2011 Boys Soccer Verbal Commitments

[Unregistered]

Makes perfect sense to me. Williams is one of the hardest schools in the nation for admittance. We hope soccer can help our child gain acceptance into a school he would not have had the chance without a "hook"... That said, 8 would give anything to have my child attend Williams. I clearly know why these talented kids decided on Williams!!!

"I would give anything to have my child attend Williams"

Brilliant. You just captured what the whole T-S site is about in one simple sentence.

[Unregistered]

Makes perfect sense to me. Williams is one of the hardest schools in the nation for admittance. We hope soccer can help our child gain acceptance into a school he would not have had the chance without a "hook"... That said, 8 would give anything to have my child attend Williams. I clearly know why these talented kids decided on Williams!!!

Congratualtions Kid!

Coach Russo is a tremendous soccer coach. Williams is an exceptional school.

Best Colleges: Top 100 - Lowest Acceptance Rates

Fall 2009 acceptance rate
Curtis Institute of Music Philadelphia, PA 5%
Cooper Union New York, NY 7%
Harvard University Cambridge, MA 7%
Yale University New Haven, CT 8%
Juilliard School New York, NY 8%
Stanford University Stanford, CA 8%
College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO 9%
Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY 9%
United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD 10%
Columbia University New York, NY 10%
Princeton University Princeton, NJ 10%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 11%
Brown University Providence, RI 11%
Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 13%
United States Military Academy West Point, NY 15%
California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 15%
Victory University Memphis, TN 15%
Amherst College Amherst, MA 16%
Pomona College Claremont, CA 16%
Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA 16%
United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO 17%
Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 17%
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 18%
Berea College Berea, KY 19%
Duke University Durham, NC 19%
Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 19%
Cornell University Ithaca, NY 19%
Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME 19%
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20%
Liberty University *****burg, VA 20%
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 20%
Pitzer College Claremont, CA 20%
Williams College Williamstown, MA 20%

[Unregistered]

Williams is ranked number one in US News and World report Liberal Arts Colleges and Number one in Forbs 2010 Universities and Liberal Arts combined!!!! I was proud when my son went to Middlebury and people said "where is Middlebury" ...

[Unregistered]

"I would give anything to have my child attend Williams"

Brilliant. You just captured what the whole T-S site is about in one simple sentence.

This may be a bit sarcastic but it is correct. Kudos to the honesty of the parent who made the statement. Sometimes the truth is found in the unintended consequences of statements.

Further proof is in the posts that followed -- a listing of of lowest acceptance rates and a reaffirmation of Williams' national standing (as if we all didn't know).

One poster laments that some players on the other "list" won't really be playing, but these same type of posters don't offer up all the kids who never make these lists who DO in fact play in college. Victor Ferreira, an All-American last year (one of 2-3 in the whole state), I don't believe was ever listed with a commitment. He played at UMass Dartmouth and was named I believe a 2nd team D3 All-American after his frosh year. Two of his New Bedford also are on that team and never made a list. Same for the Brockton kids. Many other kids who PLAY also don't get "listed."

This site is dominated by a certain demographic. The "dream" for many here is "Williams" (or a reasonable facsimile). That's fine. It IS one of the finest schools in the country we all agree. But in that vein, let's be honest what the club scene and elite programs are for many people here.

"I would give anything for my child to attend Williams." Let that soak in and roll over you for a minute.

[Unregistered]

The CCHS coach is a bates alum and tries to funnel as man players as he can into that program. As for the emory player, he was being recruited from soccer and track and is one hell of an athlete. Watched him shut down DeNormandie for two games this year.

You must not have been watching too closely..., ask your pal who scored the game winner, putting an end to CC's hopes for an undefeated season.

[Unregistered]

You must not have been watching too closely..., ask your pal who scored the game winner, putting an end to CC's hopes for an undefeated season.

Overly aggressive response. "Ask you pal..."? Whoa?!

The poster actually was complimenting DeNormandie as a top player. Otherwise, doing a decent defensive job on him doesn't mean much. Get it? And did the kid do a good job or not, aside from the "game winner"?

[Unregistered]

Overly aggressive response. "Ask you pal..."? Whoa?!

The poster actually was complimenting DeNormandie as a top player. Otherwise, doing a decent defensive job on him doesn't mean much. Get it? And did the kid do a good job or not, aside from the "game winner"?

