Is it hard to do a STEM degree and play D1 soccer at a high academic university?

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Anyone have experience or know of players doing a STEM degree or pre-med and D! Soccer at an academically highly ranked university? Is it rare or common? What seem to be the most common majors for D1 female soccer players?

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Anyone have experience or know of players doing a STEM degree or pre-med and D! Soccer at an academically highly ranked university? Is it rare or common? What seem to be the most common majors for D1 female soccer players?

Pull up the rosters of schools your kid is looking at. Player bios will show their majors. It can be done but definitely will be challenging. Some profs aren't very understanding and a pseudo spring season means not as much downtime like D3. Lots of D1 athletes take summer courses to spread out the work load.

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Pull up the rosters of schools your kid is looking at. Player bios will show their majors. It can be done but definitely will be challenging. Some profs aren't very understanding and a pseudo spring season means not as much downtime like D3. Lots of D1 athletes take summer courses to spread out the work load.

Have been looking and have only seen a rare few so far. See a lot of Kinesiology, Business, and stuff similar to “Exercise Science” or “Sports Management”, although the better universities often don’t offer some of those degrees.

I didnt ask about internships and semesters abroad because I’ve already heard they are next to impossible.

Tough to have to give up academic opportunities and even limit your degree options, on top of limited social life, even if you love soccer and are getting D1 offers. I wonder if that’s one reason so few players play all four college years. The drop out and transfer percent is soberingly high.

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Have been looking and have only seen a rare few so far. See a lot of Kinesiology, Business, and stuff similar to “Exercise Science” or “Sports Management”, although the better universities often don’t offer some of those degrees.

I didnt ask about internships and semesters abroad because I’ve already heard they are next to impossible.

Tough to have to give up academic opportunities and even limit your degree options, on top of limited social life, even if you love soccer and are getting D1 offers. I wonder if that’s one reason so few players play all four college years. The drop out and transfer percent is soberingly high.

Yes to all of that. Some athletes start to repriorotze towards their next gig in life and that can mean no longer being an athlete. This board has had countless D1 vs D3 debates but the reality is D1 doesn't work for all, no matter what their soccer or academic talents are.

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Easy if you know how to manage your time.

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Yes to all of that. Some athletes start to repriorotze towards their next gig in life and that can mean no longer being an athlete. This board has had countless D1 vs D3 debates but the reality is D1 doesn't work for all, no matter what their soccer or academic talents are.

Only a few MA boys each year go to the top 20 programs each year and have the skill level for significant playing time. Look at the list of commits: low D1 or bench.

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You forgot to mention that D3 does not work for all either, a good athlete is most comfortable around other good athletes.Good Colleges work hard to make sure athletes are successful on and off the field.D3 sports are well so D3.

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Most school worth attempting it at will give you an honest answer.

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Anyone have experience or know of players doing a STEM degree or pre-med and D! Soccer at an academically highly ranked university? Is it rare or common? What seem to be the most common majors for D1 female soccer players?

Jesse Fleming?

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Only a few MA boys each year go to the top 20 programs each year and have the skill level for significant playing time. Look at the list of commits: low D1 or bench.

You must be looking at the wrong list. I see plenty of high end soccer and academic schools on the list.

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Have been looking and have only seen a rare few so far. See a lot of Kinesiology, Business, and stuff similar to “Exercise Science” or “Sports Management”, although the better universities often don’t offer some of those degrees.

I didnt ask about internships and semesters abroad because I’ve already heard they are next to impossible.

Tough to have to give up academic opportunities and even limit your degree options, on top of limited social life, even if you love soccer and are getting D1 offers. I wonder if that’s one reason so few players play all four college years. The drop out and transfer percent is soberingly high.

During my DD's recruiting a coach at High D1 (both soccer and academics) told her that they wouldn't tell a player not to be pre-med, but that it would be really hard. Each lab is the equivalent of an additional class and most labs seem to be in the afternoon. This interferes with both training and travel to away games. Pre-med students often take 2 lab science classes each semester.

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You forgot to mention that D3 does not work for all either, a good athlete is most comfortable around other good athletes.Good Colleges work hard to make sure athletes are successful on and off the field.D3 sports are well so D3.

Your son is not, well, one of the 5 D1 players. Good luck on bench.

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During my DD's recruiting a coach at High D1 (both soccer and academics) told her that they wouldn't tell a player not to be pre-med, but that it would be really hard. Each lab is the equivalent of an additional class and most labs seem to be in the afternoon. This interferes with both training and travel to away games. Pre-med students often take 2 lab science classes each semester.

My dd has been told similar, Came close to committing to a couple high academic D1s that appeared to value the academic side and too but, after zooming with the coaches (more rosey0 and then the players(less roses0, she couldn’t pull the trigger. The players all said they were happy but soccer was basically their life other than going to class. STEM majors, internships and an overseas study program weren’t impossible, but most of the players that did them, usually ended up quitting the team, or some switched to easier majors in order to keep playing soccer.

On the flip side, d3 soccer allows for the academics but is definitely a compromise downward on the soccer end. She really does love playing the highest level soccer possible. Is also drawn to the bigger d1 experience over the typically smaller LAC d3 experience. No having your cake and eating it too, it seems.

Anyone know of a mid-major D1 school where a player (who isn’t also in a national team pool and/or Einstein) can have a bit of a social life outside of soccer(including non-soccer friends), major in stem (with top grades for grad school) and do some summer internships and maybe a summer overseas program? D1 offers felt like hitting the jackpot until the job-like reality set in.

What about club soccer at say like a Duke? Is is on par or better or worse than most d3 soccer? Wondering which is the best compromise to make. Her decision. 2020 really drove home that happiness and fit definitely the most important. Hope she can find the perfect school for her. Any advice from those that have dds who have gone down the college soccer path would be greatly appreciated.

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To the poster above: club soccer will probably not be satisfactory to a highly competitive player. Some teams are pretty good, they travel and have playoffs - but it's nothing like playing Varsity soccer. There are a good number of bigger D3 schools that feel like D1s and have decent soccer - the UAC conference (with schools like Emory), MIT, Tufts, Hopkins. All great schools with excellent STEM programs

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To the poster above: club soccer will probably not be satisfactory to a highly competitive player. Some teams are pretty good, they travel and have playoffs - but it's nothing like playing Varsity soccer. There are a good number of bigger D3 schools that feel like D1s and have decent soccer - the UAC conference (with schools like Emory), MIT, Tufts, Hopkins. All great schools with excellent STEM programs

I think you meant UAA?

One of mine is in UAA - perfect fit for him. He wanted a similar-to-D1 college experience without the job of being a D1 athlete. When he first started the process he was laser focused on D1 but all it took was talking to a few D1 coaches and players to turn him off. However, at the same time he definitely didn't want the LAC in the middle of nowhere experience either. His UAA school gives him solid soccer, great academics, more flexibility with classes, study abroad etc. He's not STEM but several of his teammates are. He was a LBB (Late Blooming Boy) so getting in was definitely nerve wracking. D1 athletes get great academic support but D3 teams often have study groups and teammates tutoring one another (ask about that when touring).

this is a decent place to start with D3 programs. As you can see, however, the vast majority are small schools that appeal to everyone. There's also MIT, John's Hopkins and Tufts, RIT (not as strong but great for certain majors).

women's 2019 standings https://d3soccer.com/seasons/women/2019/index
men's 2019 standings https://d3soccer.com/seasons/men/2019/index