Reply to Is playing a sport in college "worth it"?

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[quote=Anonymous]Is playing a sport worth it?  Much depends on the level (Div I, II or III), whether it's a scholarship sport (and does your child need the scholarship in order to go to college), and the sport.

Speaking only for the high academics, it was worth it for our two football sons.  They both were admitted to schools that they would NOT have gotten into but for football.  For different reasons, they both walked away from their sport before senior year.  No matter, they formed close bonds with their teammates, received good internships, and most importantly, used their sport to get into difficult schools.  Mind you, neither was on an athletic scholarship (and therefore when they walked away, they were not giving up any financial assistance).

The recruiting process was long and arduous, and we hope our third son can follow in their footsteps (lacrosse, most likely).  Two observations from our experience with the older two:

1.  Absolutely, do NOT pick a school in order to play your sport.  I agree with the posts about attending obscure schools (esp. at the Division III level) just to play your sports.  Your sport is not the end, it is a means to an end.  The end is receiving an education at a school that you enjoy and will thrive at.  On this point, I think many club and high school coaches could do a better job educating kids about these choices.

2.  If your child does not have a hook (not a URM, not a legacy, Daddy is not Jared Kushner's dad), and wants to attend an elite school, athletics is the best way to get accepted at these schools.  For example, the NESCACs and the Ivies field teams in virtually every sport, and each year, recruited athletes get preferential treatment with coach support in the admissions offices.  At some of these schools, athletes make up 25% to 33% of the incoming class.  It's worth exploring if your child has those aspirations.

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