Athletics as a “hook” depends on a number of factors. One factor, of course, is your own level of competence in your sport of choice. There are a lot of good athletes, so this can be a very competitive area. Another factor is the importance of your sport at the institutions to which you want to apply and the extent to which those schools are looking for someone involved in your sport. (This can vary from year to year within any given institution.)
If you are a top athlete, athletics can be a valuable hook for college admissions. If you want to be a recruited athlete, you need to familiarize yourself with the process as early as 10th grade as coaches can begin to contact athletes after June 15th of 10th grade. That being said, it is important to keep your grades up as academics still play a big role in the process.
athletics department receives the most funding from the college in student activities or services. the fix costs related to supporting the department is huge in many colleges. with all the seats must fill, students should approach colleges as early as possible if qualified for athletic terms. no matter of what division you may participant, you can help yourself during the admissions process especially you have the coaches in addition to your counselor to speak very highly of you to the admissions director.
It depends. Obviously if you are good enough for Division I athletics and they are courting you, a scholarship is probably headed your way. However, in some circumstances, athletics can matter. I had a student who was a good football player, too small for Division 1, but great for Division 2 or 3. Two very selective liberal arts colleges approached him (they saw him play at an event) and he got into both of them. Without football, he would not have been accepted. If you want to play athletics, make sure you meet the coach regardless of the division. It can help.
The value of athletics as a hook varies based on the school and the level of athletic prowess. If you are blue chip recruit, the coach really wants you, and you are NCAA eligible, that may be the end of the story, even though one can never forget that the final decisions are made by the admissions office. However, if you are simply someone who has been playing at the high school level, but will not continue, your athletic record is less a hook than a piece of your puzzle. Athletics are only a true hook, if you are good enough to be able to make a contribution to the college’s program for as in all other areas the admissions offices are looking to create a community and want to know what you will contribute.
Only important if you are going to be recruited or have achievements on the national, or even better, the international level.
It would be almost impossible to overstate the benefit of being a recruited athlete.
The importance of athletics as a hook depends on your interests and each school’s needs. Do you want to pursue intercollegiate athletics on a Division I or II level? Continue competitive sports at a Division III school or participate in your sport but on a less demanding club level? Athletics is a more powerful hook if you intend to play on the school’s team (D I, II, or III), but you will need to match your talents with each school’s needs. You may be the best short stop in your state, but if your top-choice university already has more short stops than it needs, your hook won’t matter. Athletics can be the reason you are admitted, but you still need grades, classes, and scores and at least one school interested in your for your athletic ability.
The short answer is that unless you are being recruited onto an athletic team, participating in sports is just as important as any other activity that may have surfaced as your primary extracurricular involvement. Admissions officers know that being on a sports team requires discipline, commitment, teamwork and if you one of the good ones, talent. Unfortunately because playing sports is so ubiquitous it’s sometimes hard to describe that experience in a creative way, and is a tough ‘hook.’ However, if you treat your involvement with athletics as an opportunity to highlight leadership, or take your sport into the community, it may very well be a hook. For instance, if you’re a committed soccer player, but not the team all-star, what about volunteering to set up a camp for younger players or helping plan a tournament? Now it’s not about you as an athlete, but you as a leader.
I think Athletics can be one of the GREAT college hooks. Afterall it’s NOT a coincidence that somehow, a college gets the correct number of young men and women on each of its many athletic teams each and every year.
It can be very important. You can be recruited to a school to play for them if you are good enough, which is one way to get into college, but otherwise, playing on a sport shows that you have a certain mental and physical discipline. Playing a team sport already shows great teamworking skills, which colleges like to see. Sports are by no means necessary, however. If you are able to demonstrate your excellent qualities through any of your activities that’s great. Colleges want to see that you get more out of your activities than simple enjoyment. If being in orchestra makes you a team player, let them know! If painting helps you express your emotions, tell them! The most important thing is that colleges see that you have good non-academic qualities. Athletics most easily demonstrates things like leadership, discipline and teamwork, but so do other things too.
Athletics with a good academic background is a huge plus for admissions.
Again – it all depends on variables too numerous to mention here. If the athlete is a superstar as well as brilliant, they’re usually a shoe in. But typically very important! It makes the difference all the time.
If you are an athlete and the coach has told you that you are one of his or her top recruits, that will have a very strong and favorable impact on your chances for admission. In fact, any recruited athlete has an advantage over applicants without such a hook. However, if you are a high school varsity athlete who is not recruited, athletics will not be a hook for you (although it may well be looked upon as a strong extracurricular activity).
