BusynMember
Well-Known Member
I am very frustrated about this. Jumper is a great athlete. She is a hardworking student who has a C* average and will get through college if s he wants to, but at a slower pace and with help. We want her to start at a two year college so that she can get used to college life and not be overly stressed out. She picked out a lovely two year college where she can play basketball, go into a pre-Social Worker course called Human Services, and have a good time too, as all young adults want. There is a big four year school where she knows a lot of kids just four blocks away too. It's in beautiful LaCrosse, WI.
So why do the teachers and coaches want her to get recruited for basketball teams at fast paced four year schools that are prestigious, but that she will struggle in? Yes, if she happened to be a B-B* student who tested well (ACT/SAT) she would probably do well at one of them, socially and athletically. But she is an Learning Disability (LD) kid who gives her heart and soul to anything she does and still struggles in subjects such as math.
It seems as if the coaches and teachers care more about the fact that she is a fantastic basketball player than about her future profession! They are all encouraging her to apply to get into schools that are too hard for her and "I will put in a good word for her about how great a basketball player you are!" I hope it doesn't work. Jumper has stars in her eyes and would love to play at a big four year university...but nobody seems to be thinking about her success academically other than me and her father. Fortunately, she is pretty sensible and will listen to us and take what we say to her seriously. She is very aware at how hard academics come to her in some areas and she is very anxious to become a Social Worker, a career she'd excel at, but it may take her six years to get through school, which is ok with us. but basketball? After college it will be something fun for her to do in her spare time.
Fortunately, I don't think she'll test well enough to get into a four year school. She panics during tests. But, really, it's sad that they lower academic standards to let good athletes into top colleges in the state. Academics should come first. Jumper is a very smart, sensible girl and can do anything she wants to do, but she will have to do it at a slower, more relaxed pace. She isn't going to be a WNBA player.
The saddest part, in my opinion, is that Jumper's basketball coach has had her twice for major math classes and knows how she struggles in math, how hard it is for her, and how much extra help she needs. Yet she's one of the cheerleaders for Jumper to apply to her old college in Wisconsin and she has already told her ex-coach that she has a wonderful junior who would be great on her team in 1 1/2 years. That college is the second hardest to get into of all the Wisconsin state schools. REALLY????
I know Americans love sports. So do I. But I think the kids should be encouraged to apply to colleges based on their academic level, not their athletic ability. Is it just me and husband?
So why do the teachers and coaches want her to get recruited for basketball teams at fast paced four year schools that are prestigious, but that she will struggle in? Yes, if she happened to be a B-B* student who tested well (ACT/SAT) she would probably do well at one of them, socially and athletically. But she is an Learning Disability (LD) kid who gives her heart and soul to anything she does and still struggles in subjects such as math.
It seems as if the coaches and teachers care more about the fact that she is a fantastic basketball player than about her future profession! They are all encouraging her to apply to get into schools that are too hard for her and "I will put in a good word for her about how great a basketball player you are!" I hope it doesn't work. Jumper has stars in her eyes and would love to play at a big four year university...but nobody seems to be thinking about her success academically other than me and her father. Fortunately, she is pretty sensible and will listen to us and take what we say to her seriously. She is very aware at how hard academics come to her in some areas and she is very anxious to become a Social Worker, a career she'd excel at, but it may take her six years to get through school, which is ok with us. but basketball? After college it will be something fun for her to do in her spare time.
Fortunately, I don't think she'll test well enough to get into a four year school. She panics during tests. But, really, it's sad that they lower academic standards to let good athletes into top colleges in the state. Academics should come first. Jumper is a very smart, sensible girl and can do anything she wants to do, but she will have to do it at a slower, more relaxed pace. She isn't going to be a WNBA player.
The saddest part, in my opinion, is that Jumper's basketball coach has had her twice for major math classes and knows how she struggles in math, how hard it is for her, and how much extra help she needs. Yet she's one of the cheerleaders for Jumper to apply to her old college in Wisconsin and she has already told her ex-coach that she has a wonderful junior who would be great on her team in 1 1/2 years. That college is the second hardest to get into of all the Wisconsin state schools. REALLY????
I know Americans love sports. So do I. But I think the kids should be encouraged to apply to colleges based on their academic level, not their athletic ability. Is it just me and husband?