Lots of kids and parents think joining sports helps a lot when applying to tough colleges. They believe playing a sport shows qualities like being a leader, sticking to something, and liking to work with others. They think admissions officers, who look at students’ applications, will see these qualities. But is playing sports really helpful when trying to get into a super-selective college like Harvard?

Harvard Admissions Officers Value Recruited Athletes

One big aim of Essay Embassy’s college planning blog posts are to clear up misunderstandings about how hard it is to get into these top colleges. And it’s not true that being in sports impresses admissions officers at places like Harvard.

If a student plays a sport but isn’t being recruited by a college coach from the same school they’re applying to, it won’t boost their chances of getting in. Actually, it might just make them seem like they’re good at lots of things, which isn’t what top colleges like Harvard want. They prefer students who stand out for something special and can bring that to the school community.

For example, if someone’s really into environmental science, showing leadership in environmental projects is key. But being the captain of a high school sports team doesn’t really add to that, and actually takes away from it. Elite colleges, like Harvard, don’t just want to see general “leadership” stuff. They want to see leadership that’s tied to what makes each student unique and how they’ll contribute to the school.

Harvard Admissions Officers Aren’t Excited by Non-Recruited Athletes

We at Essay Embassy have been saying for more than three years that unless a student is recruited for a particular sport – in that case, they’ll get special treatment in the early admissions process – their involvement won’t help, but will actually hurt. Let us share a similar view from Harvard University. Harvard may not have wanted these comments made public, but they came out during the Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College lawsuit.

In Deirdre Fernandes’ article in The Boston Globe about Harvard’s admissions process, it was mentioned that simply being the captain of your high school team might not be enough. Admissions officers doubted the skills of a high school varsity swim team captain, saying, “She may not be as skilled as our varsity athletes.” They questioned what contribution she could make at Harvard.

Here it is, clear for our readers to see. If a swimmer isn’t fast enough to join Harvard’s swim team, no matter how long they’ve been swimming or how much they’ve led their high school team, and if the coach doesn’t identify them as a potential recruit, Harvard isn’t interested in their swimming. It’s not a big advantage.

Actually, the student’s not-so-great performance in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and individual medley hurts them for a few reasons. First, there’s a cost to the time spent swimming instead of doing something else. And second, sports like swimming often suggest privilege, which makes applicants less attractive. Not everyone can swim competitively because they might not have the money or access to pools.

Final Thoughts – Where to Get Your Harvard Essays Written

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