Academic Standards

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Jun 26, 2018
9
3
A friend’s son just committed to a high academic school for football (One that has high standards even for football players) and he has a low B average in school. Makes me wonder about how many softball players have been passed up for not being at least a 4.0 student with good standardized testing scores. All the girls on DD’s team are stressing over their SAT and ACT scores and yet male counterparts don’t seem to need to have the same level of concern.
 
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
Well, I think that "full rides" are much more common in football than in softball. There's only 12 scholarships to divide among the team (fewer in some schools due to budgetary issues). So, girls are under pressure to earn academic money via high standardized scores. But COVID is making that difficult with testing sites cancelling and with the ACT/College Board having screwed things up royally.
 
Jun 26, 2018
9
3
Aside from the full scholarship vs academic/athletic money, it just appears that revenue generating sports have lower admission standards which seems discriminatory.
 
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Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
Just an observation but I used to fly out of an airport where a local university is. You would often see the sports teams on their way to some conference games. The female athletes appeared to be studying at 80 percent while I don't think I ever saw one of the male athletes with a book. It's possible they were listening to a text book on line but I just think the female athletes know that this is it for them.
 
Jun 7, 2016
275
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EVERY school makes allowances for recruiting athletes, some have more lattitude than others. But do not deceive yourself, Coaches, even at the IVY level value softball skills first.
 
May 1, 2018
659
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Are overlooking just the difference between boys and girls. Handling stress differently, sleeping/studying patterns, ect?
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
A friend’s son just committed to a high academic school for football (One that has high standards even for football players) and he has a low B average in school. Makes me wonder about how many softball players have been passed up for not being at least a 4.0 student with good standardized testing scores. All the girls on DD’s team are stressing over their SAT and ACT scores and yet male counterparts don’t seem to need to have the same level of concern.

The answer to this depends on school, conference and a bunch of other factors. There is a wide variety of standards that range from NCAA requirements (different for every divison), conference requirements, school policies, AD policies and even down to the individual coaches. Some turn a blind eye for the money sports - some don't. Some NEED the non-revenue sports to get the revenue teams to graduation rates and other factors that may be measured. For some schools, I wouldn't think of it as male versus female - I would think of it more as football (and often basketball) versus all other college sport programs. I hear the same thing from the other mens sports.

For example - the IVY schools say that the incoming freshman class must average out to the same average score of the incoming class. But this allows the coach to recruit a lower ACT/SAT player and make it up with a higher score player. So lets say the ACT aeverage for the school is 32 - that means I can recruit a 28 ACT pitcher and balance her out with a 36 outfielder (or benchwarmer in some cases). So test scores are technically more important for an outfielder than they might be for the pitcher at some Ivies.

Some NEWMAC/NESCAC schools don't require SAT/ACT scores for admission. Some do. Some take into account coaches needs and desires - some don't (MIT for example). Some REQUIRE athletes to meet academic entrance requirements before they can be really committed.
 
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