Course of study a problem?

Here is a cut/paste from a newspaper article reported locally to show it happens:

"“He was also a good fit for us academically,” Peters said. “Not many student-athletes can take that engineering major and be successful both on the field and off the field but he has the work ethic to do both. Not many (student-athletes) that come in here as engineering majors stay with it. He's one that's capable of doing it and working hard to make both of those things work.”

Engineering isn't an easy thing to be successful at for students in general, let alone those who play a sport as well.

“(My major) is mechanical engineering and aerospace science and engineering,” Kalush said. “It's not too bad, I feel like. I've always been better at math and science and not very good at reading and writing so it hasn't been that bad on me. I felt like mechanical was more interesting than a lot of other majors.”

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To piggyback on IFD's post...

First, Congrats on having a son who wants to high achieve in both venues.

Second, Academics/Athletics are not a zero sum game.

Third, On the other hand, like most things in life there may be tradeoff's, prices to be paid, and risks that are incurred in making that goal happen.

Fourth, No one can decide if those elements are right for your son and you except you and your son. Some simply are not willing to play the "game" and take the steps/adjustments that are involved in making both happen....some are relentless.

In a nutshell...there are schools that will and do encourage high academics and high athletics together. There are schools that bend athletics some for academics. Then there are programs where it is simply impractical or impossible to play ball and fully complete some high academic discplines. That is your choice, not an either or. You can choose one to blend and bend, OR you can choose one or the other. That is a choice.

Options for including high academic discplines may include but are not limited to trading down in level of athletics or academics, summer classes, limited school selection, taking 5 years to graduate, alternate majors, taking specific classes AFTER one graduates.

I am not as clear on how the engineering "game" is played but we are finding out that there is a whole new "game" and strategy that is played when it comes to medical school entrance, and it is one that may actually be unaffected and perhaps even enhanced by collegiate sports participation.

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Over a 4-year period; my guy has had 3 teamates that were engineering majors (one of which took 5-years to graduate) and one pre-med major who seldom traveled for mid-week games.

It is a challenge but it can and is done regularly.

That being said; my son started as an engineering major which lasted half of his first semester.

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More piggyback...

The good news about medical school is that a lab science degree is NOT absolutely required, and athelete/academics are well thought of, and ahead of the game because they are considered to have the superior time mmanagement skills and work ethic that Medical school requires..

However....a couple tough lab classes are required...

The interesting thing for Medical school is that at the moment I am told that one of the strategies being used by Non-baseball medical school candidates is to go to a high academic school then postpone the tougher couple lab classes until summer, or AFTER graduation and take them at JC where the competition is lower and the grades can be significantly higher.

Apparently when it comes to medical school admission, baseball players are in front of the curve/trend setters...

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