Partial Scholarship. Can it increase?

[Why did I say yes to SB?]

My DD is an out-of-state freshman position player recruit going to a Power 5 Big State U. The program makes the NCAA's almost every year usually as an at large, but has trouble making it past the first round.

Coach and program have great reputations, and I am confident this stability will last long after daughter's playing career. The coach brings in a large recruit class every year, 2016 and 2017 posted verbal classes are large. Since I have been watching the program, the roster is 2/3 freshmen and sophomores every year. With limited data points I think most girls received a quarter scholarship offer (a strong position recruit who is also a pitcher told my DD, like her, she received only a quarter). Daughter was told her partial was guaranteed for four years with the possibility it could increase.

This possibility of a scholarship increase, is it more than just recruiting fluff? Does a freshman starter who hits at the top of the lineup usually receives a big increase? Where is the line usually drawn? A freshman who finds a starting position at the end of the season and bats in the bottom of the line-up? - or - A freshman who comes off of the bench first to pinch run or hit and has a good chance to start next year?

Any anecdotal observations about players in similar situations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[riseball]

Having any amount guaranteed sounds like pure BS. I would love to see the paperwork to back it up. To your point, I have seen them increase over time. Just like in the real world programs tend to reward those that produce, and those that do not are often provided with incentive to move along.

 

[Cannonball]

My dd's never increased. However, it was very good to start with. Although I don't know what others got, none of the parents bragged that their dd's scholarship increased.

 

[Why did I say yes to SB?]

Riseball thanks for responding. Yes the guarantee with possible increase was given only to my daughter during the coach's verbal offer. A couple of years later when it came time to sign the paperwork all that was there was this year's. But the TB coaches who handled my daughter's career said the college coach has too much integrity to renege on a verbal offer. Listening to the TB coaches has put us into this less than ideal position. When we first received the verbal offer, they kept saying you have to take it, it is such a prestigious offer and don't worry more money will come. Well no academic money came and the little bit of money that came from the state we had to turn down because of conflicts with NCAA. So what happens at the end of the year? (I know a lot depends on DD play) Continue to pay extra for the privilege to play almost big time softball hoping for more money or breaking DDs heart when she comes home to our big u.

 

[Why did I say yes to SB?]

Cannonball thanks for responding.

 

[Comp]

For whatever reason they moved the original post but didnt move any responses that were made prior to the thread being moved.

My daughter played 2 years of JUCO ball on a full athletic ride, and carried a 4.0 GPA. When it came time to move on to a 4 year college, she talked to a few schools and got a lot of interest from a small school who had just in the past few years moved to D1. The coach was really interested in her, but had limited athletic funds available. Because of her GPA, the coach was able to get her in state tuition, a full tuition waiver, book money and some athletic money toward housing. She did not have a breakout season her JR year, but was a good solid player that contributed significantly to the program. She never asked for any additional fund, the coach on his own approached her just before her senior year and told her he was doubling her athletic money she would be getting. She had a great senior year and was ranked well within the top 100 D1 players in batting average. The team recently made their first appearance in the WCWS and her coach told her he sure wished he had her bat back.

This is why I always tell people grades are just as important as playing ability. If the grades are good enough to get academic money, that frees up more of their athletic money to work with other players. Because my daughters grades were good enough to get her other funds, it essentially made her free to his athletic program. What difference does it make what pool the money came from, my kid got essentially a full college ride that she probably would not have gotten solely on grades. Because of the combination of grades and athletic ability, it opened up many other avenues of funding that may not have been available otherwise.

 

[quincy]

The OP started the same thread in 2 different forums, I do not think the Moderators have done anything.

 

[WinThemAll]

For whatever reason they moved the original post but didnt move any responses that were made prior to the thread being moved.

My daughter played 2 years of JUCO ball on a full athletic ride, and carried a 4.0 GPA. When it came time to move on to a 4 year college, she talked to a few schools and got a lot of interest from a small school who had just in the past few years moved to D1. The coach was really interested in her, but had limited athletic funds available. Because of her GPA, the coach was able to get her in state tuition, a full tuition waiver, book money and some athletic money toward housing. She did not have a breakout season her JR year, but was a good solid player that contributed significantly to the program. She never asked for any additional fund, the coach on his own approached her just before her senior year and told her he was doubling her athletic money she would be getting. She had a great senior year and was ranked well within the top 100 D1 players in batting average. The team recently made their first appearance in the WCWS and her coach told her he sure wished he had her bat back.

This is why I always tell people grades are just as important as playing ability. If the grades are good enough to get academic money, that frees up more of their athletic money to work with other players. Because my daughters grades were good enough to get her other funds, it essentially made her free to his athletic program. What difference does it make what pool the money came from, my kid got essentially a full college ride that she probably would not have gotten solely on grades. Because of the combination of grades and athletic ability, it opened up many other avenues of funding that may not have been available otherwise.

^^ This was my DD experience also.

 

[Cannonball]

Keep in mind that if your dd gets academic money, they have to keep it. It isn't a guarantee. Per my dd, she got and kept hers finishing her career as an Academic All American. However, of those that started with academic monies on her team, few kept the total academic monies. I think I posted here once only 4. Another concern with monies is that the trend for most universities is increasing tuition. My dd's monies never increased but the tuition did. Therefore, we paid very little her freshman year but more her senior year.

Finally, if your dd can graduate in the four years then great. Only two of the 7 seniors that played alongside my dd graduated in 4 years. Along with my dd, they will graduate this December. So, you will have to find a way to pay for that. There is an NCAA Scholarship available for those players to finish if they apply and are awarded it.

 

[BobInMadison]

I have see coaches refer to the "3 legged stool" of athletic ability, grades, and test scores in recruiting.

DS is in a D III school, but his ACT scores got him a partial scholarship.
Better grades make it easier for them to find money.
Bad grades end eligibility. I was once the professor who gave an F to a college's star football player, and he was off the team after that.