Yes, a common schedule for on-campus events – from academic lectures to career development opportunities etc – is that they occur in the late afternoon or early evening when in-season athletes are at practice or showering and getting food. It certainly increases the challenges, and my D3 kid has missed some neat opportunities that way. But for him, his sport is like breathing, and his team is his family, so he doesn’t see it as missing anything.
@homerdog thanks. This gives the perspective. Not to take anything away from other parents I think we get blinded by what is good for the kids rather than what is exactly happening with them.
Thanks @gardenstategal I did read some stuff you were saying. I get what you saying.
By the way Trinity interview went well, but heart is set on Brown so all decisions are on hold till the Oct SATs. Thanks again
S19 had to give up so much in high school because of XC and track. He’s not willing to let that happen again. And his school is 50% athletes so I hope there will be ways for him to do more than his sport. He’s joined a group of kids who tutor at the local grade school and that seems like it will work. And he’s thinking about running for student government. I do think it’s important for kids to be able to take advantage of more than just athletics…if that’s what they want to do. He won’t be a professional runner (haha) and he will have to decide if he sticks with it. Kids can always play on club teams or do intramurals to be involved in sports too and those are more lenient with the commitment.
Know many students at LACs who played sports. All seemed to enjoy the LAC experience. Many played two sports–often football & wrestling or ice hockey & lacrosse.
At one LAC, ice hockey was D 1 (one) while the other sports were DIII. No problem with social life or academics. The two sport athletes seemed to be the happiest.
A key point is that travel in New England & in the Middle Atlantic States regions is easy. Might be a different experience for those living in the West or in any area where travel involves long distances & flights.
Nothing really new to add, just confirmation. My son is in his second year at a heavy academic D3. He did not struggle in school at all, and I feel that most of his classmates are doing well too. He believes that the structured EC (he runs XC, indoor and outdoor track, so busy every quarter) helped him manage his time better. His GPA was Dean’s list worthy in the first year and he was active in another time consuming EC. This year he feels he can be an officer in that extra EC, and work 5-10 hours PT. None of this appears to be exceptional to the rest of his team.
He was also recruited to a few D1 schools and believes that the D3 schools he looked at were all “academics first” focused vs. the D1 schools he looked at which he felt were at best balanced equally between academics and athletics.
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FWIW, my kid prioritized the school over doing his sport. This might not be everyone 's choice, but it is a reasonable one for some. It sounds like your D is headed down this path. Could she be giving up guaranteed admission to a school that wants to recruit her? Yes. But she’d also be giving up a chance to attend her first choice school. Where she may or may not get to row. It is a very personal decision, and she is right to collect as much information as she can before she makes it. And it is always possible that she’ll be admitted without being a recruit if Brown falls through.
Good for her for working it all through.
update: D ended up dong ED1 to a top Women college having division 3 rowing and highlighted rowing in her essay and ECs (without being a recruit). She got in…