D1 athletes - do they need other EC’s to get in a good college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any male soccer player that isn’t in a national radar by sophomore year needs to worry about getting in without soccer because soccer is not a sport that helps boys. Those spots go to kids at professional academies and International players.

Get good grades, test scores and be involved in other things too. Once in- he can try to walk on or play club. Period.

Will soccer help a boy get into a good D3 college?

Soccer can help at highly selective, top D3 schools like U Chicago, Hopkins and Washington U, but the players still need top GPA and SAT. Being recruited just takes away the lottery aspect for a top student

[Anonymous]

There is usually a min SAT score for the top schools. 1240 may be good enough, but also make sure it isnt a 800/440 split.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

boggles my mind that people still make these statements - I guess it’s true for the smaller handful of test required schools, but test optional is real my friends

I personally know 2 coaches - both T25 schools - one a public, one an ivy (non-helmet traditionally “smart kid” sport). Both say test scores are mostly meaningless if they want the kid and grades are good. The Ivy academic index is a thing of the past with regards to the test component. Coaches may ask for test scores as it can only help if they are good - but at worst they are a neutral variable in the process

OP here. This is interesting. I thought SAT was required but high score was not necessary.

Recruited D1 athletes for major sports like football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and maybe lacrosse are inhabiting a different reality than every other applicant to college. Yes, there is some academic leeway - sometimes a lot - for recruited athletes, whether Duke basketball or Stanford soccer or Harvard hockey.

But if you are not at that level it is a foolish gamble to rely on sports as your ticket to a good D1 school. By sophomore year, you should know whether you are recruitable. Are you playing in the highest level league? Are you the best player on your team? If there are kids that are better on your elite team, you are probably not recruitable at a D1 school. The DMV is a tiny corner of America. It's a big country, particularly when it comes to soccer.

Sophomore year is when choices have to be made. As you mentioned, varsity sports is incredibly time consuming. It demands a very high opportunity cost. You should sit down with your son and have an honest talk about the reality of both getting into college and what it takes to play at the D1 level. If he's not a recruited superstar, it's a hard choice. I definitely would not skimp on the academics - GPA, rigor, test scores. A great student is going to have many more opportunities than an athlete rolling with a 3.2 and a 1250, unless you're Messi.

I have two kids at T20 schools. Both athletes. Both great students. They both made choices. One dropped his sport - or rather went from varsity to low key AAU - so he could focus on ECs that were more likely to help get him into highly selective universities. He knew he wasn't going to get recruited. The other kept competing. Recruited by D3 schools. But he did not want to go to a D3 school. Fortunately he was a top student - 4.7 and a 35 - and had some national awards in his field of interest. Got into his school of choice. Talked to a coach and trained with the team freshman year but did not compete. Will compete on the varsity squad sophomore year.

In both cases, they prioritized academics to get where they wanted. It's a better bet than relying solely on sports to get into a good D1 school. There are a million great high school athletes out there. Getting those D1 athletic scholarships is incredibly competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

boggles my mind that people still make these statements - I guess it’s true for the smaller handful of test required schools, but test optional is real my friends

I personally know 2 coaches - both T25 schools - one a public, one an ivy (non-helmet traditionally “smart kid” sport). Both say test scores are mostly meaningless if they want the kid and grades are good. The Ivy academic index is a thing of the past with regards to the test component. Coaches may ask for test scores as it can only help if they are good - but at worst they are a neutral variable in the process

This. Test scores are irrelevant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

boggles my mind that people still make these statements - I guess it’s true for the smaller handful of test required schools, but test optional is real my friends

I personally know 2 coaches - both T25 schools - one a public, one an ivy (non-helmet traditionally “smart kid” sport). Both say test scores are mostly meaningless if they want the kid and grades are good. The Ivy academic index is a thing of the past with regards to the test component. Coaches may ask for test scores as it can only help if they are good - but at worst they are a neutral variable in the process

OP here. This is interesting. I thought SAT was required but high score was not necessary.

Recruited D1 athletes for major sports like football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and maybe lacrosse are inhabiting a different reality than every other applicant to college. Yes, there is some academic leeway - sometimes a lot - for recruited athletes, whether Duke basketball or Stanford soccer or Harvard hockey.

But if you are not at that level it is a foolish gamble to rely on sports as your ticket to a good D1 school. By sophomore year, you should know whether you are recruitable. Are you playing in the highest level league? Are you the best player on your team? If there are kids that are better on your elite team, you are probably not recruitable at a D1 school. The DMV is a tiny corner of America. It's a big country, particularly when it comes to soccer.