Whether you are looking to fence at Cornell, play basketball at Gonzaga, or row for San Diego State, it is important to fully understand the college admissions process for student athletes. How is it different from the traditional process? How can you best prepare early in order to open up as many options as possible when it comes time for applying to colleges and exploring your athletic options? The list below is by no means exhaustive, as there are many intricacies associated with each sport and each individual school, but it can be used as a place to start.
The short answer is that unless you are being recruited onto an athletic team, participating in sports is just as important as any other activity that may have surfaced as your primary extracurricular involvement. Admissions officers know that being on a sports team requires discipline, commitment, teamwork and if you’re one of the good ones, talent. Unfortunately because playing sports is so ubiquitous it’s sometimes hard to describe that experience in a creative way, and is a tough ‘hook.’ However, if you treat your involvement with athletics as an opportunity to highlight leadership, or take your sport into the community, it may very well be a hook. For instance, if you’re a committed soccer player, but not the team all-star, what about volunteering to set up a camp for younger players or helping plan a tournament? Now it’s not about you as an athlete, but you as a leader.
It is common knowledge that athletic talent can offer significant advantages (and scholarship money) to an applicant at a Division I school. However, it is important to realize that student athletes can also reap benefits from their athletic prowess at Division II and Division III institutions. For example, a Division-I-caliber swimmer with good (but not great) academic credentials and aspirations to attend a top liberal arts college may be able to use her talents to earn admission at a place like Amherst, Williams or Pomona. Talented athletes may also earn significant scholarship money (which is occasionally disguised as a need-based or academic scholarship at some D-III colleges). Ultimately, you don’t have to be the next Michael Jordan to gain advantage, especially if you wish to use your athletic talents as a means to greater and more academically-oriented ends.
Well, I dislke the word “hook” because it sounds as though you’re “gaming” the system. You have to enter the college planning process understanding that the goal is a good match, not just getting accepted into the college you think you want to attend. Even thinking about “using athletics to get in” implies you aren’t that dedicated to your sport. If you aren’t dedicated, but you give the impression you are, you’re basically lying to the admission office. And besides, why would you want to be stuck with the pressures of college athletics if you aren’t fully dedicated? You’re better off being honest with yourself and with your college, and let the process proceed naturally.
Athletics can be the ultimate hook, virtually guaranteeing admission if the athlete satisfies the NCAA’s initial eligibility requirements and the coach definitively wants the athlete. Yes, the ultimate decision is made by the admissions office, but most experienced coaches at Division I schools know how to get preliminary readings from their admissions offices prior to investing the time and energy needed to land a particular recruit. Quite simply, it is all a part of the process of creating a community and matching the needs of the university. At schools where the athletic stakes are not as high, athletes are far more typical of the student body at large, but ultimately as long as a school fields a team they will make sure they have students who will not only fill out the roster but make them competitive.
Keep in mind that the notion of “hook” is borrowed from journalism where writers strive to hook the reader in with an attention getter. In that sense, athletics is a great attention getter. However, the first step in any college admission process is to determine that a student is capable of success. Highly selective colleges deny many students that demonstrate the potential for success, athletes included.
Athletics is a vital part of a collegiate program. Many 18 and 19 year olds, are attracted to universities for nonacademic reasons; sports being one. Young adults need to feel a sense of connection. Many times, sports is a way to develop this relationship; which in turn, provides students with a sense of belonging.
I think part of the answer to this rests with how interested the coach is in you. Has the coach shown a sustained interest in having you on the team (i.e. frequent communication, invites to campus and games etc)?. Also, how close the relationship is between the coaches and the admissions staff will certainly play a role in how important or ‘potent’ of a hook the athletic component will be. At some colleges/universities the relationship is a respected one and one that can possess influence and persuasion. At others schools the relationship can be toxic and not yield any influence. All of that said, I would caution ANY student-athlete when hearing a coach tell them that ‘they will put in a good word for them’ with the admissions staff. This can be a marketing ploy by the coach to demonstrate ‘pull’ within the ranks of admissions. The student and their families will often not know the extent of the relationship between these offices which often times is much less influential than a coach may lead on, or may even be non-existent all together.
It all depends on how good you are and how much a coach wants you to play for them. You need to first get on a coach’s radar by completing the “prospective student athlete questionare’s” that are on each college’s athletic website for the specific sport. If a coach really wants you to play for them and especially if you will be offered a scholarship, your application will most likely be “flagged” as an athlete and the admissions requirements do come down a bit. How much depends on the college but I have seen them come down a lot for Division I colleges and a good bit for Division II and Division III.
How important can athletics be as a hook for college admissions?
