Anonymous wrote:Just curious because a family I know is heavily into it. Multiple 2-3 hour practices per week. Don’t know them well enough to ask what their endgame is so I thought I’d ask here.

not every activity is chosen just for the college resume

People do actually do things because they ENJOY them, not just to get into college. My DD participated in an expensive and extremely time consuming non-school sport (think 4-5+ hours per day 7 days a week including travel time). Had no intention of pursuing it in college and did not think it would help her get into college. Just enjoyed doing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anything that helps you stand out from the pack can be mildly helpful.

This. My guess would be that the kids in the family OP mentions just really love Irish dance and want to spend a lot of time on it/get as good as they can. Speaking as someone who did a different type of folk dance as teen, dedicated mildly stupid amounts of time to it and was never close to being nationally ranked. I started at 8, and it never occurred to me that it might be a college hook although it did actually end up helping — I wrote an essay about folk dance and robotics and someone mentioned it in a hand-written addendum to my acceptance letter.

Curious, which school?

In parts of the northeast, doing irish dance is as normal as doing ballet.

Every club or activity doesn't have to have an "end game."

Anonymous wrote:Or maybe they enjoy it? Do you think kids only do activities as a hook for college admissions?

Not at all! It was just a question based on pure curiosity.

Why is it different than any other type of dance? I assume the child enjoys it.

My kid has some really obscure hobbies, but it's because he loves them--if it helps with a college app, bonus, but even if it was a hindrance he'd still do them because they bring him joy.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the kid just really enjoys it!

Entirely possible! Just wondering if it had any impact on college admissions.

Or maybe they enjoy it? Do you think kids only do activities as a hook for college admissions?

Maybe the kid just really enjoys it!

Well, all the families that we know that do it have children that are not involved in many other activities. They’re a little socially awkward and don’t play sports. I wouldn’t say it’s a hook per se, but it gives them pleasure so…

Anonymous wrote:Anything that helps you stand out from the pack can be mildly helpful.

This. My guess would be that the kids in the family OP mentions just really love Irish dance and want to spend a lot of time on it/get as good as they can. Speaking as someone who did a different type of folk dance as teen, dedicated mildly stupid amounts of time to it and was never close to being nationally ranked. I started at 8, and it never occurred to me that it might be a college hook although it did actually end up helping — I wrote an essay about folk dance and robotics and someone mentioned it in a hand-written addendum to my acceptance letter.

Anything that helps you stand out from the pack can be mildly helpful.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious because a family I know is heavily into it. Multiple 2-3 hour practices per week. Don’t know them well enough to ask what their endgame is so I thought I’d ask here.

If you are one of the best in the country, then yes…if you just do it as an activity, then no (although maybe it helps if you apply to Trinity or something).

They must love their Irish heritage. You can just leave it at that.

Just curious because a family I know is heavily into it. Multiple 2-3 hour practices per week. Don’t know them well enough to ask what their endgame is so I thought I’d ask here.