I just want to say that CMC is my first choice, however, I’m unable to apply ED, because of financial reasons. I’m indeed part of the middle class, so I actually have to apply to all of my colleges during the RD admissions process.
Oh yeah I did, I was like WHAT!
But I’m totally with you on that. It does kind of suck that CMC is so small and therefore less people who would otherwise be qualified can’t attend because of the necessity of fielding good athletic teams while taking into account maintaining a level of diversity. This is an issue everywhere, but especially in liberal arts colleges, where the issue is much more pronounced because of the lack of spaces available. But at the same time, if I used those statistics correctly, only about 3 percent of accepted applicants are athletes.
Athletics do take a long time, but there are many try hard and are just not as gifted. I do agree that top athletes work hard at their sport and spend lots of time doing it. But you also find many of the well heeled who excel at sports, especially the “non revenue” sports like soccer, tennis, volleyball, and swimming. All of those recruited athletes have individual coaches or play on private club and travel teams. That expense is impossible for poor kids or even many middle class kids. Who is going to be the better soccer player: the one who can only play AYSO or the one who has played club and travel soccer from age 9? If you look at the profile to the student athlete at CMC, I’m sure it skews wealthy and white. I don’t necessarily mean that as a criticism. That’s the way of youth sports for this generation. To add to this point, go to the CMS Sports website. Each team has a recruiting link and they ask for the name of the club coach on most of them.
I am middle class and have been playing Club Soccer for many years now. About the poorer students not being able to play Club, I disagree with that in that many Club teams (especially in my area) award scholarships to those who can’t afford to pay. And the club my brother is on gives scholarships to disadvantaged players if they sustain good grades in school. I think soccer in particular is more accessible to poorer players, but I am not disagreeing with that unfair advantage. Up until junior year, I thought that I really wanted to play soccer in college, and even went to the Claremont Colleges Soccer ID clinic. It was only in senior year, that I decided that I did not want that as part of my college experience (so I could definitely sympathize with your daughter). Another disadvantage (if you read Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers) is age in sports. For example the club age cutoff is July 31 I think so those born in August are always the oldest and those born in July are the youngest. Though it doesn’t seem like it, this age gap is actually HUGE and in hockey where the club cut off is January 1st, that age cutoff is actually seen on NHL rosters. For example, the largest percentage of players have January, February birthdays and then less have MArch, April, and very few comparatively (from Canadian leagues because that is the Canadian and not say Russian league cutoff) have birthdays in December.
@couplemoreweeks – that 30% number I gave was from the 2014-2015 class profile, just freshmen and just for CMC. And I am a CMC fan so not trying to be critical – Amherst and Williams seem from what I have read to be even more focused on athletes.
For clarification, I think the 30% number is the estimated percent of all CMC students who participate in varsity athletics. It’s on the fact sheet under student life and involvement that includes other entire student body figures. The number of freshman participating may be slightly higher than the other classes as students drop off teams, study abroad etc., but generally roughly 30% of all CMC students are participating in varsity athletics.
^^^^ Therefore, the 30% number does not necessarily mean that all of that 30% were recruited (and therefore, “hooked.”) That number could include a substantial number of walk-ons who decided to participate in a sport (and were good enough to, obviously) only after they were already admitted through the normal channels.
I think you are correct about not including walk on- but at least in certain sports walking on while not impossible is very difficult. Also the CMS teams do include recruits from Mudd and in the case of the women Scripps as well. I don’t know the figures but I believe a very high percent of the accepted ED students are athletic recruits. Most recruited athletes will apply ED and not RD - coaches are more willing to help someone who they know will attend if accepted.
Yeah so that number of about 7 percent a year does hold true. And assuming half walk on, that means “hooked” athletes make up only 3 percent of the admitted class.
No - its roughly 30 percent of every class and I doubt the walk on rate is as high as 50 percent - cms has very good division 3 teams.
Did you all turn in your CSS profile? I thought it wouldn’t be due for a while, but I realized yesterday that it was due January 1st. Pomona’s due date is March 1st… I thought it’d be similar. Is it too late to turn it in? 
is there no hope for financial aid for me then? :’(
Submitted today
I think this is the quietest thread of all the universities. Good luck to all. Is decision day really April 1?
Just saw that last year the RD came out on 3/21 at 5pm in an email. They emailed the release day and time a few days earlier. I am glad it really isn’t 4/1. That just seems like a bad day to release on. 
Just called CMC and they said decision date this year is 3/25 in the applicants online account. I again, can not believe how quiet this university’s page is. Either everyone applying to CMC is so confident, they are not worried about the decision, or they are all too busy to chime in here. Good luck to all!
Thanks @collegeisgreat thats really helpful
If you want my unvarnished opinion, the thread is quiet because most who applied RD have virtually no shot of getting admitted. That’s not a comment on the quality of the applicants, for I’m certain it is again exceptional. It’s just how things roll at this school. Just look at all the rejections in the ED1 thread. CMC is the most selective LAC in the nation. So, for example, when the admissions committee has 40 applicants and can only accept 2, and all 40 are exceptional in so many ways, how can this process be anything but random? I expect the overall acceptance rate (ED and RD) to be about 9% this year. When you take out the hooked applicants (athletes, legacies, URM, 1st time college in family), the real acceptance rate is about 3%, with a slightly better shot for males than females.
CMC is a great school and I hope anyone reading this waiting for a decision gets in. But just realize if you don’t that there is a place for you at another school that will provide a great educational and social environment.
I agree with most of what you said there, although I wouldnt go so far as to say “virtually no shot.” The reality of this crazy system we’re in, however, is painful.
CMC should really take less early decision students. The reality of the situation is that NOT everyone is in the financial position to apply ED, and we should not have to face a 3% acceptance rate. But maybe I’m just bitter 