Should You Spend Your Summer at Sports Camp Pros and Cons

Should You Spend Your Summer at Sports Camp Pros and Cons SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you an athlete? Thinking seriously about playing a sport in college? Or just love playing for fun? Consider attending a college-based summer sports camp! Get more playing time in and meet like-minded athletes with a passion for your sport. In this article, I’ll explain what college-basedsports camps are, discuss the costs, give you some examples, and help you decide if you’d like to attend. What Are College-Based Summer Sports Camps? College-based summer sports camps are camps at which you play a specific sport.They're offered by colleges but are open toalmost all ages from 5 years old through the end of high school.These camps vary in time length (from a few hours to several days long).Some camps are day camps (where you commute from home to attend the camp), but other camps are residential (where you live on campus at the camp location). At these camps, you’ll likely be coached by one of the college’s team coaches. You’ll run drills, learn technique, and play against the other campers.These college-based camps all must operate according to NCAA rules. All camps are open to anyone who’d like to attend.There are no requirements for entry other than that you’re in the age range for your camp of choice and can afford to pay the cost.I’ll discuss the costs later on. Why are these college-based sports camps open to anyone who’d like to attend?It’s part of the NCAA rules.If schools want potential recruits to attend their sports camps, they also have to allow other students who are interested to be able to attend the camp.Additionally, NCAA rules don’t allow summer camps to provide scholarships on the basis of athletic ability.However, programs can offer scholarships based on financial need (I’ll discuss this more in the costs section). What is the purpose of these camps for colleges? Most colleges run theses camps to attract top athletes to come to their college and play for their teams.While the camps are open to anyone, the reason colleges run them is to find young athletes and get them interested in attending their school.By introducing potential college athletes to the school coach and the team, colleges can get them excited about playing for that school.Also, it gives the coach a chance to help guide these young athletes to become better, more disciplined players while they’re still in high school.Other colleges(especially smaller schools or those who don't have outstanding teams) may justuse these camps as a revenue source without giving players a ton of opportunities for recruitment. What is the purpose of these camps for players?Asa player, you should want to attend a sports camp to tryto get the attention of college recruiters, to improve at a sport you love, or to do both. What Sports Are Offered at College Sports Camps? The sports offered at thesecamps range dramatically from traditional sports such as football or basketballto unique sports such as fencing. Here’s a list of all of the sports that I’ve seen offered at summer sports camps: Baseball Basketball Diving Fencing Field Hockey Football Ice Hockey Lacrosse Rowing Soccer Squash Strength and Conditioning Swimming Tennis Volleyball Water Polo Wrestling NOTE: the sports offered will vary by college. To locate a program for a sport you’re interested in, I recommend doing a Google search for â€Å"College [Sport Name] Summer Sports Camp† (such as College Fencing Summer Sports Camps), OR if you’re want to see if a sport is offered at a specific school, you can do a Google search for â€Å"[School Name] Summer Sports Camps† (such as Brown University Summer Sports Camps). What Do You Do AtCollege Sports Camps? At these sports camps, you’re coached by either the actual Varsity head coach at that college or by one of the athletes or member of the athletic department.Again, this will vary by program, so you may want toconduct a Google search to find whowill be coaching a specific sports camp. At all of these camps, you spend time on training activities (for example, running drills) and time playing the sport.At certain camps, you’ll also spend time focusing on strategy. Some camps (such as UC Irvine’s soccer camp) bring in coaches from other colleges to watch you play and have workshops that talk to you about how to be recruited to play a sport and how to maintain academic eligibility.The exact itinerary varies by program. Here’s what a daily itinerary might look like (from UC Irvine’s soccer camp): 7:30-8:30AM BREAKFAST (Residents only) 8:30AM COMMUTER DROP OFF 9:00-11:00AM SESSION 1: Technical Drills 11:30AM-12:30PM: LUNCH (All campers) 12:30-2:00PM: BREAK 2:30-4:30PM: SESSION 2: Tactical Strategies 5:00-6:00PM: DINNER (All campers) 6:30-8:00PM: MATCH PLAY (playing in teams) 8:30-9:15PM: COLLEGE RECRUITING 101 Seminar 9:30PM: COMMUTER PICK UP 11:00PM: LIGHTS OUT Logistics: Costs, Financial Aid, and How to Apply Prices can range from $100 to $1000.Price varies drastically by program and program length. A one-day or half-day commuter program will be less expensive (around $100-$200), while 5-day long residential camps will be more expensive (around $800-$1000).Again, do a Google search to locate a specific program, and the cost should be listed on that program website. These prices are low compared to other summer camps, and I think there are a few reasons: These camps generally don’t offer â€Å"extracurricular† activities (such as trips to local museums or sporting events). These camps likely cost less