Does athletic success influence college admission?

October 16, 11:39 PMMontgomery County College Prep ExaminerMarjorie Goode

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         Welcome to the season of endless football and if you are a senior,  college applications.  I bet you never thought there might be a correlation between sports and college admission.  Some researchers may say there is insufficient statistical data to prove it, but on my observations as a counselor of twenty-eight years, it's definitely worthy of consideration.

From a marketing perspective, the more exposure a college team gets on television, the more popular it will become to consumers.  And what must happen for the college to get that prime-time slot....have a successful team.  No one wants to watch losing teams play. 

When I ask my juniors and seniors what they are looking for in a college, among the most obvious factors, many will mention a college with one or more good sports teams.  The follow-up question is whether they are interested as a participant or a spectator.  The majority are spectators, but they want the college to provide them athletic entertainment by hosting a successful team.  This could also pivot their social life. Attending a college with one or more ranked programs can be a deciding factor in a senior's selection.  The colleges are definitely banking on it.

As exciting as it might be to have your college particpate in a Bowl game or the NCAA basketball playoffs, don't forget that the success of the teams will increase the number of applications.  More interested students will submit applications, and more applications will make the applicant pool more competitive.  

I had Georgetown season tickets when Patrick Ewing, Michael Jackson and others made their team a household name.  We know that the admit rate at Georgetown is very low; however, their on-court success made it even more difficult to get students admitted.  Their exposure on television and other medias increased their application pool.

I was at the playoff game when George Mason made their magical move and look what happened in their admission pool.  High school students, around the country, following basketball that year who had never heard of George Mason University suddenly became very familiar with the college.  You can bet their applications increased significantly.  And think back not long ago when a playoff run put Davidson College on the map.  Before that, most students said, "Davidson who??"

Each year I always keep the final football rankings and a copy of the NCAA basketball bracket, so I will know the "hot spots" for the next college admission year.  It's an interesting theory that helps me guide students through the college admission process.

(AP Photo/Wade Payne)