Division I vs. Division III: Sports as a Job, or Scholar-Athlete?
Today I spent another fun-filled day at the Colorado Crossroads volleyball tournament in Denver, where nearly 10,000 volleyball players are participating in this national qualifier event.
Parents were steadily coming up to my booth at the tournament (where I was, of course, dispensing some great college advice) to talk about their concerns. The topic of conversation that tended to dominate these discussions was parents’ concern that becoming a Division I athlete was too time consuming and ultimately detrimental to their students’ future success in college.
The first thing I said was that participation in sports was often an indicator of success in college, as varsity athletes tend to have higher GPAs and are more satisfied with their college experience.
However, these parents’ basic concern is valid. Being a Division I athlete is a huge commitment. One must eat, sleep, and breathe one’s sport, and a D1 athelet can plan on training throughout the year to stay in tip-top condition. Further, Division I athletes must commit to playing all four years if they want to keep their athletic scholarship.
But I spent a lot of time explaining that while Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, they do recruit athletes in a different way. Every school with a volleyball team (for example) wants to fill its roster with good players who can take a league championship. Thus many colleges offer other forms of scholarship money to entice an able player to join its team–and its student body.
For you see, colleges have needs that they are trying to fulfill. Not only do they need to round out their volleyball roster, but they need a tuba player, an editor of the school newspaper, and a tenor for the glee club. Think of admissions officers as social engineers: they need to populate the campus with a variety of folks to fill certain prescribed roles. The whole process is not quite so neat and clean as that (it’s not very scientific), but the art of the admissions officer is to build a well-rounded class. And in order to do this, they have to meet the needs of the coaches (among others).
So my advice to parents was to relax a bit. Their kids can still find colleges at which they can have a satisfying varsity athletic experience–and still focus on their school work and also allow them to explore other activities (study abroad, a new social cause, artistic pursuits, etc.).
While some kids are seeking the rush and excitement of serious competition a the Division I level, the majority of players that I met today at the Colorado Crossroads volleyball tournament will never be able to achieve that level of competition. But as I explained to these parents, their daughters will have myriad opportunities available to them, if they learn to play the college admissions and athletic recruiting games like a pro.
Speaking of a pro, I have been very fortunate to have Nancy Nitardy, author of Get Paid To Play, working with me at Colorado Crossroads. She is a former Division I swimming coach at Dartmouth, Harvard, and Indiana University. She works with me in advising athletes on their best athletic options, while I help the same students identify their best academic options. Together, Nancy Nitardy and I are able to provide great college advice for college-bound athletes, whatever their level of play.
Mark Montgomery
Montgomery Educational Consulting
Great College Advice
8 Responses to “Division I vs. Division III: Sports as a Job, or Scholar-Athlete?”
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[...] sports scholarships, the differences between NCAA Division 1 and NCAA Division 3 (see my post here), and how students can find ways to play in college–even without a full-ride [...]
my son is swimming in a Div 1 college. He is a freshman and is having a hard time getting his school work done. What do other athletes do?
Dear Gail,
I wish I had a really helpful response for you. I would need to know a bit more about how your son is spending his time–outside of class and outside of the pool.
What many aspiring D1 athletes do not recognize–before they sign the letter of intent–is that their sport becomes their primary activity, followed by their studies…and way down the list, everything else. Parties, social life, other activities–all those things are difficult to juggle with the demands of what amounts to semi-professional sports.
My only advice is to say that it’s all about priorities. He has to reorder them to fit the choices he has made: swimming #1, academics #2. All the rest is on an “as possible” basis. This ordering of priorities takes a lot of self-discipline.
Make sure that your son is taking advantage of all the academic support services offered to athletes–which at some schools can be very elaborate. Often athletes can get special tutors and other assistance, paid for in part by the athletic department.
I hope this is helpful. It’s hard to make gross generalizations in this area, as every student is different.
Thanks again for visiting, and let me know if I can be of further assistance!
I am an A* ranked squash player from pakistan.
I want to get admission in a good business school in the usa or australia for my bachelors degree in business administration.
I need to know a few things.
Can you name few uni.s for me?
Can i get adm. on a sports seat or concession in fee?
Thanks!
Hello, Sohaib,
Thanks for your question.
My first recommendation is to check out the college squash area on SquashTalk.com: http://www.squashtalk.com/collegesquash/ . This is a great place to start to see what schools are offering squash, and the site includes rankings. Only women’s squash is an NCAA sport, so you’ll not find many–if any–scholarships for playing men’s squash. However, excellence in a sport can help get you over the admissions hurdle, depending on the school and on the timing and on the roster when you actually apply.
Hope this helps. I do consult to athletes seeking admissions based on their sports abilities–and I also consult with international students. So if you need more personalized, help, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Good luck!
Thank you for your help.
I’ll definitely get in touch.
If i want detailed help, do we have to talk on this website or can i have your phone number?
Or email?
Hello again, Sohaib.
I just sent you a direct email. Happy to make an appointment to chat!
All the best.
Also, you’ll find my email address at the bottom margin of this page.