Personal Narrative: Division Two College Athletes

Being a NCAA Division II athlete during my time at American International College was blessing in disguise for me. Many people do not look at Division II college athletes in the same light as Division I athletes. Interestingly enough, unlike Division III college athletes, DII are held to the same standards and rules as Division I. We have to maintain a certain GPA, we cannot work more than 10 hours a week, we are drug tested on a monthly basis, and we endure two-a-days on a daily basis. Going into college, athletics were always first priority to me; but after being a regular starter on my soccer team entering my junior year, my priorities were completely reversed. My first two years of college saw me as one of four players (out of a class of 22 players) to be on the varsity soccer team, meaning that I was exposed to long bus rides, missing classes for team events, and constantly being a lesson behind other students in my class. I had trouble balancing soccer, work, and school during that time, as I was only able to maintain a 3.1 GPA. I decided that putting all my effort in soccer was not the correct route to take, as school was going to lead me further in life. For the next two seasons, I was on a

The academic success I’ve had during my final two years at college has only made me hungrier for more success. I have already set aside the blueprint for my study schedule in anticipation for law school. Villanova Law School still remains one of my top institutions to attend in Fall 2016. My experiences balancing sports, school, and work gives me an upper hand on prospective students that only had to worry about academics during their time in undergrad. Athletes, overall, have a strong desire to strive for perfection, and although it will be the toughest challenge of my life thus far, I am ready to put in the work in order to achieve law school excellence at Villanova