Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a daughter who played 4 years of college soccer I can say it was - still is — a big help. More than a line on a resume, playing a sport through college gave her maturity, confidence and leadership experience. Many times things do not go well, and she gained experience working under pressure and in adverse conditions.

It’s not an immediate thing. And, you could do similarly well in other environments- though obviously the experience would be different.

You can see why so many women executives played a college sport. Work well with team peers. Lead when needed. Not afraid to communicate when and where needed upstream. Jump in and do whatever is needed. Those are some of things that you do in sports and that translate easily to work environments.

Former woman soccer player on a nationally ranked team--agree. Assertiveness. I played at a time when women weren't as common in travel/college soccer and also when women weren't as populous in the STEM field. It definitely helped. The games were competitive as h*ll--so was fighting for positions, navigating team politics, and juggling school work, dealing with some really awful coaches, etc.

Every girl on my youth team ended up in a fantastic career--lawyers, doctors, STEM like me, etc. Nobody is/was afraid to stand up to men. No shrinking violets in the bunch! There is confidence for girls which is why if I had a daughter (I have two sporty academic teen boys)--I would have made sure she spent time in sports.

Excelling at sports requires dedication, commitment and persistence. It is also a HUGE time commitment. So- if you are a great student while being a great athlete--they know you can handle A LOT.

And, team sports are also valued because you have spent your youth learning to work with others for a common goal---balancing personalities where you might not like someone but you still work together.

Playing a D1 sport stands out on a resume.

I played a sport in college at a high level (we weren't NCAA, but school was D1 and it was treated that way). Graduated 24 years ago. My teammates, along with the people I met along the way from other schools, are to this day still my network. Whether for jobs, references, continuing opportunities in the sport, training for DS who is now doing it, etc. It truly has provided a lifeline from day 1, and I know I'm far from the only person in this sport who feels this way.

As a parent of a daughter who played 4 years of college soccer I can say it was - still is — a big help. More than a line on a resume, playing a sport through college gave her maturity, confidence and leadership experience. Many times things do not go well, and she gained experience working under pressure and in adverse conditions.

It’s not an immediate thing. And, you could do similarly well in other environments- though obviously the experience would be different.

You can see why so many women executives played a college sport. Work well with team peers. Lead when needed. Not afraid to communicate when and where needed upstream. Jump in and do whatever is needed. Those are some of things that you do in sports and that translate easily to work environments.

I'm a former athlete now working in academia. I am pretty familiar with PhD and medical school admissions. I think an athlete with a very high GPA and other good credentials can get the edge over a non-athlete with that same very high GPA and credentials. I do not think the athlete gets a boost over someone with a higher GPA and a better resume. Programs have plenty of great applicants to choose from, and unlike undergrad they do not need your athletic prowess to help them out. There are a bunch of academic awards that student-athletes can get and they look good on the CV/resume. I got several awards at the university, conference, and national level. I believe most or all were GPA-based. I had also won a research award, had solid lab experience, and good rec letters. In other words I prepared as though I didn't have any type of edge being a student-athlete. But I am sure it helped for some of the more competitive programs.

The transition from D1 tennis to med school then surgery was more natural than one might assume. The discipline and precision I developed on the tennis court has proven invaluable in the operating room. There are moments during particularly challenging procedures, that feel similar to match point. The intense focus and the steady hands required under pressure - I wouldn’t be a surgeon without tennis.

OP specifically referenced things like medical school or dental school. I don’t know how much sports help with that.

I can see it helping with getting a residency and starting a career…imagine many orthopedists are former athletes and like to hire athletes.

Maybe an MD or DDS knows more regarding how those schools account (or not) for college athletics.

Employers love it. It shows you can juggle priorities, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, my husband rowed Division 1 crew. Hard to tell if it helped with law school admissions but at biglaw firm interviews he felt it was an advantage (he listed it on his resume). And when he got to his firm it was always something higher ups remembered about him from the interview process.

My DH’s D1 rowing teammates are a lot of fun, but never would have gotten to where they are now without alumni hiring support in their early careers and/or admiration from recruiters during the b-school and law school recruiting process. For example, he is in consulting and they love athletes and dancers. His hiring year was packed with former professional ballerinas and college and professional athletes. They’ve all described it as a big conversation starter during interviews, recruiting dinners, and social events. Partners love to have someone to show off who has an interesting story. More importantly they that see that background as confirmation that a candidate is willing to do years of scut work to reach their goal.

I have seen this, too!

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the interesting responses. I was not thinking that a sport would be a "hook" to get in like it may be for college. But rather one of the holistic factors ("leadership") that the schools apply to get in.

My kid is currently balancing D1, D2, and D3 offers (with pros and cons to each). But, just looking ahead to see if sports at any level would be a boost? Or Only D1 (in which maybe you don't play as much)? Or D3 where you'd play A LOT. Does that matter on such a granular level. Kid has played in national tourneys but has not been on an olympic or national team. That said, they've had to balance a lot to maintain the grades and performance level obtained. That would continue through college and i would think, regardless of the level, that would showcase a lot of positive attributes. But I am just speculating.

Having watched my nephews play D1 and D3 in the same sport, I'd say play D3 at the best academic school where your DC gets an offer. D1 sport was like a full-time job. D3 was intense, but the coaches understood that school comes first and the end goal is to launch the kids into successful lives and careers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My best friend ran track at our D1 school; she was also captain senior year and set a few records (assume they’ve been broken since!). She took a few years off after to move abroad and run track professionally, after which she applied to both law and med schools, getting into all.

(She chose law.)

And she has triplets

Not sure why you’re being sarcastic. Story is all true, including a terrible marriage and divorce.

I agree with others -- athletes often have skills + confidence that translate well to the professional world.

And a lot of people are really impressed by athletes! So, your kid should do whatever is best for them. But yes, they'll be using, "Oh yes, I played lacrosse in college" for a long time!

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, my husband rowed Division 1 crew. Hard to tell if it helped with law school admissions but at biglaw firm interviews he felt it was an advantage (he listed it on his resume). And when he got to his firm it was always something higher ups remembered about him from the interview process.

My DH’s D1 rowing teammates are a lot of fun, but never would have gotten to where they are now without alumni hiring support in their early careers and/or admiration from recruiters during the b-school and law school recruiting process. For example, he is in consulting and they love athletes and dancers. His hiring year was packed with former professional ballerinas and college and professional athletes. They’ve all described it as a big conversation starter during interviews, recruiting dinners, and social events. Partners love to have someone to show off who has an interesting story. More importantly they that see that background as confirmation that a candidate is willing to do years of scut work to reach their goal.

Anonymous wrote:My best friend ran track at our D1 school; she was also captain senior year and set a few records (assume they’ve been broken since!). She took a few years off after to move abroad and run track professionally, after which she applied to both law and med schools, getting into all.

(She chose law.)

And she has triplets