@privatebanker D1 sports are definitely a big commitment, but many top athletes train that many hours anyway, and they’re used to juggling training, competition travel, and academics. Plenty of other students work part-time jobs while attending college, and there aren’t many p/t jobs that will pay an 18 yr old anywhere from $25/hr to $100/hr, tax-free, to do something they love. (Plus athletes get “paid” even when they’re sick or injured, unlike hourly employees.) There are definitely disadvantages, too, but for many kids the advantages significantly outweigh the disadvantages.