<p>It strikes me that, in general, the best swim programs belong to schools that also boast the best academic programs. My DS, a talented swimmer, could never qualify academically for the kinds of schools that offer the best swimming programs. Yes, the hook could get him in, but....</p>
<p>It seems somewhat unfair that the best and brightest academically also get the best swim programs. It feels like entitlement.</p>
<p>Your thoughts??</p>
<p>SMU has one of the top swim programs, and I wouldn't consider it an elite academic institution. Yes, there are some highly selective colleges and universities with great swimming programs, as well as strong programs in other sports. However, many top athletic schools are not particularly selective academically. Look at some of the football powerhouses. For running, Arkansas and Colorado are among the best. I'm sure there is a great school out there that would be a perfect fit for your son both academically and athletically. If he is really a top swimmer, he can definitely use that hook to help his application to a more selective school.</p>
<p>Well, if you're speaking of Division I, then its state schools that are bst, aside from Stanford and SMU, but what you say holds true for Division III, that b/c those school don't look for just the smartest, they look for those that excel outside of academics. Schools like Williams, and Stanford aren't top in both categories coincedently.</p>
<p>Many of the very top LACs and universities, even if they call themselves d3, focus on recruiting swimmer athletes. As a result, fewer kids get to "walk on" to the teams--or are cut to keep the program small and give more attention to the recruited athletes.</p>
<p>D3 Williams, for example, is home to the nation's 18th best 100 female breaststroker (her time of 1:12.06 earned her a spot to the U.S. Olympics Trials). Some of these d3 school demand that their young scholars spend a lot of time in the water. One d3 coach, for example, told my daughter that he expects 5 hours per day in terms of swimming and dryland conditioning.</p>
<p>All of this is pretty frustating for my D who hopes to swim in college, but for 2 -3 hours per day. She is a very fine student and competitive at all the LACs. She wants to only apply to schools, though, that really make room for non-recruited scholar-athletes and that follow the d3 philosophy of emphasizing acedmics over athletes. So far, this is making the college hunt hard.</p>
<p>We don't begrudge the "extra boost" a kid gets in the application process for being a great athlete. Our only sadness is that this seems to squeeze out room for the less-great athletes.</p>
<p>If anyone has suggestions as to a great LAC, with a fine swim coach, that makes room for the less-than-great athletes, we would appreciate it.</p>
<p>I know a girl who went to University of Puget Sound to swim. She was good, but not great. She enjoyed her experience at UPS.</p>
<p>I have also heard good things about UPS' swim program--that it works for the great and good athlete alike. The school is also in a beautiful setting. While the school's academic ratings are not particularly strong (average SAT score is 1252), I have a brilliant co-worker who went there.</p>
<p>Actually Williams College does, there is no cap on Williams Swimming Team, walk ons are allowed, they said all cuts from team have come at an agreement between the coach and student, if the student feels competent, then they stay. But if you're less than stellar, then I wouldn't expect recruitment or a scholarship. Also, yeah, at Williams, you have to be up to practicing 4-5 hours a day.</p>
<p>Auburn has a good swim program, and it's not hard to get into at all (the school, I don't about the team)</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification regarding Williams. D will be interested. As the mom. though, i really don't want her swimming for that much time each day. I worry that 4-5 hours (plus hair drying twice a day) will crowd out the rest of the school experience. But I am just the mom . . . .</p>
<p>california -</p>
<p>Heavy practice commitment is the main reason my S chose not to swim in college. He's used to 25 hours, 70000 yds, min per week. He was concerned that there'd be no time beyond studying to actually enjoy the college experience. And, while I would have loved to see him swim DI (which he was being tracked to do), or DII or III for that matter (I just love the sport...every bit of it, I know he's made the right decision.</p>
<p>A friend's tennis playing daughter went to the College of Wooster (she was recruited D1) and was a huge star and had a great time socially and academically. We also know a really smart swimmer boy who is there now. He qualified for finals in our very competative state meet his senior year in his stroke. So, he probably could have found a D1 school that would have been interested, but he didn't want to have to work that hard in college.</p>
<p>Californian: I have a daughter who walked on the Williams swim team. This is a school where academics come first. 4-5 hour a day practices occur only during Winter Studies, when the students are taking only one class. The norm is 2.5 hours during the week and a little more on non-meet Saturdays. Williams is a good team with stars like the breaststroker that you mentioned, but there are also students, like my daughter, who just enjoy swimming.</p>
<p>lmd2032--Well, that sounds a bit more reasonable! Is your D still on the team? Do you know if Williams posts the times for all their varsity swimmers, not just the Lyndsey Paines of the world?</p>
<p>Californian: My daughter is still on the Williams team. The team is large, but so far they have not had to limit the size. However, they are only allowed to take 24 swimmers and divers to the NESCAC conference meet at the end of the season, so the coach has to choose who gets to go and who doesn't. The swimmers who don't go usually taper for the last meet of the regular season.</p>
<p>You can find the top five times in each event for the 2004-2005 season at <a href="http://www.williams.edu/athletics/statistics.php?sport=23&year=2004&id=112%5B/url%5D">http://www.williams.edu/athletics/statistics.php?sport=23&year=2004&id=112</a>. If you want to see results for the meets that Williams swims (including swimmers that aren't in the top five!), check out the news stories at <a href="http://www.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?sport=23&year=2004%5B/url%5D">http://www.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?sport=23&year=2004</a>. They will typically include links to results. When my daughter was looking at college programs, we looked at the NESCAC conference meet results to see how she would fit in with the team.</p>
<p>If you have other questions, feel free to send me email.</p>