Friend just announced her junior DD has committed to play lax at a top school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OPs kid should put the same discipline and focus in her strengths, hours of practice and conditioning, sacrifice personal and family time, train/work over holidays and breaks, and then maybe she’ll be just as good in her area of focus as her athlete friend?

Sure, she'll be as good in her area of focus but top schools still recruit for athletics, period.

[Anonymous]

You don’t know the details. A million years ago I got approached to play LAX on a “scholarship” while already enrolled in the college on full financial aid.

I got the paperwork and school was going to keep my financial aid money, require to quit my part time job during season and they would not be liable my injuries.

Don’t be jealous sometimes the offer is not that impressive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OPs kid should put the same discipline and focus in her strengths, hours of practice and conditioning, sacrifice personal and family time, train/work over holidays and breaks, and then maybe she’ll be just as good in her area of focus as her athlete friend?

Sure, she'll be as good in her area of focus but top schools still recruit for athletics, period.

And? Schools recruit for sports. That doesn’t preclude others from applying. Schools also try to admit the most academically qualified kids after a review of the full academic record. This post is so ridiculous. Student athletes are a small percentage of the overall student body. Athletic scholarships are incredibly limited and actually dwarfed by the sheer number of academic scholarships at most schools. If OP’s kid were actually equally talented in some other area as her athlete friend, she’d have a great skill set to leverage. Instead, she just begrudged the hard work of others. Maybe we know why the college admissions process is so hard for them?

[Anonymous]

Every single recruited athlete I know hates playing in college. It’s big time work and extremely stressful keeping up with the expectation and commitment. Of course I’m talking about non football and basketball because those a lot of kids are aiming for pro careers.

I know lacrosse players, swimmers, golfers, baseball players, gymnasts, all who either ended up transferring and dropping the sport or vowing never to play it again once they graduate and never to encourage their kids to follow that path.

So ok this kid got a leg up a year before yours, big deal. My niece got an athletic scholarship her freshman year to a top 25 school. That’s a whole different pot of pressure to stir.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OPs kid should put the same discipline and focus in her strengths, hours of practice and conditioning, sacrifice personal and family time, train/work over holidays and breaks, and then maybe she’ll be just as good in her area of focus as her athlete friend?

Sure, she'll be as good in her area of focus but top schools still recruit for athletics, period.

And? Schools recruit for sports. That doesn’t preclude others from applying. Schools also try to admit the most academically qualified kids after a review of the full academic record. This post is so ridiculous. Student athletes are a small percentage of the overall student body. Athletic scholarships are incredibly limited and actually dwarfed by the sheer number of academic scholarships at most schools. If OP’s kid were actually equally talented in some other area as her athlete friend, she’d have a great skill set to leverage. Instead, she just begrudged the hard work of others. Maybe we know why the college admissions process is so hard for them?

At top SLACs, athletic recruits can make up a significant percentage of an incoming class, probably more than any other category of hooks. This is not insignificant and I do not think this is about a scholarship. This is a huge advantage getting into top academic schools.

[Anonymous]

I know a few of DS' friends who are playing D1 sports, they have workout and training every morning from either 6am-8am or from 7am-9am. They can't have classes that begins at 8am. They have afternoon sessions as well and games/tournaments on weekends. They will ride the buses to the tourneys and ride them back no matter how late.

DS is a CS major and just simply couldn't ever envision himself doing that. He wants to double major and would be happy for an 8am class so he can fit everything in. No way he could survive those bus rides and missing critical time to do work with his classmates. They need all the time they can get to get through the grueling CS schedule.

My point is that although it looks great that these kids have a seemingly easy stroll into the elite colleges, one simply doesn't know what they end up giving up in the progress. Only time can tell. Schools need athletic programs for many reasons. So let it go and focus on your kid and her path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OPs kid should put the same discipline and focus in her strengths, hours of practice and conditioning, sacrifice personal and family time, train/work over holidays and breaks, and then maybe she’ll be just as good in her area of focus as her athlete friend?

Sure, she'll be as good in her area of focus but top schools still recruit for athletics, period.