Sophomore year is when choices have to be made. As you mentioned, varsity sports is incredibly time consuming. It demands a very high opportunity cost. You should sit down with your son and have an honest talk about the reality of both getting into college and what it takes to play at the D1 level. If he's not a recruited superstar, it's a hard choice. I definitely would not skimp on the academics - GPA, rigor, test scores. A great student is going to have many more opportunities than an athlete rolling with a 3.2 and a 1250, unless you're Messi.

I have two kids at T20 schools. Both athletes. Both great students. They both made choices. One dropped his sport - or rather went from varsity to low key AAU - so he could focus on ECs that were more likely to help get him into highly selective universities. He knew he wasn't going to get recruited. The other kept competing. Recruited by D3 schools. But he did not want to go to a D3 school. Fortunately he was a top student - 4.7 and a 35 - and had some national awards in his field of interest. Got into his school of choice. Talked to a coach and trained with the team freshman year but did not compete. Will compete on the varsity squad sophomore year.

In both cases, they prioritized academics to get where they wanted. It's a better bet than relying solely on sports to get into a good D1 school. There are a million great high school athletes out there. Getting those D1 athletic scholarships is incredibly competitive.

NP and building on OPs question- OP never mentioned an athletic scholarship. What is kids goal is simply to play a sport in college at D3 level and kid is full pay? Does this change anything about what you wrote?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

boggles my mind that people still make these statements - I guess it’s true for the smaller handful of test required schools, but test optional is real my friends

I personally know 2 coaches - both T25 schools - one a public, one an ivy (non-helmet traditionally “smart kid” sport). Both say test scores are mostly meaningless if they want the kid and grades are good. The Ivy academic index is a thing of the past with regards to the test component. Coaches may ask for test scores as it can only help if they are good - but at worst they are a neutral variable in the process

OP here. This is interesting. I thought SAT was required but high score was not necessary.

Recruited D1 athletes for major sports like football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and maybe lacrosse are inhabiting a different reality than every other applicant to college. Yes, there is some academic leeway - sometimes a lot - for recruited athletes, whether Duke basketball or Stanford soccer or Harvard hockey.

But if you are not at that level it is a foolish gamble to rely on sports as your ticket to a good D1 school. By sophomore year, you should know whether you are recruitable. Are you playing in the highest level league? Are you the best player on your team? If there are kids that are better on your elite team, you are probably not recruitable at a D1 school. The DMV is a tiny corner of America. It's a big country, particularly when it comes to soccer.

Sophomore year is when choices have to be made. As you mentioned, varsity sports is incredibly time consuming. It demands a very high opportunity cost. You should sit down with your son and have an honest talk about the reality of both getting into college and what it takes to play at the D1 level. If he's not a recruited superstar, it's a hard choice. I definitely would not skimp on the academics - GPA, rigor, test scores. A great student is going to have many more opportunities than an athlete rolling with a 3.2 and a 1250, unless you're Messi.

I have two kids at T20 schools. Both athletes. Both great students. They both made choices. One dropped his sport - or rather went from varsity to low key AAU - so he could focus on ECs that were more likely to help get him into highly selective universities. He knew he wasn't going to get recruited. The other kept competing. Recruited by D3 schools. But he did not want to go to a D3 school. Fortunately he was a top student - 4.7 and a 35 - and had some national awards in his field of interest. Got into his school of choice. Talked to a coach and trained with the team freshman year but did not compete. Will compete on the varsity squad sophomore year.

In both cases, they prioritized academics to get where they wanted. It's a better bet than relying solely on sports to get into a good D1 school. There are a million great high school athletes out there. Getting those D1 athletic scholarships is incredibly competitive.

NP and building on OPs question- OP never mentioned an athletic scholarship. What is kids goal is simply to play a sport in college at D3 level and kid is full pay? Does this change anything about what you wrote?

NP- D3 don't give scholarships. If high academic school, you have to do everything PP said. If goal is to just play soccer in college, and academics aren't important, look at schools like Goucher, Messiah, Virginia Wesleyan....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

I have two kids at T20 schools. Both athletes. Both great students. They both made choices. One dropped his sport - or rather went from varsity to low key AAU - so he could focus on ECs that were more likely to help get him into highly selective universities. He knew he wasn't going to get recruited. The other kept competing. Recruited by D3 schools. But he did not want to go to a D3 school. Fortunately he was a top student - 4.7 and a 35 - and had some national awards in his field of interest. Got into his school of choice. Talked to a coach and trained with the team freshman year but did not compete. Will compete on the varsity squad sophomore year.

