outside of the school season. 

There are only 24 hours in a day, however, you spend around 8-9 of those hours sleeping. So technically, you only have around 16 hours a day.

Student athletes often go straight to a game or practice and don’t come home until 6 or 7 pm. This can impact their ability to participate in other, more impactful extracurriculars to bolster their passion.

Additionally, when both the school season and club season coincide, this can create a huge time conflict for other activities. It can even affect your academics and may impact your mental stability.

Of course, in order to be the best that you can be, you need to commit time and make a concerted effort. There is a long road ahead for those who want to strive for excellence in their respective sport.

In the end, however, it’s the life lessons about determination, perseverance, responsibility, hard work, and accountability that make this endeavor so valuable.

Students who don’t have a long-term desire to play college sports can most definitely participate in a high school seasonal sport. 

However, like I iterated above, it’s best to be mindful of the time you spend on it to make sure you leave space for some other events.

If you’re debating if colleges care about high school sports, remember that your hours on the field could crowd out a potential passion project.

The Benefits of Listing Sports on the Common App are Overstated

So many people tell me that they want to stick with a sport for 4 years to show commitment or their accountability to admissions officers.

Well, to tell you the truth, those qualities can be easily demonstrated in other parts of your application.

Sports take up a lot of time. It is difficult to justify the inordinate amount of time spent on sports when you can show the same qualities for less work.

You can pursue a professional, academic, or even artistic project to build your application around a single hook. 

The benefits that point to sports are commendable; however, rationalizing the decision to put it on the Common App, despite your best interests, is unjustifiable.

Once again, you only get 10 spots to list out your activities in the Common App. One of those spots taken up by a sport could be filled by a passion project or artistic endeavor that showcases a unique side of yourself to admissions officers.

Sports Are Not Very Impactful on Their Own, Even With a Leadership Position

Building off of the previous point, sports are not a very impactful activity at all. This is mainly due to the fact that it is accessible to pretty much everyone.

This means that it isn’t unique to you, which is something admissions officers look for. They want to see your passions, how you demonstrate it, and what your story is. Sports are a very general activity and can be framed in many different ways.

Some may even list multiple club sports or varsity sports on their application. This is even worse as it leaves even less space for you to put more of your personal projects on the activities section.

Sports make an applicant blend in with the crowd. Many students can participate in high school sports, but how many of them will stand out to athletic recruiters? Not many, right?

You want to try to make yourself as unique as possible in order to get noticed by admissions officers.

A college admits students because it believes they can contribute to the college’s reputation and class. So you need to show the college why you are the best choice for them.

Show them who you are, why you do the things that you do. Don’t blend in with everyone else by putting sports and other general participation activities. 

Even if a math whiz, community activist, talented debater, or musician plays on the varsity soccer team, admissions officers want to see he/she reflect on those experiences that could contribute to their special place on that college campus. 

Those activities that he/she would continue to do while at the college campus, rather than a sport which he/she will most likely drop in the future.

Sports Make an Applicant Well-Rounded, Decreasing an Applicant’s Candidacy

Students should only be listing sports on their application if they are directly contributing to the school’s sports teams. This means being a recruited athlete.

If the applying student is NOT in any way contributing to their sports teams, their athletic interests don’t hold that much weight anymore.

Participating in sports makes you well-rounded. You become well-versed in a wide variety of activities in high school. However, colleges look for something different.

You want to find your passion, your thing. Now this might sound confusing, but just think about it for a second. What are you interested in? What are you good at? Focus and zero in on that skill.

Turn that into a passion. Make it your thing. Make it something that you are known for.

Colleges admit students, each with a unique thing that they are passionate about. This makes up the student body that you see in colleges. 

Each person is unique and has a specific passion that makes them stand out. They don’t want well-rounded people. They want unique, individualistic human beings each with their own qualities and interests, when combined together, create a diverse and equitable student body.

There is a saying that goes: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” 

You want to be the master. Specialize in one field. Make it your passion.

Conclusion: Are Sports Worth It for College Admission?

So, are high school sports worth it for college if you’re not seeking NCAA recruitment?

All in all, it’s not to say that high schoolers should NOT be engaging in any sort of sports at all. Sports are a great way to get your daily physical activity in and actually have fun!

I know many friends who get stressed from school work or just need a quick break. Playing a little basketball or maybe running around the block for a few minutes can really help.

And like I said before, there are a lot of character-building benefits to sports. For example, the responsibility, accountability, perseverance, and sheer fun you gain from competing is second-to-none.

However, in the context of college admissions, many admissions officers are more interested in the chance that you will take advantage of the college’s resources. 

I’m just telling you now that I do NOT recommend pouring your heart and soul into a sport with no intention of playing competitively in college. It will not go well for you.

Sports will not make or break your application, and it helps to know what ACTUALLY will matter.

Check out my articles on how to start a passion project, or some prestigious high school awards, to make your application stand out!

Download my extracurricular planner NOW to know what you should focus your time on in high school!