How helpful are personal projects in college applications?
I'm an upcoming senior high student, and for the whole school year i've been trying to add more to my portfolio like joining competitions and taking more leadership roles, but i've come to realize that all this really isnt for me.
I HATE competitions because for me it sort of sucks out all the joy I have for a specific subject because of the pressure that I end up associating with it in the long run, and I dont think i'm passionate enough to be a leader (I know the amount of responsibility a leader has to not only help their teammates but also the community, and I dont wanna half-ass something so important).
However what I DO find interest and genuine passion in are my personal projects such as this little mini cyberdeck i've been trying to make where I can play sudoku in, and I've also recently been interested in making my own game. I’m even thinking about taking free online courses to help me improve these and future projects.
However, i'm worried that these passion projects might not look as “impressive” or valuable compared to competitions, organizations, leadership positions, etc. in college applications.
Do colleges value personal projects? Especially if they actually reflect your interests and skills more than traditional extracurriculars do?
Sorry if it's a bit long. This is my first post, and i've genuinely have not been sleeping properly because of the anxiety thinking about all this