to run since they’re using readily available facilities (the facilities they already use for their sports team). Also, these camps don’t need to hire their camp staff, since their staff is simply the team coach (the coach’s salary likely includes pay for the camp). These camps also probably keep costs low to allow many people to attend. Colleges may subsidize their camps (or run them at zero profit, i.e. charge only what it costs them) in order to attract top athletes from all socioeconomic conditions. Is Financial Aid Available? As I briefly mentioned before, NCAA rules prohibit college sports summer camps from providing scholarships on the basis of athletic ability.However, some summer sports programs can offer scholarships based on financial need.This varies by college and program. Look up a specific program through Google to see their financial aid availability. Traditionally, only high school students who qualify for federal financial aid programs (such as free or reduced lunch) qualify for financial aid. However, check with the specific program to be sure. Furthermore, due to NCAA rules, no third party can pay for your sports camp fee. For example, a family friend can’t pay for your summer camp fee.The fees must be paid by your legal guardian.This is a precaution set up by the NCAA to avoid having alumni secretly pay the fee for you to attend the summer camp as a way of trying to persuadeyou toattend that college and play that sport there in the future. How to Apply to a College Summer Sports Camp According to NCAA regulations (for college programs), there can be no requirements to attend the program other than meeting the age qualification and paying the fee to attend. However, sign up early because programs often have a limit on the number of students that can attend the camp.Sign up through the program website. Again, you can find a specific program through a simple Google search for â€Å"College [Sport Name] Summer Sports Camp† (such as College Fencing Summer Sports Camps) or â€Å"[School Name] Summer Sports Camps† (such as Brown University Summer Sports Camps). Program Examples Colleges across the country offer summer sports camps. You can attend this type of camp atDivision I colleges(such as UC Irvine,Brown, and Princeton),Division II colleges (such as Palm Beach Atlantic University), andDivision III colleges(such asJohns Hopkins University). Search for a specific school through Google by typing in â€Å"[School Name] Summer Sports Camp† (such as Yale University Summer Sports Camp) to see if they offer a sports camp. What Are the Benefits of Attending a College Sports Camp? If you’re hoping to play a college sport and decide to attend a college summer sports camp, this is a great way to get in front of a coach at a school you’re interested in playing for.It also gives you a chance to try out the school to see if you like the school and the coach.Additionally, it gives you a chance to play the sport with a different coach and teammates than usual, which will make you a more flexible and better player. If you’re not hoping to play a college sport and decide to attend a college summer sports camp, it’s still a great opportunity!You’ll get to try out a college you’re interested in while making friends and getting great exercise.Additionally, lots of colleges say they like to see you showed a real interest in their school.Well, participating ata sports camp at their college shows you’re really serious about attending their school! How toChoose a Camp If You'reTrying to Get Recruited If your goal for attending a summer sports camp is to get recruited, you need to do a lot of research before choosing a camp. Once you've identified a few campsyou'd like to attend (using the method mentioned above),I have four research tips: Tip #1: Figure out who does the actual coaching at the camp! Call the summer sports camp you're interested in to ask who the coach is.If you're going to spend your time and money on a program,you want to make sure you're being coached by the head coach (or, at least, high-ranking members of the coaching staff). Tip #2: Find out how many other kids will attend the camp. When you call the office, make sure you find out how many campers will be there. You want to find a camp with a small camper to coach ratio. Some camps have 100 or more campers at each session; others only have 20. Try to look for the smaller programs where you'll have more face time with the coach. Tip #3: Find out how old your fellow campers willbe. You should be able to find this on the summer sports camp website, but if not call the office to ask. You want to attend a summer sports camp that is exclusively for high school athletes. You do NOT want to attend a camp open to all ages; otherwise, coaches may be busy babysitting younger players and may not pay close attention to you. Tip #4: Ask if any of the college's current players attended the camp. Obviously, schools that have players who attended the camp are more likely to recruit you from their camp! Be wary of colleges where none of the players attended the camp. Alternatives to College-Based Summer Sports Camps In this article, I focused on college-based sports camps, but you should know that there are also private and local parks recreation department sports camps to attend if you decide that a college-based sports camp isn’t for you. Private sports camps are organized by private companies such as Nike or simply by individuals (in my hometown, a former MLB baseball player had started a private summer baseball camp).At these private sports camps, you’ll also run drills and play the sport.However, you likely won’t be coached by a college coach (though some of these camps do hire college coaches). You’ll more likely be coached by a former professional athlete, former high school athlete, or high school coach.These camps vary in time and price. Some of these camps are a single day while some are multiple week residential or non-residential programs.The residential (sleepaway camp style)programs are typically based at a university (although they're run by a private organization). The schedule is usually identical to a daily commuter sports camp; however, overnight campers are provided all meals, housing, and usually have the opportunity to play more (since they can play after dinner).Find a private summer sports campin your area by conducting a Google Search for â€Å"[Town Name] summer sports camp.