And? Schools recruit for sports. That doesn’t preclude others from applying. Schools also try to admit the most academically qualified kids after a review of the full academic record. This post is so ridiculous. Student athletes are a small percentage of the overall student body. Athletic scholarships are incredibly limited and actually dwarfed by the sheer number of academic scholarships at most schools. If OP’s kid were actually equally talented in some other area as her athlete friend, she’d have a great skill set to leverage. Instead, she just begrudged the hard work of others. Maybe we know why the college admissions process is so hard for them?

At top SLACs, athletic recruits can make up a significant percentage of an incoming class, probably more than any other category of hooks. This is not insignificant and I do not think this is about a scholarship. This is a huge advantage getting into top academic schools.

So work harder. You know what else is a huge advantage? Top of class, honed interests, great essays. Work as hard as the athletes

[Anonymous]

Your daughter is a senior so I'm assuming you are in your forties. You are a grown adult and ranting anonymously about a sixteen year old girl. Please get a grip. Do you not have more important things to worry about? A mortgage, car payments, getting groceries, something along those lines???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disagree. If your friend’s DD is academically qualified and someone who would be a good applicant at that school anyway, the school and student are making a good decision to lock in the relationship. Playing a sport at a level high enough to commit while maintaining grades, etc. deserves to be rewarded just as much as the kid who fiends 20 hours a week in the lab or practicing an instrument. Sports also enhance a school’s community and school spirit, so benefit all students.

The problem is it isn't valued "just as much". Sports are valued more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OPs kid should put the same discipline and focus in her strengths, hours of practice and conditioning, sacrifice personal and family time, train/work over holidays and breaks, and then maybe she’ll be just as good in her area of focus as her athlete friend?

Sure, she'll be as good in her area of focus but top schools still recruit for athletics, period.

And? Schools recruit for sports. That doesn’t preclude others from applying. Schools also try to admit the most academically qualified kids after a review of the full academic record. This post is so ridiculous. Student athletes are a small percentage of the overall student body. Athletic scholarships are incredibly limited and actually dwarfed by the sheer number of academic scholarships at most schools. If OP’s kid were actually equally talented in some other area as her athlete friend, she’d have a great skill set to leverage. Instead, she just begrudged the hard work of others. Maybe we know why the college admissions process is so hard for them?

At top SLACs, athletic recruits can make up a significant percentage of an incoming class, probably more than any other category of hooks. This is not insignificant and I do not think this is about a scholarship. This is a huge advantage getting into top academic schools.

So work harder. You know what else is a huge advantage? Top of class, honed interests, great essays. Work as hard as the athletes

DP. My DC has done all the things you listed and still won't be admitted as early as athletes. My friend's daughter already got recruited by Harvard to play a sport. No one has been admitted this early based on academics, no matter how stellar the student and how hard they work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College is supposed to be an academic pursuit. The role that sports plays is ridiculous.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is that even possible?

I believe it's essentially a verbal commitment between school and athlete. Either can blackout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dude, being a top athlete is hard work. Good for her. Congratulate them instead of begrudging their dedication

+1
My DS plays a sport on a high level. People do not realize how many hours go into such a commitment. While your kid may be at the Friday night football game having a great time with their friends (and as they should), mine is on a field until 10 p.m. The sacrifice is there and the reward should be as well.

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain why colleges give lacrosse scholarships? Does lacrosse bring in money for a school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every single recruited athlete I know hates playing in college. It’s big time work and extremely stressful keeping up with the expectation and commitment. Of course I’m talking about non football and basketball because those a lot of kids are aiming for pro careers.

I know lacrosse players, swimmers, golfers, baseball players, gymnasts, all who either ended up transferring and dropping the sport or vowing never to play it again once they graduate and never to encourage their kids to follow that path.

So ok this kid got a leg up a year before yours, big deal. My niece got an athletic scholarship her freshman year to a top 25 school. That’s a whole different pot of pressure to stir.

My DS got recruited and played baseball in college. He loved it! Not all experiences are bad.