Athletics can be a tremendous hook if a student has exceptional ability in a sport or a particular position in a sport where a particular college happens to have a need.
Athletics should be in no way a hook for college admissions. The main focus for the college should be how it compares academically against other similiar institutions. Even though potential student athletes can help a schools awareness on their ability to play at a higher level athletically it should still be every student athletes #1 goal to obtain a college degree. A quality athletic program with excellent facilities will still help significantly with the overall decision making but it must always fall second to what the school offers academically.
The sad and often unpopular fact is that very few students actually receive athletic scholarships. If you are looking for athletics to provide scholarships, your efforts are better served on academics. However, participating in sports (one sport consistently) can communicate that you are committed and able to be a part of something that is larger than you are.
Athletics can be a very important hook.
Understanding the role that athletics plays at each university campus is complicated as the student may never know the “behind the scenes” strategies at play. When working with my clients, I always ask the student if they are interested in playing their sport while away at college as it may add another element to their application. It could be that they are the “missing link” from the freshman application pool the coach was looking for and their application is reviewed again in light of this need. Students need to remember as well that coaches too work for the university and often go to their admissions colleagues for help in filling their team.
Athletics play a significant role at most colleges and universities. If you are looking at NCAA Division I and II for example, there can be significant scholarships available. In this case the coach will have serious leverage in the admission process.
In some instances, your excellence in sports might help you get into a college to which you might not otherwise have access. A word of caution, however: if you decide not to continue with your sport (change of interest, injury, or other reason) will you still be at the right college?
Academically strong students who also are competitive athletes are very desirable to colleges. A strong level of athleticism in football for example can be a hook to get students through the admission process at selective universities, especially if the coach really needs a tight end or kicker for their football team.
For the athlete, this is important. Contacting schools ahead of the Admissions process is important as coaches play a part in the process as does the NACC clearinghouse
Extremely important. Often times, athletics can be the tipping point in a student’s admission decision. In fact, in some conferences the extra weight in admission is actually called, ‘tips’. These ‘tips’ are allocated to coaches to use each year on their top recruits. Depending upon the need of a sport and a school’s commitment to a sport, top athletes can stand to gain a big advantage in gaining admission.
Athletics can certainly strengthen your college application in the admissions process however, keep in mind that the term “student-athlete” is highly regarded on the collegiate level. Understanding the academic requirements to play D1 or D2 is essential for students to understand as soon as they enter high school. You may be the top running back in the country however, if you fail to meet the academic standards for a D1 school, you may not have the opportunity to play for their program. Be well versed in all rules and regulations set forth by the NCAA.
The majority of college-bound athletes are truly passionate about their sport – they’ve put the time in during their high school careers and they are definite about wanting to move that experience to the college level. Luckily for them, that’s EXACTLY the type of enthusiasm, dedication, leadership, and outside of the classroom information that admission officers are hoping to learn from their applications!
I refuse to subscribe to the term “hook” because it often implies a lack of one’s sincerity in the process. If a student is an accomplished athlete and wishes to continue his or her athletic career during college, then he or she should make this know to a potential college. If performance and skill are sufficient, a student should consider athletics to be an appropriate and useful addition to one’s resume. College athletics are much too demanding for students/parents to consider it simply as a “hook” to gain admissions to a particular college. College coaches need committed performers and will usually spend scholarship monies only on potential athletes who have a proven commitment to their sport (i.e participation in off-season club tournaments, travel, and/or training). Many colleges need great athletes and will do their best to attract students to participate. While the high profile sports of football and basketball (hockey in the north/New England states) garner most of the attention, I see many high school students enjoy successful college sports careers with some of the lesser known, revenue sports, like crew or squash, which may have been previously unavailable during high school. Great athletes often make great students, so athletic pursuits should be continued in college if one has the desire and time.
There is no one answer to this question, as different colleges handle admissions differently. There are often spaces set aside for athletes who will commit to playing at the intercollegiate level. Students must meet academic criteria as established by the NCAA: http://www.ncaastudent.org/NCAA_Guide.pdf. Some student athletes find themselves courted for several months by colleges but later dropped because of the degree of competition of academic thresholds set by the university. The lesson here is not to be wed to any one school in advance of the admissions decision but rather to keep your options open. Even for students who are not recruited, participation in athletics is often viewed favorably by the admissions office. After all, it shows a high level of talent, leadership, commitment and time management.
