Headfirst Honor Roll camps - thoughts?

[cnardone]

Is summer between freshman and sophomore year too soon?

 

[Vertigo]

Not offering academic monies is true for the Little Ivies for sure. @Vertigo can speak on this. DD's school offered lots of academic monies but it was nearly unreachable since they were giving it to those kids that would have gone the Ivy route. 34-36 ACT. They will be moving to D2 so athletic monies will be there soon enough.

Correct. The NESCAC schools (Little Ivies) do not offer merit money. It is all needs based. Some of the Centennial conference schools (Muhlenberg, Gettysburg, F&M, etc) that attend those camps DO offer merit money, but some don’t. You’d really have to look at each specific school to determine who does or does not.

 

[Orange Socks]

Is summer between freshman and sophomore year too soon?

That's when DD did it, but that was 2016 when it was the Wild West of 12 year old's getting offers. If you can swing the price, why not. The D3 schools can talk to your DD all day long.

 

[Sonerai]

Is summer between freshman and sophomore year too soon?

My DD did it the summer between sophomore and junior year. I think that is the earliest I would go as these schools are very interested in grades. If you have sophomore grades available, I think that can peak their interest and maybe establish an ongoing communication through junior year. Most of the coaches have told her it is the summer after junior year when things kick into high gear with these schools. It is an expensive camp, and I am not sure you'd get the value going summer between freshman and sophomore year, unless she just wants the experience and maybe to start making connections early.

 

[Orange Socks]

My DD did it the summer between sophomore and junior year. I think that is the earliest I would go as these schools are very interested in grades. If you have sophomore grades available, I think that can peak their interest and maybe establish an ongoing communication through junior year. Most of the coaches have told her it is the summer after junior year when things kick into high gear with these schools. It is an expensive camp, and I am not sure you'd get the value going summer between freshman and sophomore year, unless she just wants the experience and maybe to start making connections early.

I would totally agree with this. ACT/SAT scores come into play too. Coaches don't want to waste their time unless you have solid grades and scores to back up your softball skills. A lot of things start to come into play those last 2 years of HS. Grades can slump, boys in the mix, burn out, skills can wane, etc. Make sure your DD's are on track and understand the recruiting process with many of these skills take way more time than other schools. I know a kid who committed to Amherst Spring of her season year. Being patient with the process is understatement, while all your friends are signing to their schools you are standing in the corner trying to keep it together.

 

[LHV_NY_SB]

My DD did it the summer between sophomore and junior year. I think that is the earliest I would go as these schools are very interested in grades. If you have sophomore grades available, I think that can peak their interest and maybe establish an ongoing communication through junior year. Most of the coaches have told her it is the summer after junior year when things kick into high gear with these schools. It is an expensive camp, and I am not sure you'd get the value going summer between freshman and sophomore year, unless she just wants the experience and maybe to start making connections early.

My DD will be a junior next year so I'm trying to weigh if we should do it now or wait until the summer before senior year. I know with the high academic schools, grades and test scores are weighed heavily in the process.

Edit: Do you think it's as valuable as just picking 2-3 colleges on the list and attending their camps on their own campus?

 

[LEsoftballdad]

My DD will be a junior next year so I'm trying to weigh if we should do it now or wait until the summer before senior year. I know with the high academic schools, grades and test scores are weighed heavily in the process.

Edit: Do you think it's as valuable as just picking 2-3 colleges on the list and attending their camps on their own campus?

As a rising junior, this is the time to go. Don't wait until next year.

 

[Sonerai]

My DD will be a junior next year so I'm trying to weigh if we should do it now or wait until the summer before senior year. I know with the high academic schools, grades and test scores are weighed heavily in the process.

Edit: Do you think it's as valuable as just picking 2-3 colleges on the list and attending their camps on their own campus?

I agree with LE. As a rising junior it is a great camp to go to and now is the time. You need to make those relationships with coaches now. I think you get more bang for the buck going to the Headfirst camp, but I would say you'll also probably want to go to the individual camps of the schools your DD is really interested in.

 

[EC22]

Mind if I ask which school?

Denison university. Near Columbus, OH
Great school, great choice

 

[TwoPitcherFam]

Correct. The NESCAC schools (Little Ivies) do not offer merit money. It is all needs based. Some of the Centennial conference schools (Muhlenberg, Gettysburg, F&M, etc) that attend those camps DO offer merit money, but some don’t. You’d really have to look at each specific school to determine who does or does not.

This is a key point for those families where scholarship money is a/the deciding factor. Many of the very elite HA D3 only offer financial aid. These schools for 2024 are now 85-92k tuition plus room & board. For D1, the Ivies are financial aid only. Conferences like Patriot offer athletic and atleast one (I believe) merit. Do your homework before second round conversations. Most of this information is a google search away.