Can someone discuss the benefits of D3 soccer.

[Guest]

You're unnecessarily limiting your opportunities. Did they teach you to do that at your alma mater?

Yes, it's called the Old Boys Network. It's very effective.

[Guest]

"The Land of Opportunity" (as long as you know someone).

Wealth perpetuates wealth.

[Guest]

I think that there is a huge range of D3 schools from an academic standpoint, so it isn't valid to say "choose D3 for better academics over D1". If you're talking about MIT, Tufts, Williams, Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, NYU etc, then yes. But if you are talking about Bridgewater State, New England College, etc, then no. For an individual student, the choice needs to be made by comparing comparable academic environments.

This. And there are some D1s (Ivies, Georgetown, Stanford,etc) where you’ll still end up with a good career even if you major in Twiddly Winks with a C average.
I’ve see far too many players go to low to mid academic level D1 for the sake of “D1”, only to have barely graduate in 5 years with a Twiddly Winks degree, no internships, no work experience and piss poor grades. All these posters claiming they don’t hire based on which college probably look at degree and experience. I’ve seen several P5 players end up working at a store in the mall after graduating.

Every kid is different but consider the academics regardless of division. After that, consider if your player will be able to handle the rigors of D1, while keeping up with studies for a decent degree. If not, and they care about academics & other extracurriculars, I’d go to a suitable D3. Consider if they are willing to give up internships, study abroad, and a social life outside of soccer. If not, pick an academically suitable D3. Mine picked a STEM degree at a high academic mid major D1. All her teammates have switched to some variation of Twiddly Winks, with their roster bio still stating their incoming intentions: “Majoring in Biology and plans to become a PT”, etc. That dream is long gone. It’s a grind.

The other point to consider is that other than their ECNL families, no one outside of soccer knows or cares what division soccer each college is.

[Guest]

Huh, go figure....only D1 kids can get Tiddly Winks degrees. I think the only ones that don't offer it are Ivies.

[Guest]

I've seen several P5 players end up working at a store in the mall after graduating.

No you haven't.

My kid's D1 team has several STEM majors that manage both school and soccer very well.

All these parents of D3 smarty pants kids sure do worry about their child's ability to handle academics and a sport.

[Guest]

No you haven't.

My kid's D1 team has several STEM majors that manage both school and soccer very well.

All these parents of D3 smarty pants kids sure do worry about their child's ability to handle academics and a sport.

I always find it humorous the discussion always drifts to:

D1 has poor students and players playing on bad teams
D3 has excellent students and players who could play for just about any D1 team, but just didn't want to.

Except for Ivies, of course.

[Guest]

No you haven't.

My kid's D1 team has several STEM majors that manage both school and soccer very well.

All these parents of D3 smarty pants kids sure do worry about their child's ability to handle academics and a sport.

It's not about being able to "handle" it. It's about making the most of the opportunities. There is no question that D1 soccer requires a significantly greater time-commitment to soccer. Plenty of players can "handle" it, but with only 24hrs in a day, there will be trade-offs if soccer takes up more of your time as a D1 athlete than as a D3 athlete. If your kid just wants to "handle" it, then great, D1 might be a better fit. But if your kid really wants to make the most of the opportunities available to them, then a D1 time commitment will make that much harder than a D3 time commitment.

[Guest]

I always find it humorous the discussion always drifts to:

D1 has poor students and players playing on bad teams
D3 has excellent students and players who could play for just about any D1 team, but just didn't want to.

Except for Ivies, of course.

I have not heard anyone make either of these arguments, and certainly this thread hasn't gone there at all.

[Guest]

"In 2012, researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis published the results of a retrospective study looking at which candidates admitted to their otolaryngology residency program turned into the most successful clinicians as ranked by faculty. At first, they were looking to see whether such objective measures as USMLE test scores, grades, and letters of recommendation correlated with higher faculty ratings. (Faculty ratings take into account practice-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills, good judgement, empathy, patient care, and medical knowledge.) What they found, instead, was that those who got the highest faculty ratings were those with an “established excellence in a team sport.”

https://www.aamc.org/news/do-student...e-good-doctors

[Guest]

I have not heard anyone make either of these arguments, and certainly this thread hasn't gone there at all.