In both cases, they prioritized academics to get where they wanted. It's a better bet than relying solely on sports to get into a good D1 school. There are a million great high school athletes out there. Getting those D1 athletic scholarships is incredibly competitive.

I 100% agree with this. My son was intent on full-on competing in his sport and getting recruited. Aware of just how difficult that really is I encouraged him from the high school to be a student first (which is needed for recruiting) and to even spend a tiny fraction of time in his academic field of interest, not only to keep his hand in the regular college process but also to give him something for his self-esteem when the pressure to perform in the sport becomes overwhelming (as it often does when recruiting time comes around).

He was really happy with the result - significant accomplishments in the academic interest sustained him in those tough moments and I believe even helped his athletic results, as he could compete with the confidence that he didn't have all his eggs in one basket. He kept his grades and scores top notch, and the academic accomplishments gave him confidence as a future college student. Did he sacrifice a few athletic opportunities in the juggle? Totally, but I believe they were more than worth it for a more balanced high school experience.

In the end, son had a strong D1 offer but decided to apply in the regular process and was accepted to a school that offered exactly what he wanted academically and athletically. And even if that hadn't worked out, his profile was such he had strong likelihood of admission at a number of colleges that offered similar opportunities.

I write all this because I've seen too many kids and families burned financially and otherwise by what can be an extremely stressful, and even toxic, environment. Try not to get caught in the rat race for that D1 offer.

[Anonymous]

if the goal is to play soccer in college, I'm not sure people stress enough that club soccer at a competitive college is exactly that without the full-time job like committement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if the goal is to play soccer in college, I'm not sure people stress enough that club soccer at a competitive college is exactly that without the full-time job like committement.

+1

[Anonymous]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in. I knew it’s extremely hard to be recruited as a D1 male soccer player but it’s what DS is aspired to do. My goal is for him to get in a good college with good future job placement, with or without playing college soccer. I would rather pay for a top college, as long as he can get in, than send him to a no name tiny college on a sport scholarship, although DS has an opposite view. I guess we have to talk more about it and we’ll be in a better position to set a realistic goal after sophomore year is over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

boggles my mind that people still make these statements - I guess it’s true for the smaller handful of test required schools, but test optional is real my friends

I personally know 2 coaches - both T25 schools - one a public, one an ivy (non-helmet traditionally “smart kid” sport). Both say test scores are mostly meaningless if they want the kid and grades are good. The Ivy academic index is a thing of the past with regards to the test component. Coaches may ask for test scores as it can only help if they are good - but at worst they are a neutral variable in the process

OP here. This is interesting. I thought SAT was required but high score was not necessary.

Recruited D1 athletes for major sports like football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and maybe lacrosse are inhabiting a different reality than every other applicant to college. Yes, there is some academic leeway - sometimes a lot - for recruited athletes, whether Duke basketball or Stanford soccer or Harvard hockey.

But if you are not at that level it is a foolish gamble to rely on sports as your ticket to a good D1 school. By sophomore year, you should know whether you are recruitable. Are you playing in the highest level league? Are you the best player on your team? If there are kids that are better on your elite team, you are probably not recruitable at a D1 school. The DMV is a tiny corner of America. It's a big country, particularly when it comes to soccer.

Sophomore year is when choices have to be made. As you mentioned, varsity sports is incredibly time consuming. It demands a very high opportunity cost. You should sit down with your son and have an honest talk about the reality of both getting into college and what it takes to play at the D1 level. If he's not a recruited superstar, it's a hard choice. I definitely would not skimp on the academics - GPA, rigor, test scores. A great student is going to have many more opportunities than an athlete rolling with a 3.2 and a 1250, unless you're Messi.

I have two kids at T20 schools. Both athletes. Both great students. They both made choices. One dropped his sport - or rather went from varsity to low key AAU - so he could focus on ECs that were more likely to help get him into highly selective universities. He knew he wasn't going to get recruited. The other kept competing. Recruited by D3 schools. But he did not want to go to a D3 school. Fortunately he was a top student - 4.7 and a 35 - and had some national awards in his field of interest. Got into his school of choice. Talked to a coach and trained with the team freshman year but did not compete. Will compete on the varsity squad sophomore year.

In both cases, they prioritized academics to get where they wanted. It's a better bet than relying solely on sports to get into a good D1 school. There are a million great high school athletes out there. Getting those D1 athletic scholarships is incredibly competitive.

NP and building on OPs question- OP never mentioned an athletic scholarship. What is kids goal is simply to play a sport in college at D3 level and kid is full pay? Does this change anything about what you wrote?

