Future of Division III

[Ron Boerger]

If there's no difference between your undergrad and grad programs, you're not doing it right.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

If there's no difference between your undergrad and grad programs, you're not doing it right.

I think he meant the feeling isn't different.  I said I wanted to reserve college sports for college students and he said "grad school is college."  Again, my response was that this wasn't my experience, but I'll willing to hold it is or could be the experience of some folks.  I wonder if it won't be the experience of a lot more if schools start catering to a five year window instead of four.

[Kuiper]

Opinion piece in Inside Higher Ed,  written by the president of Misericordia, opposing the proposed five-year eligibility rule in D3: https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2026/10/26/division-iii-should-reject-5-year-eligibility-opinion

The irony of this coming from Misericordia's President is that they have announced a plan to start a Law School on the old Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus.  It's pretty common now for law schools to offer 1 year, non-JD earning, part-time degrees and one group that enrolls (in addition to HR professionals and others who need to know some law in their regular jobs) are athletes looking for a 1 year grad program to enroll in while they are pursuing a grad transfer year on a D1 sports team.  I suspect he will change his tune if their law school gets off the ground and they are desperate for students.

[IC798891]

If there's no difference between your undergrad and grad programs, you're not doing it right.

I think he meant the feeling isn't different.  I said I wanted to reserve college sports for college students and he said "grad school is college."  Again, my response was that this wasn't my experience, but I'll willing to hold it is or could be the experience of some folks.  I wonder if it won't be the experience of a lot more if schools start catering to a five year window instead of four.

I'm guessing it's somewhat different if you go to grad school immediately after undergrad, kind of as an extension of that first degree, or if you go back after a year or more off and get something less directly related to the undergrad degree. I have a nephew getting his master's as part of his athletic training degree, and from what I have learned from talking with him about it, it's not some massively different experience.