Most college admissions officers, even those who’ve never been near a football field, know about life as a high school football player. They’ve seen applications with descriptions of the activity. They’ve read essays about players’ experiences. The hard work, the double days during summers, the camaraderie with teammates—they’ve heard, read, and learned all about it.
That doesn’t devalue the experience at all for the players or the readers. But you don’t stand out just by doing and sharing what thousands of your fellow football players around the country have done. The same could be said for editors of papers, chess club treasurers, student body presidents, and any of the activities that exist on most high school campuses. When you say, “Here’s what I’ve done,” you’re adding yourself to a large and, on the surface, very similar group.
Unless you change “Here’s what I’ve done” to “Here’s what I’ve done.”
As you commit yourself to activities you care about, always think about what you can do that goes beyond the basics of showing up to practice, meetings, rehearsals, etc. You are not like every other football player, editor, musician, writer, programmer, singer, worker, or leader. You are what’s different. The more you that you bring, the more indispensable you’ll be.
If you want to stand out when you apply to college, emphasize the “I” now, and when you apply.