If the poster was offering a compliment it was backhanded at best. The OP boasted that he/she "Watched him shut down DeNormandie for two games this year." The reality is CC rode into town for the last game of the season with an undefeated record on the line and left with a fat lip and a big "L" on their forehead. Nothing clutch about that performance. So no, he did not do a good job. The big mark scored the game winner, no "shut down" going on there. And no coach, Emory included, is going to say "good job aside from the game winner." Get it?

[Unregistered]

If the poster was offering a compliment it was backhanded at best. The OP boasted that he/she "Watched him shut down DeNormandie for two games this year." The reality is CC rode into town for the last game of the season with an undefeated record on the line and left with a fat lip and a big "L" on their forehead. Nothing clutch about that performance. So no, he did not do a good job. The big mark scored the game winner, no "shut down" going on there. And no coach, Emory included, is going to say "good job aside from the game winner." Get it?

I was trying to be nice, so you would see your folly but that obviously did not work.

CC went on to win the state title. L-S? Not so much. Get that?

[Unregistered]

I was trying to be nice, so you would see your folly but that obviously did not work.

CC went on to win the state title. L-S? Not so much. Get that?

I was a different poster, so no folly involved. Congratulations to CC winning D2 Title. And while they should win it each year, it is still a noteworthy accomplishment. It speaks well of the DCL. Perhaps it's time to play with the big boys in D1. Get that? Or do you not want to?

[Unregistered]

I was a different poster, so no folly involved. Congratulations to CC winning D2 Title. And while they should win it each year, it is still a noteworthy accomplishment. It speaks well of the DCL. Perhaps it's time to play with the big boys in D1. Get that? Or do you not want to?

Sure....whatever. I'm not a CC person. Most do seem to think they would have won D1 as well. Did they win or tie first game against L-S? Did the "big mark" go off for any hat tricks in either game? The OP was only trying to explain how a kid might actually play soccer at Emory even though he doesn't play for a club. Seemed reasonable to me, and the compliment, albeit perhaps backhanded was implied...."If a kid can play well against a very top player (and a kid as noteworthy as CD) like that then he can probably play D3 soccer."

[Unregistered]

Sure....whatever. I'm not a CC person. Most do seem to think they would have won D1 as well. Did they win or tie first game against L-S? Did the "big mark" go off for any hat tricks in either game? The OP was only trying to explain how a kid might actually play soccer at Emory even though he doesn't play for a club. Seemed reasonable to me, and the compliment, albeit perhaps backhanded was implied...."If a kid can play well against a very top player (and a kid as noteworthy as CD) like that then he can probably play D3 soccer."

Basically every player at CC can go and play D3 college soccer if it is the right fit. They are a technically skilled group of individuals, play a neat possession style game and have a very high work rate. They would be more challenged in D1 post-season play than they are now. CC won 2-1 beginning of September. The OP needed something less boastful & closer to your words...."If a kid can play well against a very top player (and a kid as noteworthy as CD) like that then he can probably play D3 soccer."

[Unregistered]

Williams is ranked number one in US News and World report Liberal Arts Colleges and Number one in Forbs 2010 Universities and Liberal Arts combined!!!! I was proud when my son went to Middlebury and people said "where is Middlebury" ...

Gotta love those L/A degrees.

[Unregistered]

Overly aggressive response. "Ask you pal..."? Whoa?!

The poster actually was complimenting DeNormandie as a top player. Otherwise, doing a decent defensive job on him doesn't mean much. Get it? And did the kid do a good job or not, aside from the "game winner"?

Sorry Mrs. Wholihan....

[Unregistered]

Congratualtions Kid!

Coach Russo is a tremendous soccer coach. Williams is an exceptional school.

Best Colleges: Top 100 - Lowest Acceptance Rates

Fall 2009 acceptance rate
Curtis Institute of Music Philadelphia, PA 5%
Cooper Union New York, NY 7%
Harvard University Cambridge, MA 7%
Yale University New Haven, CT 8%
Juilliard School New York, NY 8%
Stanford University Stanford, CA 8%
College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO 9%
Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY 9%
United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD 10%
Columbia University New York, NY 10%
Princeton University Princeton, NJ 10%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 11%
Brown University Providence, RI 11%
Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 13%
United States Military Academy West Point, NY 15%
California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 15%
Victory University Memphis, TN 15%
Amherst College Amherst, MA 16%
Pomona College Claremont, CA 16%
Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA 16%
United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO 17%
Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 17%
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 18%
Berea College Berea, KY 19%
Duke University Durham, NC 19%
Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 19%
Cornell University Ithaca, NY 19%
Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME 19%
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20%
Liberty University *****burg, VA 20%
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 20%
Pitzer College Claremont, CA 20%
Williams College Williamstown, MA 20%

Though i do not quibble that Williams is an outstanding school, presenting a list like this as evidence of that demonstrates how one may sometimes come to a correct conclusion based on flawed reasoning. Per this list, selctivity is equated with "best" but this list doesn't go from apples to oranges, it goes from rocks to oranges.

