What is the point of being a college athlete?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having not been a college athlete myself, I would say:
--Admissions boost to somewhere they wouldn't otherwise go
--Fun/enjoy the game/part of their identity/difficult to see that ending after HS
--Scholarship money at schools who give it
--Wasn't planning on a particularly difficult major anyway, so can put time into the sport
--Like the competition/travel
--Some are legit thinking they may be able to "go pro," and some are right

Admissions boost applies to maybe <1% of student-athletes who go play at some place more selective than they would have otherwise gotten into.

Athletic scholarships also apply to maybe <1% of student-athletes who go D1.

Do you have stats on this? Doubt it. Do you think a lot of athletes at elite universities would have gotten in without the "hook" that athletics provided? Check out some scattergrams.

D1 aren't the only schools that give athletic scholarships. NAIA, e.g.

DP. I’d add that the admissions boost is not something spread evenly among athletes around the country. The kids who get the admissions boost are mostly the kids who have had their eye (or the kids whose parents have had their eyes) on the academic prize since the kids were in kindergarten. Of those who are talented athletes by HS age, many in this subset will have a decent chance of playing at a top 30 university or top SLAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get into a college you wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, although in that case, you can quit the day you arrive on campus for freshmen year with no repercussions.

VERY very few families look at this way. I’d say probably <1% of families are savvy gunners using it to get into a super selective college. Majority just want to brag their kid “plays at the next level” and will go to crappy colleges they’d never otherwise consider to make it happen. Dumb as hell.

Where I live, 99% of the parents I know are indeed focusing on their kids’ sports as a way to get an admissions boost at highly selective, elite colleges or Universities. The same is true in every other wealthy, highly educated area in the country.

Well this is only gonna work if the kid does some ridiculous niche sport . I hope they realize this

This is not really true. The Ivies and other elite schools aren't exactly sports powerhouses in all sports. This is dependent on the sport. Someone good enough to play D1 at a large program is not necessarily going to be interested in playing at the type of school that DCUM is obsessed with, and someone with the ability to play at an Ivy would not necessarily make the cut at a D1 program.

Again depends on the sport and depends on the school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get into a college you wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, although in that case, you can quit the day you arrive on campus for freshmen year with no repercussions.

This is very evident in the Military colleges.. Many more student athletes quit after their first season. It's a good way to get into say The Naval Academy without the blue chip.

Look at the rosters from several sports a few years ago compared to today. Over half the athletes use their sport to get in then quit.

Well, the students are not paying tuition either way, and there are a lot of additional requirements and obligations at these schools that don't apply to "civilian" schools, so I can see how attrition could be an issue. I wonder if it is a challenge to replace the athletes who quit the teams or some incentive offered for them to remain on the teams. I think at West Point, everyone is required to participate in some sport, whether it be at the rec / club level or at the D1 level. Obviously the D1 level requires a lot more travel and time away from school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having not been a college athlete myself, I would say:
--Admissions boost to somewhere they wouldn't otherwise go
--Fun/enjoy the game/part of their identity/difficult to see that ending after HS
--Scholarship money at schools who give it
--Wasn't planning on a particularly difficult major anyway, so can put time into the sport
--Like the competition/travel
--Some are legit thinking they may be able to "go pro," and some are right

Admissions boost applies to maybe <1% of student-athletes who go play at some place more selective than they would have otherwise gotten into.

Athletic scholarships also apply to maybe <1% of student-athletes who go D1.

Do you have stats on this? Doubt it. Do you think a lot of athletes at elite universities would have gotten in without the "hook" that athletics provided? Check out some scattergrams.

D1 aren't the only schools that give athletic scholarships. NAIA, e.g.

It’s simple math. There are what, 20, elite colleges you think you need this hook to get into? Add up the roster spots for the sport your snowflake plays x 20. Then subtract all the URMs, legacies and trust funders and you have the ACTUAL roster spots available for random recruited student-athletes. Then take that number and divide it by all the kids in the same graduating class who play said sport. <1% was being generous.

And as for D1, if you’re good enough to play D1 (highly, highly unlikely), there are a lot of mediocre D1 universities and they certainly do not give scholarships to all student-athletes. So, what’s even the point?

[Anonymous]

Check out scholarship stats for sports like soccer and tennis

[Anonymous]

my daughters were D1 swimmers - books paid for, tuition paid for about 50%, built in friends when they arrived, extra tutoring when needed, preferential scheduling of classes, trips to the south to train over Christmas.
Plus, if you make it all four years it looks really good on a resume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get into a college you wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, although in that case, you can quit the day you arrive on campus for freshmen year with no repercussions.

VERY very few families look at this way. I’d say probably <1% of families are savvy gunners using it to get into a super selective college. Majority just want to brag their kid “plays at the next level” and will go to crappy colleges they’d never otherwise consider to make it happen. Dumb as hell.

Where I live, 99% of the parents I know are indeed focusing on their kids’ sports as a way to get an admissions boost at highly selective, elite colleges or Universities. The same is true in every other wealthy, highly educated area in the country.

Well this is only gonna work if the kid does some ridiculous niche sport . I hope they realize this

Lacrosse, crew, field hockey

These sports are becoming really popular across the country, so it's competitive. Also, a lot of field hockey players at elite schools seem to be from overseas, which was surprising to me.

