Applying to colleges is a stressful time for everyone. For most students, the process involves stacks of applications, essays, supplementals, and lists upon lists of extracurriculars. But how do athletes already committed to play a sport in college experience the same process? And how do their classmates feel about those already committed? For committed seniors, application and acceptance reflects not only on their academic career but also their athletic one. Although committing to a school may lead to a less stressful senior fall or winter, that relief is built on years of training, emailing coaches, and personal growth.
Charlie Banbury ‘26, committed to Brown University Women’s Soccer, shared that she feels sympathy for her friends during the college application process, though she finds it “hard to be relatable” since her experience is so vastly different from theirs. Despite her different fall, Banbury went on to explain how, although her literal college application may seem simple, her journey to get there was not. Her recruitment process involves continuing to improve at soccer, and keeping good grades to impress colleges and expand her school options. Banbury noted that all of this was done with “no guarantee that it will be seen” by collegiate coaches. Similarly, seniors applying to university now know that every application submitted is done with no guarantee that they will impress the admissions office enough to be accepted. Banbury’s relief with her commitment stems from pride at seeing the fruit of the work she put into getting recruited, which, in the end, is similar to what many seniors will feel later this year. These are two different timelines, not completely separate trajectories.
University of Richmond commit Eden O’Rourke ‘27 had similar feelings of relief to Banbury at her recent commitment. O’Rourke, like Banbury, also noted more complex feelings. Despite her relief and excitement, O’Rourke says that there is now “equal if not more pressure” to succeed in the classroom and on the pitch because of the standard her college has set. Like other Class II students, she still has to succeed on the SAT and continue to receive solid marks in the classroom. Both athletes show how commitments are a cause for great relief, but that the feelings of stress are still present, especially throughout junior year when the athletes still have to ensure they will be accepted to their college come senior year applications.
Meanwhile, some uncommitted athletes do not necessarily feel any animosity towards their teammates, as they know the work that went into getting recruited. Alessandro Cavallini-Hsu ‘26 explained that athletes who commit to college are “working harder for an easier acceptance to college.” Ultimately, it is more important to respect everyone’s college process and the work they put into their future, than to compare the ease of students’ college application process.