Curtis institute? I know something about it. Only criteria for admission is musical ability. If you play well enough, you can have HS grades that wouldn't allow you to play in NCAA Div I or II. Why 5% admission you ask? Each and every student is on full scholarship and the musical training is second to none. For a bacculaureate degree, there are a very small number of requirted non-music courses required and if you cannot hack those, they offer a "diploma" that requires solely a music curriculum. Why is a school like this ranked at all as to slectivity on a list with LAC's and Universities, regardless of the fact that it is certainly among the top 3 music conservatories in the country and possibly the best?

Liberty University. Looks like it as equivalentally selective as Williams College. Is it in the same universe as far as academic quality? Don't think so. In the biology department, creationism is taught alongside evolution, but the latter is only presented as a straw man so that creationism can be held up as the true engine of biological diversity. I have no problem with creationist theory, I just believe that it has no place in a biology curriculum. It should be taught in a religion or philosophy course at a college as well as in churches where the religion is based on creationist theory. Evolutionary theory isd based on a scientific process that leads to testable hypotheses. Creationist theory, despite creative arguments to the contrary by its proponents, is ultimately an article of faith and cannot be tested by the scientific process. Because of the manner in which Liberty University teaches biology, it will always be a joke to me as a place one would want to go to and study biology.

What one needs to realize is that the way US News and others come up with their global "best of" lists is by weighting scores in multiple categories (including selectivty) into a total score. Hopefully, once can now see how schools can play to the ranking agencies by manipulating some of the statitistics. Want to seem more selective? A college can be passive about making it obvious what is required for admission, thereby increasing applications for available seats and presto, you move up in the selectivity rankings, translating to a smaller but perceptible increase in overall score. Naturally, schools that give a full ride to every student and those who attract applications from HS students who were brought up to believe that evolutionary theory is anti-christianist will seem more selective than others for reasons outside of the pure, side-by-side educational quality from institution to institution.

That being said, please note that the selectivty % for schoosl like Williams and Swat are actually not as low as you might otherwise assume. Having visited some of those types of schools with my son, I think that is because some schools make it very clear where the bar is for admission with the result that there is some realistic self-selection among applicants. Others schools not so much. How many students do you think throw Harvard in as their "reach" school without bothering to take a single step to understand a single thing about the institution? That certainly enhances the selectivity numbers. I am sure many of you, like me, know some students who applied to most or all of the IVy's in a lottery approach to college admission.

Lists have a place, but if you understand how the factors can be tickled, please realize that the difference between #2 and #12 may not reflect anything real and the issue of individual fit is far more important, unless of course it is important to some of you to have children attending a school that is perceived as #1 rather than # 19. I think the lists have swollen in importance for two reasons:

1) There are some for whom it comes down to the same issue as the car one drives or the neighborhood one owns their home in, labels you wear, wine you drink etc. All status, all the time without real, in-depth understanding. I drink this wine because Robert Parker gave it 96 points rather than I enjoy the taste of this wine compared to others. I might try a new wine based on something I have heard or read, but at the end of the day I drink what I do because of my personal enjoyment within the constraints imposed by my wallet.

and

2) You can be intellectually lazy if you rely on lists. Its hard to evaluate fit. Sometimes even an overnight visit doesn't say it all. We used some non-tradtional methods to do that, which I may or may not plant elsewhere in the forum someday. Be assured that it took a lot more time and effort than reading the US News rankings and making a visit or two. It was very time intensive and had nothing to do with whjat appeared in USNews or on Naviance.

I could go on <sigh> but I suspect I have made my point already to some and never will with others.

[Unregistered]

I could go on <sigh> but I suspect I have made my point already to some and never will with others.

Nah, you didn't cuz your post was way too long to bother reading. But thanks for not going any further.