How beneficial is Academic Decathlon for college admissions?

Hey, I'm a high school junior and I'm considering joining Academic Decathlon at my school. I was wondering if it's a good extracurricular for college admissions, especially considering the amount of time and effort it requires. Can anyone who has participated in Academic Decathlon before share their thoughts?

Hello! As a participant in Academic Decathlon, you'll have the opportunity to develop and showcase various skills, such as research, critical thinking, and public speaking. So, it can be a beneficial extracurricular for college admissions, as those skills are relevant to your success in college.

In terms of how colleges evaluate extracurriculars, they generally use the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars (which you can read more about on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/breaking-down-the-4-tiers-of-extracurricular-activities). Academic Decathlon would likely be considered a Tier 2 or Tier 3 activity, depending on your level of involvement and accomplishments in the program. Participating and excelling in the program (e.g., winning regional or state awards, serving as team captain, etc.) might place you in Tier 2, while simply being a regular member would likely be considered Tier 3.

As with any extracurricular, it's essential to focus on quality over quantity. Your level of commitment and achievement in Academic Decathlon is what matters most, as top colleges often prefer students with a highly-developed specialty, also known as a "spike." If Academic Decathlon aligns with your passions and intensive interests, it can help contribute to a more focused application.

Ultimately, it's important to pursue activities that genuinely interest you rather than those you think will "look good" to colleges. If you're truly passionate about the subjects and challenges Academic Decathlon offers, it's worth considering, as the time and effort you invest in the program will show through in your application, along with your personal growth. Good luck!