Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 08:30     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Recruited athletes get a huge thumb on the scale because of the American money-generating sports culture. Not because it builds character.

It is what it is. Why do the parents of these students push back on this? Why pretend it’s so hard to get special treatment? You and your kid benefit from this. You win!

Why pretend?
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 08:24     Subject: Re:Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:Having sports teams travel around the East Coast and the country playing other sports teams builds recognition for the school, among parents, siblings, spectators, news outlets, etc. A bunch of kids sitting in the library does not help with that. Don't you Amherst parents want your kid's school to have great recognition up and down the East coast and nationally? Give a thank you to the athletes providing marketing for your school!


You are correct. The problem is that some parents who send their children to Amherst think differently from you. Why? Probably nothing more than a combination of jealousy, insecurity, obsessed virtue signaling, and weakness. For them, it is a zero-sum game.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 08:23     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Every school has a budget. Money is allocated each year across many areas, including sports and other non-academic activities. Families have often endowed these programs in perpetuity, never having participated themselves, whether it be the concert hall, a pool, a hockey rink, etc. Why? Schools need well-rounded students. Schools need lessons beyond the classroom. Guess what? They are right.
None of these is a good justification for giving athletes a backdoor into the university. Athletes already get a holistic boost for being athletes, why isn't that enough for them?


These schools want to field teams which are elite and well beyond competitive. Doing so requires participation in the quest for talent because athletic talent combined with academic talent is a rare commodity and leaving to chance the ability to form a competitive team isn’t an option for these schools.
that's right - it has nothing to do with athletics making the students better people, as if it did, there would be little reason to choose to recruit for some sports but not others, or indeed recruit if any sport but not other valuable extracurriculars like music or debate.

But then the question is, why such a huge emphasis on a maximally competitive team for certain sports but not others, or even for other extracurricular activities like music or esports? You don't see schools giving likely letters or giving nearly as much weight to letters of support from the music director or the coaches of club teams or the esports coach.



Yes, I think the gripe is so many spots are allocated to sports, most of which generate little enthusiasm on campus. If there was some degree of equity with other, equally enriching and demanding, programs, that gripe would be vastly lessened.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 08:20     Subject: Re:Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:Having sports teams travel around the East Coast and the country playing other sports teams builds recognition for the school, among parents, siblings, spectators, news outlets, etc. A bunch of kids sitting in the library does not help with that. Don't you Amherst parents want your kid's school to have great recognition up and down the East coast and nationally? Give a thank you to the athletes providing marketing for your school!


You're doubling down on East coast, and even national (!), recognition? Lol.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 08:14     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:I just don’t understanding spending so much time and money on sports that you will never play again after college.
Tennis and golf? yes
lacrosse and field hockey? No


You would understand if you had a child who absolutely loved her or his sport and being part of a team. Mine wanted to take his chances on being able to play varsity baseball in college, and he is beyond excited that he's going to have the chance to do just that. There is joy in living in the moment . . . not everything needs to have a long-term payout.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 07:51     Subject: Re:Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Having sports teams travel around the East Coast and the country playing other sports teams builds recognition for the school, among parents, siblings, spectators, news outlets, etc. A bunch of kids sitting in the library does not help with that. Don't you Amherst parents want your kid's school to have great recognition up and down the East coast and nationally? Give a thank you to the athletes providing marketing for your school!
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 02:09     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Every school has a budget. Money is allocated each year across many areas, including sports and other non-academic activities. Families have often endowed these programs in perpetuity, never having participated themselves, whether it be the concert hall, a pool, a hockey rink, etc. Why? Schools need well-rounded students. Schools need lessons beyond the classroom. Guess what? They are right.
None of these is a good justification for giving athletes a backdoor into the university. Athletes already get a holistic boost for being athletes, why isn't that enough for them?


These schools want to field teams which are elite and well beyond competitive. Doing so requires participation in the quest for talent because athletic talent combined with academic talent is a rare commodity and leaving to chance the ability to form a competitive team isn’t an option for these schools.
that's right - it has nothing to do with athletics making the students better people, as if it did, there would be little reason to choose to recruit for some sports but not others, or indeed recruit if any sport but not other valuable extracurriculars like music or debate.