Field hockey is very competitive. And, part of that is that, yes, the really competitive programs (and even some of the not, now) are pulling international players. Yes, you CAN get a boost for admissions. But it's becoming more difficult. And the scholarship money isn't really there like it is for other sports. Our Club Director had a recruiting session (She was a D1 player at a big program) and I think the number she gave for D1 recruitment (and thus $$$) was 1-3% ranges. D3 offers not athletic money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my daughters were D1 swimmers - books paid for, tuition paid for about 50%, built in friends when they arrived, extra tutoring when needed, preferential scheduling of classes, trips to the south to train over Christmas.
Plus, if you make it all four years it looks really good on a resume.

And you need that “resume boost” when you go to some random podunk d1 where you have no friends for no other reason than to play a sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my daughters were D1 swimmers - books paid for, tuition paid for about 50%, built in friends when they arrived, extra tutoring when needed, preferential scheduling of classes, trips to the south to train over Christmas.
Plus, if you make it all four years it looks really good on a resume.

And you need that “resume boost” when you go to some random podunk d1 where you have no friends for no other reason than to play a sport.

not when you stay in podunk state. Everyone impressed.

but you do you with your jealousy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get into a college you wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, although in that case, you can quit the day you arrive on campus for freshmen year with no repercussions.

VERY very few families look at this way. I’d say probably <1% of families are savvy gunners using it to get into a super selective college. Majority just want to brag their kid “plays at the next level” and will go to crappy colleges they’d never otherwise consider to make it happen. Dumb as hell.

Where I live, 99% of the parents I know are indeed focusing on their kids’ sports as a way to get an admissions boost at highly selective, elite colleges or Universities. The same is true in every other wealthy, highly educated area in the country.

Well this is only gonna work if the kid does some ridiculous niche sport . I hope they realize this

Lacrosse, crew, field hockey

These sports are becoming really popular across the country, so it's competitive. Also, a lot of field hockey players at elite schools seem to be from overseas, which was surprising to me.

Field hockey is very competitive. And, part of that is that, yes, the really competitive programs (and even some of the not, now) are pulling international players. Yes, you CAN get a boost for admissions. But it's becoming more difficult. And the scholarship money isn't really there like it is for other sports. Our Club Director had a recruiting session (She was a D1 player at a big program) and I think the number she gave for D1 recruitment (and thus $$$) was 1-3% ranges. D3 offers not athletic money.

Looks like 10 percent of high school field hockey players compete in colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get into a college you wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, although in that case, you can quit the day you arrive on campus for freshmen year with no repercussions.

VERY very few families look at this way. I’d say probably <1% of families are savvy gunners using it to get into a super selective college. Majority just want to brag their kid “plays at the next level” and will go to crappy colleges they’d never otherwise consider to make it happen. Dumb as hell.

Where I live, 99% of the parents I know are indeed focusing on their kids’ sports as a way to get an admissions boost at highly selective, elite colleges or Universities. The same is true in every other wealthy, highly educated area in the country.

Well this is only gonna work if the kid does some ridiculous niche sport . I hope they realize this

Lacrosse, crew, field hockey

Those aren't niche. You need to look at squash, fencing, equestrian, sailing, maybe water polo...

[Anonymous]

I work with many colleagues with HS and college aged kids (some URMs) who are athletes of varied sports. My colleagues’ athletic kids are most definitely getting preferential admission over their classmates with “better” GPAs and higher test scores, at least to top state schools like UVA, UCLA and UNC (including the kids who are not recruited athletes or chose not to play).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work with many colleagues with HS and college aged kids (some URMs) who are athletes of varied sports. My colleagues’ athletic kids are most definitely getting preferential admission over their classmates with “better” GPAs and higher test scores, at least to top state schools like UVA, UCLA and UNC (including the kids who are not recruited athletes or chose not to play).

Duh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a couple obvious, valid answers:

- Love of the sport
- Athletic scholarship

But being a college athlete seems intensely time consuming and disruptive to both studies and social life (I say this not having been a college athlete). Taking money out of the equation and assuming you can enjoy your sport on a more casual basis (rec leagues, etc), what are the advantages of pursuing a sport in college?

Asking in case it's relevant to one of my kids.

To brag to friends and on Facebook that their good not great kid is going to play "at the next level." Of course you won't hear or see anymore sporty bragging when the kid rides the bench all of their freshman year, then quits the sport, and likely transfers out of the college they went to solely for said sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a couple obvious, valid answers:

- Love of the sport
- Athletic scholarship

But being a college athlete seems intensely time consuming and disruptive to both studies and social life (I say this not having been a college athlete). Taking money out of the equation and assuming you can enjoy your sport on a more casual basis (rec leagues, etc), what are the advantages of pursuing a sport in college?

Asking in case it's relevant to one of my kids.

To brag to friends and on Facebook that their good not great kid is going to play "at the next level." Of course you won't hear or see anymore sporty bragging when the kid rides the bench all of their freshman year, then quits the sport, and likely transfers out of the college they went to solely for said sport.

PP, the structure of a varsity (non-club) sport in college helps kids stay fit, learn teamwork, learn the ins-and-outs of a particular college and make friends starting in the August when freshman year starts.