Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former D1 Power 4 athlete here. Won the conference a few times.

I never found it helped me in terms of networks and connection. Then again I was not a lacrosse player.

It did help me at a T10 law school because law school wasn’t that challenging without the rigor of athletics. I wasn’t that bright but was tough minded and really efficient. Did well as one possibly could (law review editor too) and that is what opened doors. Would I have done as well without athletics? Absolutely not. But if you want to network, network. Athletics didn’t do it for me. No regrets.

Athletics is always a good ice breaker and demonstrates drive, time management, grit, etc. The real advantages come when athletics are combined with the benefits of Ivy, NESCAC, and Patriot Alumni networks which are very real.

My school was ranked higher than most of the schools you mention. That’s why I went there. As a very poor kid, a valuable scholarship. I was so busy with my academics and caught up in the athletic world that I didn’t really establish a network. In hindsight I should have.

The network I did have was for coaching and teaching. Most of my competitors followed that path. I was not interested in that alternative and honestly wouldn’t have been very good at coaching or teaching.

My first job out of college was trading futures on the CME. And I did know someone but he not connected with athletics. My connection helped me get a job to quickly understand the vagaries of the cutout - a summary of meat packer margins on hogs and cattle which enabled me to trade. I was B plus trader - good enough to be effective and understand the crazy business - especially to engage fully in periods of volatility- but like athletics I used it rather than use me. I spent virtually nothing and saved virtually all of the income. You really need a A plus killer instinct along with brains, and very few people had it. I didn’t, although did ok because I was a reasonable guy who didn’t piss people off. My fiancé (now my spouse) was very supportive of my going to law school because she did not like the casino gambling aspect of the job.

The best I ever saw was a steelworker’s kid from Granite City. No network, first job out of high school for him was as an egg grader for the USDA. Went to East St Louis Lincoln High School (like Dick Durbin). Southern Illinois grad. Incredibly good trader. I learned more from him than in college, although my education allowed me to put he was doing in a formal and permanent structure. Athletics didn’t get me into any network. Likely my failing. I would recommend networking as a result.

Army and Navy are not football members of Patriot League. BU doesn’t have football team. As far as alumni connections rate Holy Cross the best and HC raises more money annually for alumni donations to Crusader sports.

Anonymous wrote:Former D1 Power 4 athlete here. Won the conference a few times.

I never found it helped me in terms of networks and connection. Then again I was not a lacrosse player.

It did help me at a T10 law school because law school wasn’t that challenging without the rigor of athletics. I wasn’t that bright but was tough minded and really efficient. Did well as one possibly could (law review editor too) and that is what opened doors. Would I have done as well without athletics? Absolutely not. But if you want to network, network. Athletics didn’t do it for me. No regrets.

Athletics is always a good ice breaker and demonstrates drive, time management, grit, etc. The real advantages come when athletics are combined with the benefits of Ivy, NESCAC, and Patriot Alumni networks which are very real.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC currently interested in a career in finance - will being a top athlete on a Patriot League team open doors? or just potentially with alumni from that school? thx!

Being a D1 athlete in the major team sports is a huge advantage in corporate America.

what if it isn’t a “major” team sport? what about golf, tennis, soccer, field hockey, or cross country? any lift from those sports?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC currently interested in a career in finance - will being a top athlete on a Patriot League team open doors? or just potentially with alumni from that school? thx!

Patriot League includes West Point and Annapolis. Besides Wharton, I really can’t think of a better launch into finance and consulting than being an Army or Navy athlete. That is a deep network.

But being an athlete at BU, Holy Cross and elsewhere definitely helps too. A football player at this level has grit, discipline, teamwork - all the things the corporate world values.

Being a D1 athlete in the major team sports is a huge advantage in corporate America.

No disrespect to the academies but one doesn't go there to set yourself up for a career in finance. They are such unique animals that you have to completely buy into the experience. Who knows what life will throw you during your four years in school plus the committed service time - you're likely not starting your civilian career until mid-late 20s. At that point it is very helpful, but if you are smart enough to get into an academy and really want finance/consulting, that is not the most direct path.

Anonymous wrote:DC currently interested in a career in finance - will being a top athlete on a Patriot League team open doors? or just potentially with alumni from that school? thx!

Patriot League includes West Point and Annapolis. Besides Wharton, I really can’t think of a better launch into finance and consulting than being an Army or Navy athlete. That is a deep network.

But being an athlete at BU, Holy Cross and elsewhere definitely helps too. A football player at this level has grit, discipline, teamwork - all the things the corporate world values.

Being a D1 athlete in the major team sports is a huge advantage in corporate America.

The schools that we visited had specific programs in place to help athletes network with alumni, who I assume were also former athletes. I would ask about this in your contacts with the athletic recruiters.

Former D1 Power 4 athlete here. Won the conference a few times.

I never found it helped me in terms of networks and connection. Then again I was not a lacrosse player.

It did help me at a T10 law school because law school wasn’t that challenging without the rigor of athletics. I wasn’t that bright but was tough minded and really efficient. Did well as one possibly could (law review editor too) and that is what opened doors. Would I have done as well without athletics? Absolutely not. But if you want to network, network. Athletics didn’t do it for me. No regrets.

My son was a D1 athlete and a patriot league school and all his friends that wanted to go to “prestigious firms“ did.

He kind of went in a different direction.

Anonymous wrote:Obviously if it is Bucknell you are all but guaranteed a spot at the most prestigious firms on Wall Street.

Bucknell is a very good school, but is this sarcasm? fairly new here

I think it looks great on a resume. If nothing else, it's a great conversation starter. In reality, it can also connect them with alums, and in a hiring manager capacity, it signals good time management, high energy, competitive drive, etc.

There really aren't negatives unless sports took a toll on grades.

Obviously if it is Bucknell you are all but guaranteed a spot at the most prestigious firms on Wall Street.

We have been to a couple of recruiting events for patriot and Ivy this year and both spent considerable time bragging about the connections they have to NYC finance jobs and consulting. At this point, I would be a little concerned if the Patriot school your kid is considering wasn't making these same claims.

for the employers on the street that prioritize hiring athletes (and there are many) - it’s comparable to being a non-athlete at an ivy or stern - big lift

DC currently interested in a career in finance - will being a top athlete on a Patriot League team open doors? or just potentially with alumni from that school? thx!