D2 Offer Question

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Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
I would HIGHLY suggest that the parents do some addition investigation because if this is true it is the first school I have ever heard of with this policy. I would bet $1 the coaches are either mis-informed or trying to save some athletic money for other players.

I wouldn't call it a policy. I'd call it a strategy.

D-II has only 7.2 scholarships available. Most D-II's aren't even fully funded (at least that's what I was told once by the nearest D-II coach up this way), so there's not much athletic money to give. The coach's strategy is to recruit good students who will be happy with their academic aid and a roster spot so that the coach's limited athletic money will go further. She might lose some recruits that way, but she might gain others because she's spending her athletic money strategically. Coach is doing what she thinks will build the best roster overall.

It's not totally unlike the Hope Scholarship in Georgia. Take the Hope and be happy and we'll spend our athletic money on somebody who can't get it. Athletic money is not assigned based on a player's value to the team, but on need and what builds the best team overall.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I wouldn't call it a policy. I'd call it a strategy.

D-II has only 7.2 scholarships available. Most D-II's aren't even fully funded (at least that's what I was told once by the nearest D-II coach up this way), so there's not much athletic money to give. The coach's strategy is to recruit good students who will be happy with their academic aid and a roster spot so that the coach's limited athletic money will go further. She might lose some recruits that way, but she might gain others because she's spending her athletic money strategically. Coach is doing what she thinks will build the best roster overall.

It's not totally unlike the Hope Scholarship in Georgia. Take the Hope and be happy and we'll spend our athletic money on somebody who can't get it. Athletic money is not assigned based on a player's value to the team, but on need and what builds the best team overall.

I completely understand a coaches strategy of recruiting girls with strong academics who will qualify for financial aide allowing the coaching staff to spend their athletic money elsewhere, but I think it is WRONG for a coaching staff to tell a player that "school policy" prevents them from stacking athletic and academic money if that is not true. If a coach will lie about that, what else are they lying about?
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
In the end they have to make a decision about how bad they want THIS school and if they might have any other offers.

It does sound like a strategy to save athletic money for students that are not that great academically.

If they only have 5 or 6 fully funded scholarships this makes lots of sense; they could get maybe 10 kids on half scholarships then the rest are on academic.

As others have mentioned though that could mean tough decisions once season starts, how much can she sacrifice academically to play when softball is not paying the bills and staying in school means hit the books not hitting the ball?
 
Mar 9, 2015
321
18
The coach explained the "no stack" option either academics or athletics, and this was confirmed when they followed up with admissions. It is a school policy not the coach. Talking to the parents sounds like they are not fully funded as the coach presented athletic money but was less than the academic. On a side note, the academic scholarship is about 60% so that is more than the coach has available.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I completely understand a coaches strategy of recruiting girls with strong academics who will qualify for financial aide allowing the coaching staff to spend their athletic money elsewhere, but I think it is WRONG for a coaching staff to tell a player that "school policy" prevents them from stacking athletic and academic money if that is not true. If a coach will lie about that, what else are they lying about?

Seems like an anonymous call to the Athletic Director would answer the school policy question.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
I completely understand a coaches strategy of recruiting girls with strong academics who will qualify for financial aide allowing the coaching staff to spend their athletic money elsewhere, but I think it is WRONG for a coaching staff to tell a player that "school policy" prevents them from stacking athletic and academic money if that is not true. If a coach will lie about that, what else are they lying about?

Correct, if it's an outright lie, then run!
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
The coach explained the "no stack" option either academics or athletics, and this was confirmed when they followed up with admissions. It is a school policy not the coach. Talking to the parents sounds like they are not fully funded as the coach presented athletic money but was less than the academic. On a side note, the academic scholarship is about 60% so that is more than the coach has available.

You would think the AD and coaches would fight this policy...I mean if you could offer just 25% to four kids in this situation that would basically cover 85% of costs and the athletic dept is out just one scholarship.
 
Mar 28, 2016
164
18
You would think the AD and coaches would fight this policy...I mean if you could offer just 25% to four kids in this situation that would basically cover 85% of costs and the athletic dept is out just one scholarship.

I agree. They will lose more excellent recruits then gain.

I would try to find out if this is a school policy for all athletics or just the softball team. If it's just the softball team then it really is the coach's strategy that the AD agreed to.
 
Mar 24, 2014
450
18
Does it really matter when the money comes from? Say academic is 60% and athletic is 40%, one of your DD's top schools, and have to pick then go with the 60%. If it is the right fit and affordable for your family, then commit to the D2 school.
 

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