College program of study

[dgat7]

I’m just curious to hear from those who had daughters/ or sb players that got scholarship athletic and/or academic to see what program of study they were able or allow to be in.

I heard most if not all school won’t allow nursing...but what about athletic training?


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[marriard]

I’m just curious to hear from those who had daughters/ or sb players that got scholarship athletic and/or academic to see what program of study they were able or allow to be in.

I heard most if not all school won’t allow nursing...but what about athletic training?

There is a WIDE variance in schools and levels (and also coaches). D3 is always easier because they tend to focus on academics more (in most cases). High-level D1 softball schools are always hardest, but then there are always exceptions. But D2 and D1 - it is also possible. My friend's daughter is LITERALLY doing rocket science at an Ivy.

The 'no nursing' myth is a bunch of BS as well. If nursing is what they want to do, there are PLENTY of college programs that will work around that. Especially the top nursing schools in the country. Salve Regina is one of the best examples (6 nursing majors last year including upperclassman).

Same with any other program - again in general - the more a school is known of something, the more likely it is that the athletic department works well with them. If you are picking the school for education first, softball second, it is easy. Can it be a LOT of work - absolutely, but don't give up an academic dream easy.

Way too many girls out there who have to do an extra 2 years of school (which they have to pay for) because they ended up at a program that didn't get them the education to get into the career they wanted.

 

[_MIA_]

My friend's daughter is LITERALLY doing rocket science at an Ivy.

 

[BRsoftballDad]

Great question by the OP!!! I was wondering the same thing when it came to pre-med students. I have been told on more than one occasion that D1 schools will tell you that there is not enough time for pre-med classes and softball. My DD is only 12 but she has already talked about being a doctor or lawyer. She currently plays for a 12u A class team and I know that we still have plenty of time but it has been in the back of my mind.

 

[djcarter1966]

The biggest thing you have to find out is how majors that have interns, practicums or lab requirements work....it might entail work during the summer or a fifth year in some cases....your absolute best source of information is talking to current students; staff and teacher may BS you but the students can tell you what the class/softball balance is really like at that particular school...

 

[ChrisSB]

I have a freshman at a NAIA college that plays lacrosse and is in the nursing program. They said as she gets further along in the program and has clinicals it might get a little tricky but they will do their best with scheduling. She has upper classmen on her team that have been able to successfully combine sports while in the nursing program.

When we were touring colleges two years ago, she was going to pursue either athletic training or nursing, so we asked every college we toured whether she could play sports with those majors. Of the 5 we visited (4 NAIA, 1 D3) only 1 discouraged it.

 

[seeballhitball]

My oldest has two roommates (don't play softball) who are in the nursing program at Clemson and are in Greenville several times a week I believe for extended hours for nursing activities. It will be real interesting to see how those demands play out for incoming freshman and/or prospective athletes with the new varsity softball program kicking off this year. My guess is that the softball team won't have any nursing majors. It will be interesting to track. I don't believe there are any players on roster presently that are in the School of Nursing.

My youngest is currently a Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology major at an Ivy. Labs for athletes are on Mondays. She was limited from taking American Sign Language because it bumped up against practice schedule so she is taking Hieroglyphics. Her biggest challenge is trying to connect with professors during office hours because of athletic schedule.

 

[Vertigo]

When I was recruited a long time ago, the coach told me I had to change my major (D3). She said I might be able to play my first year but that would be it. Clinicals started in my second year and were twice per week all day and you also had to go to the hospitals the day before to get your assignment and look through the charts to prepare for the actual clinical day.

This D3 school at the time was a yearly contender in the NCAA tournament, so I get why softball was supposed to come first. I just couldn’t imagine throwing away my intended career for four years of softball at a school that wasn’t giving me any scholarships to attend. I wanted to be out of college in four years so I could start making decent money and be out on my own. Nursing was able to provide that, not softball.

I‘m sure there are many programs that find a way to make it work. I’ll be honest and say I’m not sure how, but I’m glad to hear that there are schools willing to work with the student.

 

[_MIA_]

The biggest issue with a lot of science and engineering majors (not sure about nursing) is the the labs. The labs are set up and monitored mainly by teaching assistants who are limited in the number hours per week they can work. Hence the labs are difficult to re-schedule to fit an athlete's schedule. In the two years I played I baseball I was able to make it work but it would have become more difficult if I played in my Junior and Senior years. I was one of only two engineers on the team. If programs were willing to give some money to the departments to hire extra TAs it would probably make things a bit easier as multiple labs could be run during a week. I would also guess that schools that have large departments (think Michigan or Stanford for engineering) which run multiple lab sessions during the week, would be more accommodating for athletes.

 

[Vertigo]

Yes - we had regular lab sessions scheduled as well for Chem, A&P, and Microbiology. Luckily physics was not lab-based for us.