Cheerleading = Intercollegiate Athletics on AMCAS?

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foamfinger

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In case everyone jumps on me for calling cheerleading a sport 😛, we do more than just wave our pom-poms. We stunt. We tumble (floor gymnastics). And yes, we do cheer.

My question: Can I list cheerleading under "Intercollegiate Athletics" on the AMCAS?
We compete in competitions with squads from other colleges (and in nationals) and we have junior varsity sport status at my college (there isn't a varsity cheer - it's just our athletics dept way of half-recognizing us as a sport).

I admit, it does look strange to list cheerleading under athletics especially since many adcoms (and people in general) are more familiar with the pom-pom waving variety than competitive cheerleading. If I shouldn't list it as athletics, do I just put it as other?

Thanks for your help guys! 🙂

OH also, out of curiosity - I see "uniqueness" being thrown around a lot in these forums, would this be seen as a more unique activity among pre-meds?
 
foamfinger said:
In case everyone jumps on me for calling cheerleading a sport 😛, we do more than just wave our pom-poms. We stunt. We tumble (floor gymnastics). And yes, we do cheer.

My question: Can I list cheerleading under "Intercollegiate Athletics" on the AMCAS?
We compete in competitions with squads from other colleges (and in nationals) and we have junior varsity sport status at my college (there isn't a varsity cheer - it's just our athletics dept way of half-recognizing us as a sport).

I admit, it does look strange to list cheerleading under athletics especially since many adcoms (and people in general) are more familiar with the pom-pom waving variety than competitive cheerleading. If I shouldn't list it as athletics, do I just put it as other?

Thanks for your help guys! 🙂

OH also, out of curiosity - I see "uniqueness" being thrown around a lot in these forums, would this be seen as a more unique activity among pre-meds?
Click to expand...

you can, but keep in mind many older people will hold traditional views and you may have to explain it to them 😉

Just like how fraternities are "leadership activities," I had to talk about it during interviews and almost convince them.

Yes its unique, but nothing special.
 
If you are a guy, don't list it.
If you are a girl, go ahead.
 
Many people don't view cheerleading as being part of an intercollegiate athletics program. Whether it is or isn't doesn't really matter.

It's probably not worth taking a chance. You can highlight it in the activity section, and avoid giving the impression that you're trying to pass it off as something many think it's not..
 
Bl4ckout said:
what do you got against male cheerleaders? someone has to lift girls up, and put them down

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FGZvFZdVbk[/YOUTUBE]
Click to expand...

I never understood why other girls can't just lift each other up. I mean what one cheerleader is probably like 130-140 pounds.
 
Frazier said:
haha yea my S.O. was a cheerleader... so I've been hearing a play-by-play commentary from her at every sporting event for awhile now.
Click to expand...

Haha... that must get annoying.

Based on her cheerleader friends do you think the stereotype of cheerleaders has some basis? Hot but not smart?

And what happens if a girl who is not attractive wants to be on the squad - but she's really good at cheering? Do they let her join?
 
Frazier said:
Keep in mind, my sample size is too small to draw any significant conclusions...

1. There is likely going to be some correlation between the school and the cheerleader intelligence. (i.e. if one was to give a standardized test to a group of ivy league cheerleaders vs. random state U cheerleaders, the ivy league group would prob have a higher IQ (e.g. "smarter"), but perhaps the state U cheerleaders would have a higher Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (e.g. better cheerleaders).) That said, all cheerleaders are not necessarily smart...nor are all "not smart"... but, if they are worth their spankies, they will have a more than a sufficient amount of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

2. There are always outliers, but generally the girls that can't "cut it" for the cheerleading squad subsequently join the dance team/pomerette squad/cheer club(?) [granted, that is per school availability].
Click to expand...

Ahh I see. Poor dance team. If I was a girl, I couldn't imagine not letting another girl join my cheerleading squad because I thought she wasn't pretty enough. Its so mean...
 
Double Trouble said:
Ahh I see. Poor dance team. If I was a girl, I couldn't imagine not letting another girl join my cheerleading squad because I thought she wasn't pretty enough. Its so mean...
Click to expand...

* unless that dance team happens to be national champions/filled with girls that have been dancing seriously since they were kids. just saying... I've cheered and danced on school teams since 4th grade or so.

In my experience, the dancers were always a little bit more "book smart," but there was a lot more drama on the team. for cheer, it felt like girls had more common sense and better organizational skills.

also making the team is less about being "hot" and more about projecting the right image. I think that's especially true in colleges with strong sports reps. if you don't know how to look presentable and you're not fit, then you're not getting on either team. :meanie:
 
Bl4ckout said:
what do you got against male cheerleaders? someone has to lift girls up, and put them down

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FGZvFZdVbk[/YOUTUBE]
Click to expand...

Tell those cheerleaders to lift some weight! 😎
 
Frazier said:
1. There is likely going to be some correlation between the school and the cheerleader intelligence. (i.e. if one was to give a standardized test to a group of ivy league cheerleaders vs. random state U cheerleaders, the ivy league group would prob have a higher IQ (e.g. "smarter"), but perhaps the state U cheerleaders would have a higher Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (e.g. better cheerleaders).) That said, all cheerleaders are not necessarily smart...nor are all "not smart"... but, if they are worth their spankies, they will have a more than a sufficient amount of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

2. There are always outliers, but generally the girls that can't "cut it" for the cheerleading squad subsequently join the dance team/pomerette squad/cheer club(?) [granted, that is per school availability].
Click to expand...

1) Agreed. Also, there is truth to the tendency of cheerleaders to be on the more attractive end of the school's spectrum. That being said, I'm on a team at a top univ academically so your average girl from Arizona state is probably as hot or hotter than a cheerleader here. (Obviously there are many exceptions, just my personal observances!)

2) Not on our team. We accept people based on how well they can stunt and flip (competitive cheerleading is a sport y'all 😀). I absolutely SUCK at the cheering part, but I'm a pretty good flyer if I say so myself 😛 But I'm sure there's some self-selection in that girls (and guys) who aren't confident in their appearance generally don't try out.
 
PS "Spankies" - Frazier you do know a lot about cheerleading 😉
 
Male Cheerleader.

Division 1 NCAA athlete. listed it as such.

got accepted
 
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