Private Schools Value Top Athletes Most

[Anonymous]

The DMV privates, specifically talking about high-school level the most competitive 8-10* in our area, will always take the strong athlete over any other “extra talent” once a certain academic threshold is met. It’s just like college. These days the closest thing to a guarantee to getting in to a top private is to be a great athlete at many sports or a top player in one sport. It’s amazing how much athletic talent influences admissions these days. Other talents like music, art, acting, robotics, coding, etc… just don’t seem to matter much at all in helping with admissions. Why is this the case? Is it a rarer talent? Is it easier to use to boost a school’s profile? Are we just an athlete-obsessed culture?

* Sidwell, STA, Potomac, GDS, NCS, Holton, Maret, Landon, independent Catholic HS (GP, SR, Visi, Gonzaga).

[Anonymous]

You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

[Anonymous]

Athlete-obsessed culture that makes money for the schools and makes their graduates more attractive to desirable colleges that make money from their athletics.

So money generated from our athlete-worshipping culture.

- former D1 athlete

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Right! They don’t value athletes the most, however they try to get them to be competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Watch over the next couple of years as that becomes the case. The kids with the best track record getting into the top privates are the (smart, hard-working) athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Right! They don’t value athletes the most, however they try to get them to be competitive.

Reading comprehension is key. This applies to the smart kids who are also strong athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DMV privates, specifically talking about high-school level the most competitive 8-10* in our area, will always take the strong athlete over any other “extra talent” once a certain academic threshold is met. It’s just like college. These days the closest thing to a guarantee to getting in to a top private is to be a great athlete at many sports or a top player in one sport. It’s amazing how much athletic talent influences admissions these days. Other talents like music, art, acting, robotics, coding, etc… just don’t seem to matter much at all in helping with admissions. Why is this the case? Is it a rarer talent? Is it easier to use to boost a school’s profile? Are we just an athlete-obsessed culture?

* Sidwell, STA, Potomac, GDS, NCS, Holton, Maret, Landon, independent Catholic HS (GP, SR, Visi, Gonzaga).

You speak with such certainty. How exactly do you know this is the case? Any empirical evidence, or is this just an unfounded opinion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DMV privates, specifically talking about high-school level the most competitive 8-10* in our area, will always take the strong athlete over any other “extra talent” once a certain academic threshold is met. It’s just like college. These days the closest thing to a guarantee to getting in to a top private is to be a great athlete at many sports or a top player in one sport. It’s amazing how much athletic talent influences admissions these days. Other talents like music, art, acting, robotics, coding, etc… just don’t seem to matter much at all in helping with admissions. Why is this the case? Is it a rarer talent? Is it easier to use to boost a school’s profile? Are we just an athlete-obsessed culture?

* Sidwell, STA, Potomac, GDS, NCS, Holton, Maret, Landon, independent Catholic HS (GP, SR, Visi, Gonzaga).

You speak with such certainty. How exactly do you know this is the case? Any empirical evidence, or is this just an unfounded opinion?

Im basing it off of an accumulation of factors: acceptances of kids we know, posters on DCUM, current freshman class at my senior’s private, listening to what the coaches are saying about admissions, and considering where the top academic schools are putting their money (building beautiful athletic facilities).

[Anonymous]

Everyone does, OP. A smart, athletic person will always have an edge. It’s human nature to look to the strongest and most disciplined with admiration.

Athletics brings more money into universities than the arts do. Our private schools are mirroring the universities to get top acceptances.

[Anonymous]

The top privates can’t get kids in otherwise to Ivy schools.

Another top school in LA posted stats on number of its students getting into top 20 schools, with and without hooks of legacy, recruited athletes, or URM. Only about 10% of its students could get into top schools without the hook. Exceptions were UChicago and the tech schools.

So if DC privates want to have a top school pipeline, they must have seniors with one of the three hooks….like top athletes in niche sports like lacrosse, squash, crew.

[Anonymous]

While I don’t like the worlds obsession with athletics (fighting at the World Cup, abuse in the Olympics etc) I do understand why a student with a strong athletic track record is more desirable than someone who only chooses music, robotics etc.

Athletes spend an incredible amount of time in practices and traveling for their sports which leaves very little free time. Swimmers, hockey players, golfers begin at the crack of dawn every day and on weekends. Football, tennis, soccer, track and field,and lacrosse players are practicing year round through heat, rain, snow etc. Basketball players risk serious injuries due to muscle overuse.

Yet in order to gain admissions to the most competitive privates they are still required to have great grades. My child is very good at robotics and their instrument which requires a great deal of practice but the level of commitment to a sport with the influence of coaches, other players, fans etc is is at a very different level. Besides there are tons of sports a middle school player can commit to before HS like martial arts, rock climbing, these schools just want to see students who value physical education as well. No one is stopping your child from trying a wide range of sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The top privates can’t get kids in otherwise to Ivy schools.

Another top school in LA posted stats on number of its students getting into top 20 schools, with and without hooks of legacy, recruited athletes, or URM. Only about 10% of its students could get into top schools without the hook. Exceptions were UChicago and the tech schools.

So if DC privates want to have a top school pipeline, they must have seniors with one of the three hooks….like top athletes in niche sports like lacrosse, squash, crew.

Isn’t top 10% to top schools a pretty good result these days? If the high school graduates 100, sending 10 to Top 10 schools (plus athletes sounds amazing to me). Most high schools in the US aren’t getting anywhere near that. Feels like we should keep perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The top privates can’t get kids in otherwise to Ivy schools.

Another top school in LA posted stats on number of its students getting into top 20 schools, with and without hooks of legacy, recruited athletes, or URM. Only about 10% of its students could get into top schools without the hook. Exceptions were UChicago and the tech schools.

So if DC privates want to have a top school pipeline, they must have seniors with one of the three hooks….like top athletes in niche sports like lacrosse, squash, crew.

Certainly not true at ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

hahaha. exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'd think their sports teams would be stronger in that case.

Sidwell boys and girls are playing for the state championship today. Sidwell boys beat St John’s to make it to the finals.