Athletics at perspective colleges depending on the level of play and how successful major sports like football and basketball are at the school can be a major hook for college admissions and the number of applications submitted in any given year. Consider a school like Davidson that went far into the Final Four in men’s college basketball years ago or recently, Butler who almost won the NCAA Dividion I Men’s Basketball Championship last year and the number of applications that exceeded previous years becuase the genreal public heard and learned more about these smaller schools because of their media exposure. Looking at college admissions from a different perspective, sports are a way to draw students to their school and a way for college representatives to begin conversations with students when they attend college fairs. From another perspective, a student-athlete that can compete in sports at a Division I and/or II level, get preferential treatment in the college admissions process depending on how much the college coach wants a prospect. In Division III schools, where academics are placed above sports, student-athletes need to meet the same criteria as the “regular” applicant. However, college coaches at this level may get word of admission decisions before others so they can continue to recruit if they receive a denial since they do not have “athletic scholarship” money to offer prospects.
Athletics can be important as a hook for college admissions. If you are an elite athlete, it could possibly mean scholarship money at Div I and Div II schools. The challenge is being honest with yourself about your level of talent. A lot of students that believe they have scholarship talent are mistaken.
Athletics and admission don’t go well together from my experience. Coaches don’t understand the admission process and want athletes based on their athletic skills rather than their academic performance. At the same time most admission professionals don’t understand sports. Whether or not athletics can help get you in will depend on the relationship between the admission office and the coach. If it is good and they are working together, then it can be helpful. If not, it won’t matter.
I guess it depends on how good you are. Which colleges you are looking at and which coaches are looking at you. Admissions and athletic offices are in communication as to which students are being recruited. So being recruited is the hook in admissions, bot just playing a sport.
Athletics can be a powerful hook in college admissions, though how powerful depends on the sport, the school, and the applicant’s talent level. Obviously, a football player who wants to play in the SEC will have no trouble gaining admission to an SEC school as long as he or she is recruited, but, in this case, the athlete will be aware of his skill level long before the admissions process begins. In highly selective admissions, the athletics hook depends on how highly the college coach wishes to yield the recruit and what sort of policies the admissions office has towards recruited athletes. In the Ivy League, one’s academic profile matters significantly, for all recruited athletes are placed on an index. Those athletes who are below school averages “cost” a coach more than those whose academic qualifications fit with the school’s profile. Specific schools also have widely varying policies depending on the prestige of the sport at the school. For instance, a world-class squash player will do quite well in Trinity’s admissions pool, whereas a state champion cross country runner will not get the same degree of influence.
Colleges are money making engines who truly love to recruit great athletes and have been known to bait the best of the best with all types of tantalizing goods and promises, but remember that is the athletic department.
If the student is a top athlete in a sport which is important to a particular college and thus is the coach’s top recruit it can be a very important hook. However, not only does it have to be the right sport but also the right position, ex. goalie for the soccer team or line backer for the football team. The relationship with the coach is key.
it is very important for seniors to seek contact and visit as early as possible to secure seats for being part of the team. when you have someone from the athletic department to recommend you to the admisisons office, you application will be serioulsy considered ahead of the rest applicants.
Student- athletes, if you are among the best, definitely have an advantage in college admissions. If you have a coach that is supporting your application and you are within the academic parameters of the college where you are considering playing, you have a good chance of getting admitted. But prior to getting to this last step of applying and getting admitted, there is a ton of work that you must do to get on the coaches radar and stay there, particularly in Division III. You have to be wiling to do the upfront work, and know there are still no guarantees as a prospective student – athlete that you will be admitted. What you are looking for is the right academic/athletic match!
There is no better hook for being admitted to highly selective schools than to be a recruited athlete. College trustees at both private and public colleges and universities value the brand name recognition that successful athletic teams generate. That in turn leads more students to apply, thereby lowering the number they can accept which makes them more selective, allowing them to attract better students and faculty, and generate greater contributions from proud alumni. Even Division III colleges value successful athletic performance as they want students who excel in whatever their interests are.
They are not all you need to focus on. Develop skills in other extra-curriculars and interests and talents in the arts and sciences. If you are more of a full package than a one-trick pony, you will likely seem a lot more attractive to the college of your choice.
The importance of athletics as a hook depends on your interests and each school’s needs. You need to determine whether sports will be part of your collegiate experience and on what level. Do you want to pursue intercollegiate athletics on a Division I or II level? Continue competitive sports at a Division III school? Or participate in your sport but on a less demanding club or intermural level? Athletics is a more powerful hook if you intend to play on the school’s team (D I, II, or III), but you will need to match your talents with each school’s needs. You may be the best short stop in your state, but if your top-choice university already has more short stops than it needs, your hook won’t matter. Athletics can be the reason you are admitted, but you still need grades, classes, and scores and at least one school interested in your for your athletic ability.
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