But then the question is, why such a huge emphasis on a maximally competitive team for certain sports but not others, or even for other extracurricular activities like music or esports? You don't see schools giving likely letters or giving nearly as much weight to letters of support from the music director or the coaches of club teams or the esports coach.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 00:52     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Every school has a budget. Money is allocated each year across many areas, including sports and other non-academic activities. Families have often endowed these programs in perpetuity, never having participated themselves, whether it be the concert hall, a pool, a hockey rink, etc. Why? Schools need well-rounded students. Schools need lessons beyond the classroom. Guess what? They are right.
None of these is a good justification for giving athletes a backdoor into the university. Athletes already get a holistic boost for being athletes, why isn't that enough for them?


These schools want to field teams which are elite and well beyond competitive. Doing so requires participation in the quest for talent because athletic talent combined with academic talent is a rare commodity and leaving to chance the ability to form a competitive team isn’t an option for these schools.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2025 00:44     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just don’t understanding spending so much time and money on sports that you will never play again after college.
Tennis and golf? yes
lacrosse and field hockey? No


Only pursuing things that will make you money is not good for your mental health.

People who players and they’re never gonna be actors. People play instruments and they’re never gonna be in an orchestra. People sail, and they’re never gonna become sailor.


Where did I say it was about making money? My point was that I don’t understand why you spend so many years on a sport you will almost never play again after age 22. I mentioned golf and tennis because those are sports you can play your whole life.


If this is a sincere question, playing a competitive sport in one’s early years builds strong body, mind, and spirit, just like many other activities do. The sportsmanship will bring benefits to every aspect of life.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 22:46     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just don’t understanding spending so much time and money on sports that you will never play again after college.
Tennis and golf? yes
lacrosse and field hockey? No


Only pursuing things that will make you money is not good for your mental health.

People who players and they’re never gonna be actors. People play instruments and they’re never gonna be in an orchestra. People sail, and they’re never gonna become sailor.


Where did I say it was about making money? My point was that I don’t understand why you spend so many years on a sport you will almost never play again after age 22. I mentioned golf and tennis because those are sports you can play your whole life.


I don’t play with my little pony anymore either. Were those hours of my childhood wasted?
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 22:02     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:Every school has a budget. Money is allocated each year across many areas, including sports and other non-academic activities. Families have often endowed these programs in perpetuity, never having participated themselves, whether it be the concert hall, a pool, a hockey rink, etc. Why? Schools need well-rounded students. Schools need lessons beyond the classroom. Guess what? They are right.
None of these is a good justification for giving athletes a backdoor into the university. Athletes already get a holistic boost for being athletes, why isn't that enough for them?
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 20:58     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just don’t understanding spending so much time and money on sports that you will never play again after college.
Tennis and golf? yes
lacrosse and field hockey? No


Only pursuing things that will make you money is not good for your mental health.

People who players and they’re never gonna be actors. People play instruments and they’re never gonna be in an orchestra. People sail, and they’re never gonna become sailor.


Where did I say it was about making money? My point was that I don’t understand why you spend so many years on a sport you will almost never play again after age 22. I mentioned golf and tennis because those are sports you can play your whole life.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 20:36     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:People are putting down athletes because it feels unfair that they are held to a different standard for the same outcome.

And that there is an entry to college that isn't solely academic.

But honestly, no one prohibited your kid from squash/soccer/lacrosse/swimming....why didn't your kid get better at sports if they wanted to go to Amherst?


Ok well your kid would be a legacy at Harvard if you went there so don’t whine about that either
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 20:29     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
Anonymous wrote:I just don’t understanding spending so much time and money on sports that you will never play again after college.
Tennis and golf? yes
lacrosse and field hockey? No


Only pursuing things that will make you money is not good for your mental health.

People who players and they’re never gonna be actors. People play instruments and they’re never gonna be in an orchestra. People sail, and they’re never gonna become sailor.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2025 20:00     Subject: Amherst College Paper Article on Athletic Recruiting.
I just don’t understanding spending so much time and money on sports that you will never play again after college.
Tennis and golf? yes
lacrosse and field hockey? No