The OP mentioned playing varsity soccer for T30-type D1 schools - so Stanford, UNC, Georgetown, UVA, Duke, UCLA, and similar.

That is an incredibly difficult goal. There are perhaps 7 spots that open every year on each team. They will not just be competing with the very best soccer players in the US, but also against many internationals that come here to play D1 soccer.

It should be clear by sophomore year whether this is a realistic goal. Are you among the best of the best in your region? Do you have the academic chops to handle the workload at a selective college? Is this the most productive use of a high school student's time?

Walk on for a small D3 school is a very different reality. It's not really comparable. Club soccer at UCLA or UVA is going to be more competitive than most D3 programs. But just to play? Sure. Being full pay and a reasonably good player will certainly help with admissions.

But the original question was about higher ranked D1 schools. And that is a very different game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but he will need good test scores and captian/lessons linked to the sport helps.

boggles my mind that people still make these statements - I guess it’s true for the smaller handful of test required schools, but test optional is real my friends

I personally know 2 coaches - both T25 schools - one a public, one an ivy (non-helmet traditionally “smart kid” sport). Both say test scores are mostly meaningless if they want the kid and grades are good. The Ivy academic index is a thing of the past with regards to the test component. Coaches may ask for test scores as it can only help if they are good - but at worst they are a neutral variable in the process

OP here. This is interesting. I thought SAT was required but high score was not necessary.

Recruited D1 athletes for major sports like football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and maybe lacrosse are inhabiting a different reality than every other applicant to college. Yes, there is some academic leeway - sometimes a lot - for recruited athletes, whether Duke basketball or Stanford soccer or Harvard hockey.

But if you are not at that level it is a foolish gamble to rely on sports as your ticket to a good D1 school. By sophomore year, you should know whether you are recruitable. Are you playing in the highest level league? Are you the best player on your team? If there are kids that are better on your elite team, you are probably not recruitable at a D1 school. The DMV is a tiny corner of America. It's a big country, particularly when it comes to soccer.

Sophomore year is when choices have to be made. As you mentioned, varsity sports is incredibly time consuming. It demands a very high opportunity cost. You should sit down with your son and have an honest talk about the reality of both getting into college and what it takes to play at the D1 level. If he's not a recruited superstar, it's a hard choice. I definitely would not skimp on the academics - GPA, rigor, test scores. A great student is going to have many more opportunities than an athlete rolling with a 3.2 and a 1250, unless you're Messi.

I have two kids at T20 schools. Both athletes. Both great students. They both made choices. One dropped his sport - or rather went from varsity to low key AAU - so he could focus on ECs that were more likely to help get him into highly selective universities. He knew he wasn't going to get recruited. The other kept competing. Recruited by D3 schools. But he did not want to go to a D3 school. Fortunately he was a top student - 4.7 and a 35 - and had some national awards in his field of interest. Got into his school of choice. Talked to a coach and trained with the team freshman year but did not compete. Will compete on the varsity squad sophomore year.

In both cases, they prioritized academics to get where they wanted. It's a better bet than relying solely on sports to get into a good D1 school. There are a million great high school athletes out there. Getting those D1 athletic scholarships is incredibly competitive.

bleh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any male soccer player that isn’t in a national radar by sophomore year needs to worry about getting in without soccer because soccer is not a sport that helps boys. Those spots go to kids at professional academies and International players.

Get good grades, test scores and be involved in other things too. Once in- he can try to walk on or play club. Period.

Will soccer help a boy get into a good D3 college?

Only if they are recruited. If they aren't attending camps and playing on teams where they can get noticed, then it won't make a difference.

[Anonymous]

OP, get this book and read it. Do not wing it:



“Looking for a full ride? An Insider’s Recruiting guide”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the school. Closer to T30. Yes. Closer to T50, probably not. Also depends on how good your DC is and what the benchmark is for the sport.

Lower standards for football recruits than say tennis players.

The sport is soccer.

If he actually gets recruited, then all he needs to worry about is SAT and GPA, the coach will take care of the rest. Unfortunately, it is very hard to get recruited to D1 men's soccer. Tons of internationals on the teams. Your son should focus on his grades, playing soccer for enjoyment, and having fun while in high school. The club teams at many D1 schools are very competitive and I would recommend focusing on college first and then playing club

+1

Frankly all the d1 athletes I have known have a pretty good sense of where they stand and with what schools by second semester sophomore year.

+2 on this. Sophomore year is pretty much the vetting year for top D1 soccer. The players that have gone this route from our club over the last 4 years were informally committed by second semester. Your son should already be well down this path by now and adding something at this point won’t impact it.