Reply to What extracurriculars would you *not* mention, because they reek of privilege/other negatives?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I forbade DS from mentioning his extensive video gaming time, unless he could somehow write a great essay about it. He couldn't, so that got shelved. It's not like he won a gaming championship, or was a YouTuber with millions of followers.

Anything that get you noticed is worth mentioning, but only if there's a measurable achievement you can point to.

All my kids have ridden horses, but again, it's just a hobby, no eventing or anything.
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I am the first videogame PP. 
so what do I do if my DS has a measurable achievement in about nothing?
He draws and wrestles but it’s all recreational. He is passionate about videogames though lol [/quote]
Recreational drawing and wrestling are fine to mention, if that is all he has. At least it shows breadth of interests.

Regarding the video games - you may be able to put a spin on it depending on what he plays and if he’s involved in online communities. My DS used it in his personal statement for Pitt (accepted). Talked a little about the pandemic and virtual year which cut him off from several activities. For one of the games he enjoys playing a lot, he also spends time leading groups of new players to teach them how to play the scenarios, so they can join more experienced players. He spoke about how it was hard for him to get up to speed (and experienced players can be mean), so he wanted to help others. Video games seem pointless to a lot of adults, but they can involve communication, planning, leadership, and programming. This generation has grown up with them - it’s going to be more common that it is a main activity.[/quote]

100% agree. People think it’s silly but it involves all those skills you mentioned. Schools are giving scholarships for esports and it is a varsity level sport at some schools as well.

Does your child’s high school have an Esports team or club? That would obviously be one way to include it in an application.

Also, fyi, here is a recent study released:
“Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children”
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/video-gaming-may-be-associated-better-cognitive-performance-children
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