Is there anyway to make lacrosse look less elite and privileged on a college application?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing your son doesn’t go to Blair?

College counselors know Montgomery County schools. They know the DCC schools aren’t Whitman/Churchill and that they serve a different demographic. I don’t think they’ll think your son is some entitled, privileged lax bro type of kid à la a Georgetown Prep lax bro or similar.

Your son will be fine. best of luck to him and his team this season!

This is true for local schools, but I wouldn’t count on it for smaller LACs far away. “Lacrosse” and “Maryland suburb of DC” will absolutely equal a super privileged lax bro - OP isn’t crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My brother played lacrosse in a Salvation Army club in Maryland. There is nothing elite about my brother. His coach was African American and he had African American teammates.

African Americans have been playing high level lacrosse for a long time. Perhaps the best college lacrosse player ever was AA. Perhaps you've heard of him -- he played a bit of running back for the Cleveland Browns.

[Anonymous]

We did get the advice to not include skiing as an interest or EC because it shows privilege. Not sure if lacrosse shows that anymore because it is a public school sport

[Anonymous]

Not elite at public school. You are fine. Do not write about it. Can describe in activity of "from newbie to conference champ..." or whatever to show brand new to sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing your son doesn’t go to Blair?

College counselors know Montgomery County schools. They know the DCC schools aren’t Whitman/Churchill and that they serve a different demographic. I don’t think they’ll think your son is some entitled, privileged lax bro type of kid à la a Georgetown Prep lax bro or similar.

Your son will be fine. best of luck to him and his team this season!

This is true for local schools, but I wouldn’t count on it for smaller LACs far away. “Lacrosse” and “Maryland suburb of DC” will absolutely equal a super privileged lax bro - OP isn’t crazy.

Like what smaller LACs further away? All the top ones know MoCo schools. If you mean some lower ranked, smaller LAC further away that may not know our high schools, if they see Maryland suburb of DC Lax player, they *may* think he's privileged but that can work in his favor because they might think "hey...we are getting someone who potentially has money"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Title: Player & Teammate Recruiter
Org: xyz HS Lacrosse: no-cut ___ program built from soccer, wrestling & football recruits
Description: Picked up a stick on the first day of freshman tryouts without any background. Though we're outmatched most days, I've recruited friends, built a team and earned my place.

Yes 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Playing team sports is great. Builds character, camaraderie, interpersonal skills, commitment to a team. I would rather accept a lax player than some striver child of a tiger parent who fences or whatever else between violin lessons.

I'm not sure if I would dedicate my whole application to it but nothing to hide either. Good luck to him this spring!

What do you have against kids who fence or play violin?

And why do you assume they’re kids of tiger parents?

[Anonymous]

Lacrosse isn’t perceived as elite anymore. It’s really just a sport. —very middle class average lax mom here. In club and high school my child was among middle & lower middle socioeconomic teammates. These days kids play lacrosse because it’s just really very fun.

[Anonymous]

no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know, I know but hear me out. DS is a junior at a Mont Co DCC school and loves lacrosse. Picked it up his freshman year after not making the very competitive soccer team in the fall. Had never touched a stick before the first day of tryouts. This is not a school stacked with private school/private club kids whose fathers played D1 and kids that have been playing since they are 5. JV and Varsity are essentially no cuts and every year kids who play work hard to recruit their soccer, football and wrestling friends so there are enough kids to fill the squads.

This team regularly gets beaten by other DCC schools and smoked by upcounty W schools. Is there any way to address this in an application? "Yes I'm a white kid who plays lacrosse but I'm not THAT kind of white kid that plays lacrosse?"[/quot

If he is not recruitable makes zero difference. My DD went to private. Was captain of lacrosse because that’s how it works for senior year. Maybe showed some leadership. But it’s a nothing burger. Who cares? Get over yourself, lady.

[Anonymous]

I say this as a mom of a kid who plays three varsity sports, including lacrosse. Unless your kid is a recruited athlete, lacrosse (or any sport) should be at the bottom of the activities list anyway.

[Anonymous]

I would try to avoid the word “lacrosse” for an application to a NESCAC school; they have so many preppy recruited athletes as a % of the total student population that the AO’s must feel disinclined to admit another potential laxbro.