Should I do the golden D of E?

I am 16, starting college in a few days. I have not done the bronze and silver award.
After getting my GCSE results, because of my grades, in my college interview my teacher enrolled me onto a uni aspire programme, where I am able to do an EPQ and get help to make a more competitive application for universities.

However, as the only things I have done outside of school is some volunteering work at my local library, she said I should do something else to help me stand out. She told me about the gold d of e, and that it would look really good on my application for uni and jobs.

I’d like to do it, but I want to know if it is really worth it, or if it will be too much stress while also doing A-Levels.

In college I will be taking English lit, Classics, Philosophy and an EPQ. I do baking and cooking every week which I am happy to do for my skill, I go swimming every Sunday and I will be joining a badminton club when I start college which I am happy to do for my physical. My godmother owns a charity shop a 5 minute walk away from my college, so I could do volunteering work there.

Is it really worth me doing the gold award, will it make me a more successful applicant or will it be too much stress?

Is it really worth? Depends - it will a great life experience, which you will probably look back on in fondness, but it is not going to help you get into a top uni, if that was you thinking, as they are only interested in your suitability/interest/motivation/wider-knowledge in the particular subject you are applying for.

Thank you! I’ll reconsider doing it, I’d like to study English literature at possibly a top university once I finish college (depending on my A Level grades). Do you know any other supper curricular things I could do to help me be a more competitive candidate?

Thank you! I’ll reconsider doing it, I’d like to study English literature at possibly a top university once I finish college (depending on my A Level grades). Do you know any other supper curricular things I could do to help me be a more competitive candidate?