**Malcolm Gladwell: stop athletic scholarships and parent pressure on kids sports! **

The criteria for athletic scholarships are legacy, school contribution, minority status, and sporting ability, with sporting ability being the most important. Athletic ability increases the chances of getting into prestigious schools like Harvard. However, this only affects a very small fraction of students. It is concerning that athletes receive preferential treatment at non-D1 glam sports schools, as this feeds into the craziness in high school sports where parents are making premature decisions for their children. The pressure put on young female athletes can lead to health problems such as stress fractures, particularly in sports like running and figure skating. This pressure comes from both coaches and parents who have high expectations for their children. The solution is to eliminate athletic scholarships to change the incentives and reduce the emphasis on children's sports performance.