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Reply to "D1 Baseball + STEM Degree"

Generally, only the best and brightest aim for STEM degrees; and a significant portion of those will change majors (like most college kids). For baseball players (actually all athletes), their teammates will probably have significant influence on the academic rigor your son may choose - and in a D1 environment that influence may not be positive. (As opposed to a Rose-Hulman or MIT squad. In D1, the service academies also are STEM schools.) So, when parsing a roster and you find that STEM major, you are truly looking at an outlier.

My son attended a high academic D1. He, as well as several of his incoming class, preliminarily declared in the STEM area. Neither the school, nor the coach, nor the profs discouraged STEM; but no-one from that group graduated with a STEM degree. (Son had straight As in HS with 8 5s on APs - mostly in science and math - and a 34 (one try) ACT.) He graduated middle of his class with a degree in economics (math and data based). No way he could've remained eligible in a STEM field. BUT, during his time he had a teammate - a true walkon - get the grades to attend Medical school AND had another teammate graduate as a Mechanical Engineer with highest honors. Both those kids were truly extraordinary. (Cor example, the ME devised an app which predicted opposing pitches - before the fifth inning of his first game!)

(BTW, the ME decided not to practice; went to Bain Capital instead. Those international employers really seek out top shelf STEM grads.)

I would suggest that you'll pick the school which offers the best career options; and which also plays baseball. Your son may not become a STEM major for a variety of reasons (loses passion, finds another passion, etc.) BUT he will be able to find a deeply rewarding career coming from a college environment which fosters intellectual growth and curiosity.

DO NOT SACRIFICE ACADEMICS FOR BASEBALL (jmo); rather, leverage baseball into that top academic school. In the end, most every college baseball player will be done with baseball by the time he is 26; then life begins and baseball is in the rear view mirror.

(Oh, the D1 schools I would put on the list include every IVY, Davidson, the service academies, and Stanford. As for the other HA D1s, I'd do a lot more research - athletes may not have the same academic experience as regular students.)

One additional note:  S spanned 7 years of classes and only a single player left the school. And all - except those who were drafted as juniors - graduated in 4 years (with no debt).

Last edited by Goosegg
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