Athletic Ivy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ "Certainly the football and basketball teams had people who really shouldn't have been there."
Based on what? Why would you deem these people less deserving than you? Sounds like you wouldn't have been there without athletic ability, either. Why pass judgment on those getting the same opportunity you did?

It's zero sum game. The football player gets a spot. The kid that is better positioned to use all that football time to take advantage of academic opportunities is not admitted.

The college prefers that the athlete spend time running or throwing a ball or whatever it is they do, over engaging in academics with that same time. There are only 24 hours in a day and the colleges want a solid chunk of it spent on sports by many of their students. That is where the colleges values lie.[/quote]
This is kind of ridiculous bc most admitted are not going to be playing collegiate athletics, much less football. What if you had two applicants with equal stats, but one was an athlete in a sport that needed a player? Could the athlete then get the nod for admissions over the non-athlete?

Of course they do because the college values time and money spent on sports. I may think that is misguided, but the institutions think it is important.

[Anonymous]

The market thinks it’s important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended an Ivy (though not Harvard) and counted plenty of athletes among my friends. I assure you that the overwhelming majority of them were phenomenal students in addition to being talented athletes. Outside of luring some top football and basketball recruits, top colleges do not generally have to lower their admission standards much, if at all, to bring in athletes.

But why this worship of sports as opposed to other talents? It makes no sense and only is this country is it a thing. But a thing it is so, oh well.

That is how you perceive it.
Why the worship of anything? Music, theatre, sports, etc
Each school has their own culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended an Ivy (though not Harvard) and counted plenty of athletes among my friends. I assure you that the overwhelming majority of them were phenomenal students in addition to being talented athletes. Outside of luring some top football and basketball recruits, top colleges do not generally have to lower their admission standards much, if at all, to bring in athletes.

But why this worship of sports as opposed to other talents? It makes no sense and only is this country is it a thing. But a thing it is so, oh well.

That is how you perceive it.
Why the worship of anything? Music, theatre, sports, etc
Each school has their own culture.

Only in the US are sports a big thing?! No. Sports are a thing worldwide. I don't know why... Fun? Physical fitness? Competition? Endorphins? Adrenaline? Excitement? Unknown outcome? Group experience and comradery?

[Anonymous]

I can tell you why—team sports prepare kids for the real world better than any class or school. It teaches them that as a member of a team, they often need to sublimate their personal desires to the overall goals of the team ie WINNING. That’s why corporations, Wall Street and Tech beat the bushes to find these kids. And I know—4 DI athletes among my children and those that are out of school have been presented with incredible work opportunities. One is now already giving back to her college because she can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you why—team sports prepare kids for the real world better than any class or school. It teaches them that as a member of a team, they often need to sublimate their personal desires to the overall goals of the team ie WINNING. That’s why corporations, Wall Street and Tech beat the bushes to find these kids. And I know—4 DI athletes among my children and those that are out of school have been presented with incredible work opportunities. One is now already giving back to her college because she can.

That's nice but that is a pollyanna view. These college coaches want to win. That can be at direct odds with some of the educational desires of your athletes. Need more time for labs, papers, difficult subject matter, an important professor that's class conflicts with an athletic commitment? You are out of luck. Put sports first or get off the team