It's implied

D3 is great experience after its said and done who really cares in soccer! Education small environment D3 is better.. D1- Pressure cooker some thrive others are not mature enough to handle not playing that's the real issue. Mature young players who learn to be patience are the ones that make it at D1! If your child is not ready to handle sitting then parents you have to wake them up ! Or find a club in travel to explain and sit your child and show them a lesson then maybe you will see the mature aspects needed at D1! Very few players start or make the field as a freshmen in D1!

Agree. Also look at the college roster senior day announcements for the colleges they are interested in. What majors/degrees are they getting? How many seniors left compared to recruiting class number? D1 is a full time job - even at low level D1s. Most players switch to the easiest major they can find (Psych/Communicatiion/SportsSomethingforAthletes to be able to get a degree. Don’t go to a school where the athletes are 90% fluff majors. Don’t go to a college where recruiting classes average over 10 and senior night soccer photos only show 5 or less graduating and still playing. Soccer ends (even if its after playing pro for 20k/year in Croatia for a year. If that isn’t your daughter’s dream, id choose D3 hands down.

And, yes, the conversation always turns to the negative for D1 (unnecessary, going to quit or transfer anyway, can't do the work for a proper degree, probably going to sit the bench anyway) and positive toward D3 (better academics, get to enjoy your life, nobody cares where you played, it's only for ECNL parents). The concept that a well-rounded kid could thrive in a high academic, highly athletic endeavor and actually enjoy themselves is a foreign concept. That being a D3 player doesn't always mean "I coulda' gone D1", it means just that: a lower level player who couldn't have played at the highest levels {raises hand, I was a D3 player}. That there are D3 players playing at poor schools.

The idea that there are kids out there who can excel at many things, happily, that others' kids cannot is completely foreign.

[Guest]

It's implied





And, yes, the conversation always turns to the negative for D1 (unnecessary, going to quit or transfer anyway, can't do the work for a proper degree, probably going to sit the bench anyway) and positive toward D3 (better academics, get to enjoy your life, nobody cares where you played, it's only for ECNL parents). The concept that a well-rounded kid could thrive in a high academic, highly athletic endeavor and actually enjoy themselves is a foreign concept. That being a D3 player doesn't always mean "I coulda' gone D1", it means just that: a lower level player who couldn't have played at the highest levels {raises hand, I was a D3 player}. That there are D3 players playing at poor schools.

The idea that there are kids out there who can excel at many things, happily, that others' kids cannot is completely foreign.

So many broad generalizations in this post. Seems pointless.

[Guest]

"In 2012, researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis published the results of a retrospective study looking at which candidates admitted to their otolaryngology residency program turned into the most successful clinicians as ranked by faculty. At first, they were looking to see whether such objective measures as USMLE test scores, grades, and letters of recommendation correlated with higher faculty ratings. (Faculty ratings take into account practice-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills, good judgement, empathy, patient care, and medical knowledge.) What they found, instead, was that those who got the highest faculty ratings were those with an “established excellence in a team sport.”

https://www.aamc.org/news/do-student...e-good-doctors

“So much of medicine is really about personality, or the ability to deal with people effectively and the ability to lead people. Those are characteristics we see in student-athletes who have been successful in team or individual sports.”

So basically, med schools looking for personality, not intelligence.

[Guest]

So many broad generalizations in this post. Seems pointless.

No kidding. The idea that athletes transferring is unusual or that D1 students can't handle a heavy work load is a pretty broad generalization.

[Guest]

“So much of medicine is really about personality, or the ability to deal with people effectively and the ability to lead people. Those are characteristics we see in student-athletes who have been successful in team or individual sports.”

So basically, med schools looking for personality, not intelligence.

Same in many industries. The book-only student doesn't usually fare well in the real world. Doesn't mean they aren't intelligent, but you need to know how to handle stress and interact in a team environment. No better way then through sports.

[Guest]

Same in many industries. The book-only student doesn't usually fare well in the real world. Doesn't mean they aren't intelligent, but you need to know how to handle stress and interact in a team environment. No better way then through sports.

The "book-only student" is another broad generalization that is thrown around in these threads. Do you need to play for Florida or UNC in order to learn the lessons of being an athlete? Or can you get those lessons at Amherst or Williams as well?