Can college softball work for a top-tier student?

DD is a first year high school math teacher and softball coach. Daughter was a good student in high school and the DII college softball program had mandatory study session, the college coach made sure her student athletes maintained their grades and focus on their studies. Now having said that, DD did have many late nights coming home from a bus trip and having to finish assignments that only allowed her a few hours sleep.

Don’t be fooled by the status of the high academics. When you start getting into specific majors, such as engineering, the top schools are almost all D1 and mostly P5’s. Also don’t believe the myth that you can’t have a strenuous major and play softball at these schools. Hundreds of girls do it every year. It’s hard, but that’s what makes it worth it.

Of course it can be done. My concern would be to find the college (or colleges) that she wants to attend and work on the academic angles. Her being a good player might help her get into a school that she is on the fringe without requiring her to play if it becomes too much for her. I used to travel for work a lot more and would often see college teams at the airport and one thing I notices was that the Women athletes were always reading or studying while most of the male athletes were just listening to music. I think the culture of women's sports instill academics to a much higher degree.

I know people who spend TONS of money hoping for some partial scholarship without the apparent realization that the state where I live will completely waive tuition and many other expenses at state colleges and universities when families come in within certain income limits. This is for kids with solid, but not spectacular academic performance.

If your daughter has the goods academically, she'll get substantial financial aid, or at least tuition waivers, from most schools. If she's that good academically, and there's financial NEED, she can probably get most, if not all, of her college trip covered without ever picking up a softball. My older DD qualifies for a 25% tuition reduction at the larger state universities and FREE tuition at several regional state colleges based ONLY on the results of her first attempt at the ACT. I expect that we'll get a substantial portion of her college paid for only from tuition waivers and merit-based scholarships. She stopped playing ball at age 12.

My younger DD is the ball player, and is also looking towards majoring in engineering. She's is solid, but not a standout on the ballfield. I expect that she could play JUCO or Div III ball somewhere, but that's not the priority. My intention is to send her to a larger university where not only will she get the right education, but the "name-brand" recognition for her first resume.

Engineering is a butt-kicker and isn't usually tolerant of significant distraction. Yes, I know there are those who manage to do it, but I'd suggest that being able to balance that with playing college softball isn't something you should bank on, nor do you need to. Add up how much you might spend over the next few years chasing athletic dollars and then consider how much college that money might cover just by itself.

not all majors are created equal workload-wise

My DD is a h.s. freshman, and her club coach who has probably developed more D1 players in the area than anyone, had her put together her college list to include some D1 *dream* schools (both softball-wise and academic-wise) which included some Ivy League and some Patriot League schools. Looking at the rosters of most D1 schools, I see a lot of let's say *soft* majors (kiniesology, physical therapy, undeclared, education, English, etc.) and I have yet to see anyone with my daughter's planned major--computer science; however, I do see some *real* science (e.g. chem/bio) majors on some Ivy League and Patriot League rosters though.

Nonetheless, I was a computer science major and didn't play a sport, so my concern is how realistic is it to play D1 softball and be a computer science major?

marriard said:

So yes to all your questions.

I have friends who have daughters at Princeton and Columbia. Without softball it is very unlikely they get in. Also the way Ivies do athletic entrance with an average class entry score, a high academic player with say a 34 ACT, allows them to take a borderline pitcher with a much lower score (it is an interesting recruiting tactic for the Ivies to help them be competitive)

And within the high-academic conferences there is a wide range of how serious athleticsis are taken, so academically that can change things as well. And yes, many of these schools are truly academics first. And they all have a lot less time on the field than other programs especially in the fall.

For example - In the Ivies, Brown Softball is generally not good. But Princeton is normally pretty good (and Dartmouth recently). And Columbia is generally not so good, but they now have a good pitcher so will be stronger. Patriot league has a wide range of teams.

And it doens't have to be D1 - Tufts, Williams - excellent academics, excellent softball. But in the same conferences, there are some terrible teams. DIII doesn't have money for athletes (that is all on academics), but there is no dunt at many schools there is some open slots where the athletic teams can get a student into the school and pushed through admissions.

Doesn't have to NE academic schools either - places like Emory in Atlanta, Rollins in Florida and so on are all options.

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vicimus said:

My DD is a h.s. freshman, and her club coach who has probably developed more D1 players in the area than anyone, had her put together her college list to include some D1 *dream* schools (both softball-wise and academic-wise) which included some Ivy League and some Patriot League schools. Looking at the rosters of most D1 schools, I see a lot of let's say *soft* majors (kiniesology, physical therapy, undeclared, education, English, etc.) and I have yet to see anyone with my daughter's planned major--computer science; however, I do see some *real* science (e.g. chem/bio) majors on some Ivy League and Patriot League rosters though.

Nonetheless, I was a computer science major and didn't play a sport, so my concern is how realistic is it to play D1 softball and be a computer science major?

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I have a computer science degree and played D1 basketball. Wasn't that big a deal.

There were literally 2 rocket scientists who graduated from Princeton's softball team recently. We have three local girls at Columbia all doing some real serious degrees.

We have two girls doing Aeronautical Engineering at Embry-Riddle and playing solid D2 softball.

Don't get caught up in D1 being the only serious softball out there in college. It can be every bit as serious as the D2/3/NAIA even Juco. There are plenty of schools thrilled to have D1 talent at their D3 school.

This isn't football.



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vicimus said:

My DD is a h.s. freshman, and her club coach who has probably developed more D1 players in the area than anyone, had her put together her college list to include some D1 *dream* schools (both softball-wise and academic-wise) which included some Ivy League and some Patriot League schools. Looking at the rosters of most D1 schools, I see a lot of let's say *soft* majors (kiniesology, physical therapy, undeclared, education, English, etc.) and I have yet to see anyone with my daughter's planned major--computer science; however, I do see some *real* science (e.g. chem/bio) majors on some Ivy League and Patriot League rosters though.

Nonetheless, I was a computer science major and didn't play a sport, so my concern is how realistic is it to play D1 softball and be a computer science major?

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You have a pretty warped view of “soft” majors. Kinesiology and teachers often continue to get their masters. Physical therapists are required to obtain a masters. You’re also not looking very hard at D1 rosters. DD’s school is a lower end P5 and pretty typical. Team GPA last semester was something like 3.5. I wouldn’t call any of the majors “soft”, but some of the so-called “real” majors we have are engineering, pre-med, biology and business. Believe it or not most D1 ball players work their asses off both in and outside of the classroom.

MNDad said:

You have a pretty warped view of “soft” majors. Kinesiology and teachers often continue to get their masters. Physical therapists are required to obtain a masters. You’re also not looking very hard at D1 rosters. DD’s school is a lower end P5 and pretty typical. Team GPA last semester was something like 3.5. I wouldn’t call any of the majors “soft”, but some of the so-called “real” majors we have are engineering, pre-med, biology and business. Believe it or not most D1 ball players work their asses off both in and outside of the classroom.

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I about spit out my coffee on that too...PT now essentially requires a doctorate (usually biomedical undergrads). Kinesiology probably falls in that same category too.

Believe it or not most D1 ball players work their asses off both in and outside of the classroom.

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I agree and will add so does DIII softball/athlete's. College is hard on non-athletes also. Harder when you throw sports in the mix.

rdbass said:

I agree and will add so does DIII softball/athlete's. College is hard on non-athletes also. Harder when you throw sports in the mix.

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Yup, I agree completely. D1 doesn’t always equal good and DIII doesn’t always equal bad. I just hate the stereotype that kids going D1 are putting sports ahead of athletics or taking fluff majors.