I've been wondering if colleges show a preference for applicants who are involved in team sports over individual sports? Is there any difference in how they view leadership or teamwork in sports? I've done both kinds of sports during high school and want to highlight my experiences the right way.
From my experience in helping students with their college applications, admissions committees generally value both individual and team sports for different reasons. They see participation in team sports as evidence of teamwork and collaboration skills, which are highly valuable traits in a college environment. On the other hand, individual sports tend to demonstrate personal discipline, motivation, and the drive to push oneself to improve, which are also impressive qualities to colleges.
What matters more than the type of sport is what you have taken from the experience. If you were a captain or held another leadership role, that's something to highlight. Also, emphasize any significant achievements, awards, or how you've balanced sports with academic responsibilities. It's not the category of the sport that will make the biggest impact, but rather what you've learned and how you've grown from participating in it. So when you're detailing your experiences in your applications, focus more on these aspects rather than worrying about which type of sport colleges might prefer.
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