I agree with you completely. However, the GPA better be above average to have a lower score on the SAT/ACT. If they have both high GPA and SAT scores, you can pretty much get into a great school with some academic scholarship $$ especially if you are a top soccer player and maybe even get a little athletic scholarship as well. If they don’t have either, they can still play soccer but most likely not at a high academic or even top D1 school. Even some GOATs didn’t meet the requirements for UCLA, Stanford, Duke, or Virginia and had to go to another school.
So, if anyone (not you Outside!) thinks soccer alone can get their dd into their dream school without the grades, then they will be in for a rude awakening. Verbal promises might be made, but there are ways schools get out of verbal commits. Parents expecting colleges to make significant exceptions (no SATs, low GPAs, etc), especially now; for their special dd are delusional and in complete denial. There will only be more ranting, blaming, and screaming foul play by certain parents claiming their dd has been wronged, again.
If no SATs, then your dd better have an outstanding GPA. If not, you can kiss big time D1 and D3/schools goodbye.
Maybe D2, vocational school, or community college and there’s nothing wrong with that either.
Don’t say you weren’t warned and go bitchin’ to everyone when your kid doesn’t go to college to get an education and becomes a rec player while working two jobs, barefoot and pregnant. Nothing wrong with that though...if that’s your dds choice. Anyway, I think most of us want more for our dd’s than that, but it is their dd’s choice as to whether or not they want to work for it or not. And don’t forget most, not all, WNT players went to college.
Of course there are also the 0.0000001% who get a Nike deal and don’t go to college, but that is the rarest of players.
If you are planning on this road for your dd, you better step up your game and stop complaining or asking for special accommodations/treatment if your dd doesn’t want to work for it.
Just some of my thoughts on the 2021 dilemma.