† In addition to college-based and private summer sports camps, most parks departments offer summer sports programs.These programs are essentially the same as private sports camps (exceptthey don’t offer residential options). Look at your local parks department website to see what sports camps are offered in your area.Locate your local parks department website by searching Google for â€Å"[Town Name] parks recreation department.† No matter who hosts it, attending asummer sports camp is a great experience. You’ll get to have a lot of fun, make friends, exercise, and play a sport you love! What’s Next? If you’re interested in a summer program for high school students, you should check out the Emory Pre-College Program. If you’re interested in playing a sport in college, you should learn about the different sports levels. Check out our complete list of NCAA Division 1 colleges, complete list of NCAA Division 2 colleges, and complete list of NCAA Division 3 colleges. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Author Main Goal ACT English Questions

Author Main Goal ACT English Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Generally, ACT English tests two things: grammar and reading comprehension. Author main goal is a specific type of reading comprehension question that appears frequently on the ACT. Having a systematic approach to correctly answer these questions will boost your score and help you maximize your limited time to complete the ACT English section. Read this article for a thorough explanation of and guidance on how to figure out author main goal questions. In this post, I'll do the following: Define author main goal questions. Provide example questions from actual ACTs. Explain the process to answer specific author main goal questions. Provide general strategies for answering author main goal questions. General Construction of Author Main Goal Questions Author main goal questions are all presented in the same way, displayed bleow. Knowing the type of question you are being asked will help you to be able to answer it. Suppose the writer had intended to write an essay about (something). Would this essay fulfill that goal? A. Yes, because... B. Yes, because... C. No, because... D. No, because... As you can see, these questionsrequire you to understand the main idea of the passage. To answer them, you first have to determine if the main idea matches the intended main idea that's presented in the question. Then, you have to determine why the passage fulfills the author's intended purpose or why it doesn't. Now, let's take a look at specific author main goal questions from actual ACTs. Real Examples of Author Main Goal Questions Here are examples of three different author main goal questions from the ACT English section. You'll notice that all of the questions have the same construction. Example #1: Example #2: Example #3: Now that you can recognize an author main goal question, I'll teach you the process to correctly answer any author main goal question you may encounter on the ACT. The arrow should be pointing down. Strategy for Answering Author Main Goal Questions On the ACT English section, always save the main idea questions for last. After doing the other questions, you should be able to more quickly determine the main idea and have a better sense of what the passage is about. Luckily, these questions are normally at the end of a passage's set of questions. Remember that time is precious on this test, so we want to make sure that we have a strategy for approaching these questions that will be as efficient as possible. I believe that following these steps will help you maximize your time and arrive at the correct answer. Step #1: Determine the Main Idea So, how do you determine the main idea? Well, you should not reread the entire passage. Doing so will take way too much time, and it isn't necessary. If you're unsure about the main ideawhen you begin to tackle an author main goal question I recommend usingthe following strategiesto quickly and efficiently identifyit: Look at the Title The title often gives an indication about the scope or focus of the passage, allowing you to more easily determine the main idea. In Example #1 from above, the title is "An American Griot". Therefore, we know the focus will be on a griot from America. The passage defines a griot so we can incorporate that information in determining the main idea. Sentence #6 in the passage from the first example question provides the definition of a griot: Indeed, she identifies strongly with the griots of West Africa- those village storytellers where they use songs, poems, and narration to help preserve and transmit culture and history. So, based on the title,we know that the passage is about an American