For UC Riverside actually (public school so it's more of a formula and student body/debate/soccer don't really matter as much on the application other than check the boxes), an unweighted 3.7 is probably not enough to get in. Indeed, your state of residence is probably more impactful than the activities you do.
Is club soccer a waste of time/money for youngers (under 10 yo)?
- Thread starter Socal-Soccer-Dad
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For UC Riverside actually (public school so it's more of a formula and student body/debate/soccer don't really matter as much on the application other than check the boxes), an unweighted 3.7 is probably not enough to get in. Indeed, your state of residence is probably more impactful than the activities you do.
I picked 3.7 because that is precisely the median for UC Riverside, weighted. I love UCR, but only UC Merced is less selective. (And I hope it stays accessible.)
I show the average is 3.85 weighted, and that's before you throw out the out of staters, legacies, donors, employee preferences, and sports and art recruits.
Does that support that spending $36,000 on ECNL and devoting 15 hours a week to ECNL is worth it, from a college admissions perspective?
Again, depends on a variety of circumstances. If you only have a 3.7 weighted gpa, don't qualify as another preference (e.g., legacy, celebrity, donor, equity [they aren't supposed to use affirmative action but there's heated debate over how much factors such as race and gender play a role]), reside in the US in California, state a popular major as your interest (say pre-med), and really want to go to UC Riverside, and want to play soccer in college, maybe. The college admissions process is one big game that you have to game, so it boils down to where the individual student is situated.
EvilGoalie 21
GOLD
I feel you are largely right on this. But not for the money thing. Being on the guys side nobody we know was/is thinking atletic scholarship $. That is on the table only for a very small handful, many of whom will be coming from overseas. But the time budget is exactly right IMO. You take the time spent doing club soccer and funnel it into a distribution of extracurriculars between the arts and sport and, sure, set up a paper tiger non-profit, get the good grades and the spectrum of schools that a kid will be competitive for increases. It's really a question of how much does the kid like to play, and, at the end of the day, is it possible to fit the right academic/athletic fit. That last bit can be challenging. But for a number of schools on your list up there they will get a good value education that will be a good springboard. So for the athletes who landed those opportunities, good for them. The spreadsheet may not balance, but in the end that is not really the point.
And since the UCs came up, one thing a parent can do to help with how the UC GPA and overall AIS is computed is to make sure the student loads their AP credits into the sophomore and junior year. AP credit as freshman or senior will not count.
You don't think that $36,000 in-pocket and 15 hours towards getting a 3.5 or 3.6 unweighted instead of soccer isn't a better idea? You would tell this cusp family to spend $36,000 on soccer and have the kid put in 15 hours per week?
$100,000 is not the cost of youth soccer.
A happy child who develops life skills that lead her to a successful adulthood. What is the price of that?
Right. I'm not trying to take away from the enjoyment of soccer. But the original question is really two questions. One about a waste of time and the other about a waste of money. How you spend your time can be justified by enjoyment. But in terms of a value proposition, club soccer is trying to justify its cost in some cases with college access. It rarely adds up.
But Soccer (sport) has tremendous value that cannot be quantified in dollars. My team provides a place for your child to be happy and develop life skills that lead to a successful adulthood. I am inviting your child to the team. The cost for my team is $100,000.
Or is that too much for your child? Trust me, you can't get these life skills and happiness for free. Look at that poor clubless child, with no future. You don't want that to be your child do you?
Believe it or not, some people actually enjoy playing soccer. Geez. The fact that you were clearly not an athlete is why you seem to lack an understanding of the joy of sport.
Also, not everything is about money to others. Seems it is to you though.
No, I don't. Your sentences are word salad. But, I want a kid who enjoys life, chooses something they are passionate about (soccer in this case) learns life lessons, learns teammwork, makes friends, travels, creates memories. Those are more valuable then sitting in front of their computer for hours on end trying to get slightly better grades. You keep throwing $100,000 around as hyperbole. I am not impressed. You are a money focused person. Spend some. Enjoy life.
I played soccer my whole life. In fields. On the street. In the hallway. On the bridge. I just don't remember so many trolls on the bridge trying to charge me for it.
Just be cause something is invaluable doesn't mean you pay whatever it takes. Sometimes that means it should always be free.
You are calling your own words a salad. But we could all eat some salad and be better for it.
This is your sentence: "I went to a school like this and had a 3.2 and student aid, got work experience, and didn't have to play soccer."
Like I said, most people who play actually enjoy it.
The cost benefit is worth it to me. If it is not for you, then tell you kid(s) they cannot play anymore. Your choice.
You changed my statement. C'mon. Have an honest conversation here. I am not the one throwing around cost of teams at $100,000.
I am leaving this conversation to spare others from this dialogue. You are obsessed with money. Not my cup of tea.
So the great thing about college is learning how to make salad with words.
Didn't have to play soccer.
Didn't play soccer.
Which one did I say?
LOL
You aren't calculating in sunk costs. By freshman year, how much has the family already spent on club soccer and where is the kid situated talent wise. Is the kid a scholarship player (some players I know that play at very high levels have scholarships, then there's also the MLS players on the boys side). Is the kid capable of raising the grade point average and what's kept it down so far. Do they love and want to keep playing soccer. All very situational.
So, say one of these kids on the team with college options I described. Kid has a 3.5 GPA. Kid's time is pushed to the max with soccer and school. Do you encourage him/her to pull back on soccer (not quit, just less time commitment) and put more time into study or keep at it because of sunk costs?
EvilGoalie 21
GOLD
Given how the conversation has unwound, for what its worth, I don't think you were trying to say enjoyment, all that, is not important. Having been through the full youth soccer ride, aphorisms and all, I follow what you are saying perfectly. Way I see it, if a kid is still in it by U19 its because they love the game. The thing you posted earlier about sometime kids having to choose-academics or sport-that a balance accommodating both can be difficult-rang true for me and is along the lines of what I was trying to say earlier. Not just difficult-painful. I see this with kids on my son's team. Choices in schools that should seem exciting, a fruit of labor, if soccer is not also a possibility are viewed almost with resignation. The one thing I was trying to say was that at the outset I never would have thought of that.