My daughter came up in a neighborhood soccer league that had neither travel nor an academy program, and she didn't switch to travel until U13. I don't really know how it works for really young kids. Back then, we didn't even start organized play until U8, although that has changed. Maybe some clubs are starting academies at U6 (although that sounds awfully early), but I would be shocked at a tryout for kids that age.
Maybe it's different in those high-rent neighborhoods with cutthroat competition for the Ivy League-feeder childcare centers. Do you live in one of those?