storyteller. However, what should you do if you're still unsure about the main idea? If the Title Doesn't Give You the Main Idea, Reread the First Few Sentences of the Passage Here are the first couple of sentences from Example #1: [1] When storyteller Mary Carter Smith practices her art and everybody listens. [2] Wearing a brightly colored African dress, a large turban, and bracelets, the seventy-eight-year-old Smith seems to inhabit each of the different characters she describes. Given these two sentences and the title, we know that the passage is about an American woman named Mary Carter Smith who does a specific type of storytelling. In very rare instances, you may have to read more if you're still unsure of the main idea. Main ideas can also be found in the concluding paragraph or in the introductory sentences of other paragraphs. Remember, though, that you want to find the main idea of the whole passage. Just because something is mentioned in the passage doesn’t make it the main idea. After identifying the main idea, this is the next step: Step #2: Look at the Question Again Here's our question from Example #1: At this point we know the main idea and can use that information to answer the question. Identifying the main idea enables you to very quickly answer the first part of the question. Step #3: Start With Just the Yes or No Portion of the Question In our example, if we know that the focus of the essay is on Mary Carter Smith, who does a specific type of storytelling, would the essay fulfill a goal of focusing on the various ways that storytelling influences community values? No. Even though the ways that storytelling influences community values can be part of this essay, that’s not the focus. The focus is on Mary Carter Smith. After correctly answering the first part of the question, you have at least a 50% chance of getting the question right. Step #4: Eliminate the Two Choices that State â€Å"Yes† if You Know the Answer is â€Å"No," and Vice Versa In our example, we can immediately get rid of A and B. Now we're left with only two answer choices. All we have to do is determine why the passage doesn't fulfill the author's intended goal. Step #5: In Your Own Words, State Why "Yes" or Why "No" I would say that this essay wouldn't fulfill the goal of focusing on ways that storytelling influences community values because it focuses on Mary Carter Smith and her storytelling. Now that we have a reason, we can select the answer to the question. Step #6: Pick the Answer Choice That Most Closely Matches Your Reasoning Answer choice D most closely matches our reasoning. It's the only â€Å"No† answer choice that mentions that the essay focuses on a specific person, Mary Carter Smith, and her storytelling. While this may seem like a lot of steps, this whole process should take less than a minute, and these main idea questions typically take longer to answer than the sentence/paragraph reference questions in ACT English. Let's go through this process again with another author main goal question from an actual ACT. Unlocking the mystery of author main goal questions Another Actual ACT Example This is a real question from a real ACT. Check it out. First, we'll determine the main idea. The title of the passage is "Notes From Underground". From the title, we do know that the focus is about something underground. However, the title tells us little else, so we'll have to read the first couple of sentences. Here they are: A lot of people hate to ride the New York City subways, but I love them because I like to get places fast. A musician balancing a cello case, two Buddhist monks in saffron robes, and a group of stockbrokers in crisp, charcoal gray suits get on at Wall Street. Just from the first two sentences we know that the narrator loves the subway because it’s fast and there are many different types of people who ride it. After answering the other non-main idea questions, you would have probably noticed that the paragraphs are about the various people the narrator encounters on the subway. There's no mention of how economical the subway is in the introductory paragraph, so the focus is not that the subway is New York City’s most economical means of public transportation. Therefore, the answer is â€Å"no." Immediately, we can get rid of A and B. In our own words, the passage isn't about the subway being the most economical means of public transportation because it focuses on the author’s description of the many types of passengers on the subway and his encounters with them. Finally, we'll look at C and D to determine which answer choice most closely matches our own reasoning. Answer choice D is definitely incorrect. From the title and the first couple of sentences, we know that author is focusing on subways. Answer choice C matches our reasoning and is the correct answer. Let's review the process for answering author main goal questions. Quick Review of General Strategies for Author Main Goal Questions #1: Determine the Main Idea #2: Use the Title and the First Couple of Sentences to Determine the Main Idea #3: Answer "Yes" or "No" First #4: Eliminate the Two "Yes" or "No" Answers #5: Provide Your Own Reason for "Yes" or "No" #6: Pick the Answer Choice that Most Closely Matches Your Own Reasoning At this point, you should be much more comfortable with author main goal questions and one step closer to total ACT domination! What's Next? If you want to learn about another type of reading comprehension question on the ACT English section, check out this post on author technique. 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