Is it about bragging?

[Lenski]

If you read some of the posts in this thread and listen to the mindset expressed it becomes painfully obvious why many kids wash out of softball programs in the first year.

The main reason kids wash out in the first year is because they can't handle both the academic plus the athletic workload. Between workouts, school, mandatory study tables (which is double the time for freshmen), and practice my dd's typical day is 14 hours long. Some kids just can't handle that........

 

[djcarter1966]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer and the answer SHOULD be different for each individual.

I totally see where riseball is coming from, anybody working in any industry will tell you after 5 to 10 years of work experience nobody cares where you got your degree, there may be a few exceptions Ivy league lawyers or John Hopkins doctors. As well as his other point the average freshman will change their major a couple times so why sweat the perfect fit, the odds are you won't find it.

On the other hand elite universities do open up doors that other colleges don't but a lot is more about networking in your field rather than simply graduating.

The hardest part is trying to put all these pieces together when you are 16 yrs old its basically impossible so the answer is carefully consider all the factors, do your homework, make the best decision you can at the time and pray for the best.

 

[Rocketech1]

But getting that first job is very important and in some industries like accounting and finance for example may not actively recruit from many schools. Also, if you want to get into a good graduate school, undergraduate college can make the difference. The bottomline is HS students should strive to get into the best college they can and choose a field of study that they can use once they graduate as softball will be a distant memory...

 

[riseball]

The main reason kids wash out in the first year is because they can't handle both the academic plus the athletic workload. Between workouts, school, mandatory study tables (which is double the time for freshmen), and practice my dd's typical day is 14 hours long. Some kids just can't handle that........

Kind of like life in the real world.

 

[CoogansBluff]

The bottomline is HS students should strive to get into the best college they can ... once they graduate as softball will be a distant memory...

So it would be a mistake to play softball at UNC Greensboro if you can get into UNC Chapel Hill but not make the softball team there?

 

[Lenski]

Kind of like life in the real world.

Yes......but let's face it. Many kids are not ready to pour their heart and soul into that kind of commitment. That's why they wash out. Freshman year is a weeding out process.

 

[rdbass]

I thought athletes don't have to go to class.

 

[Momo'sDad]

I notice that the title of the thread has changed from 'Is it bagging?' to 'Is it bragging?' So I think I understand the OP's original question a little better. Do some players choose D-I purely out of ego? Because it sounds better than saying you played D-II? Yes, I do think it's a factor when players look for schools. Should it be? No. I don't believe in doing things because it looks good.

I recently spoke with a woman who'd earned a full scholarship to play basketball in college. Her parents had not gone to college. She had earned a degree. And she had not placed any undue financial burden on her family or herself to do so. But as she described what *I* considered a significant life achievement, she said "It was just a D2 school".

When I saw the original thread title, I assumed that "bagging" was a euphemism for "playing time".

So it would be a mistake to play softball at UNC Greensboro if you can get into UNC Chapel Hill but not make the softball team there?

It's funny you should mention those 2, as both are on DD's short list. Carolina is her reach school, but UNC-G has a fashion program that may be perfectly suited to set her up with an internship in NYC or Chicago. She loves both campuses, but it's hard for many places to compete with Blue Heaven. The quality of education at both schools would be fine, but anecdotally, the Carolina degree would probably open more doors nationally. Pedigree can and does often trump hard work.

 

[Lenski]

I thought athletes don't have to go to class.

That's only in Pennsylvania. I blame the pork roll.......

 

[Cannonball]

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