What is a good scholarship?

[GOINGDEEP]

Well I got one I just found out tonight. Probably a small % but still needs telling.

Player from our HS signed NAIA last year, started this past fall. ( other side of the state ) She never was keen on the idea of going that far for college, more of a parents push. I've been noticing she comes home an awful lot on the weekends saying she wasn't happy there.

Details are still sketchy but long story short she flunked out. Her close friends say she hated the school and flunking out was the only way she felt she could "get out".

I do know from my conversations with her last year SHE wanted to go to the local state college. But again her parents pressured her into this NAIA choice out of town.

So parents, make sure you weigh all the data for such a huge personal choice of your kids futures.

 

[GelHason]

academic scholarship and sports scholarship are the main scholarship in schools..

 

[RubberBiscuit]

academic scholarship and sports scholarship are the main scholarship in schools..

Politicians are corrupt,.......point?

 

[JBG]

She is 2014 and already has a bunch of offers already? Man do i feel behind the 8 ball! DD is just now contacting some
schools she is interested in and she also is a 2014.

 

[kenb63]

All but a 2015 are signed or committed on DD's team. Things move fast.

 

[Scl1991]

She is 2014 and already has a bunch of offers already? Man do i feel behind the 8 ball! DD is just now contacting some
schools she is interested in and she also is a 2014.

As a 2014, she should be actively communicating with coaches. Recruiting is getting earlier and earlier every year. But your DD is the one that has to make it happen. Call, email, visit. Whatever she can to get noticed.
As for is she's behind the ball or not- maybe. Major D 1s are about done for 2014. Some are done or 2015. Mid majors and D2- the are actively looking and have watch lists made already. She needs to do something quickly to get on those lists. Most will want to have the majority of their slots filled by August, so they are actively looking now. D3, NAIA- There Is probably a little more wiggle room and will keep looking well into the coming school year.
Really academic schools (think Ivy league or similar) will not finish their recruiting until maybe even next spring, due to academic concerns, but they are already on it.
Any school at any level can have needs at any time. The above statements are just generalizations. But the bigger names are more competitive and they get done earlier. It also depends on how set on certain schools your DD is. My DD started emailing as a freshman, got her first offer early junior year, the majority of her other offers by June before senior year (all were major or midlevel D1s) ad committed that July. She has friends hat went JuCo and D2 that also committed that summer. Some NAIA friends were more towards November of senior year.

 

[MsDinosaur]

2014 athlete
1) D-2 Local tuition & books - academic plus athletic money for room and board
2) D-2 New York prestige school athletic money for tuition and books no room or board
3) D-3 Local all tuition & books academic
4) D-1 All tuition and books- some room and board
5) Wait it out

Really interesting topic. I would say the best is the school that most closely meets her academic needs: has the major she wants, is the size she wants, etc. From everything I've read, I'd prefer the schools offering a bigger percentage of academic money over athletic money. The athletic money could be taken away if things don't work out on the team, but the academic money should be hers as long as she keeps her grades up. Have any other offers come in or have there been any changes in the four she had?

 

[AimHigh]

Different View

A good scholarship is the one that gives your dd the education she is looking for in the degree she wants

I am a professor at a big 10 university. Very few 18 year olds know what they want to study. The average student changes majors 3 or 4 times. While it sounds good in theory to find the college you want based upon your perceived course of study, it rarely works out in reality. It amuses me when many give the advice to each other, and to potential student athletes, to make a decision based upon academics. Come work with a bunch of college freshman and see how that plays out.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I am a professor at a big 10 university. Very few 18 year olds know what they want to study. The average student changes majors 3 or 4 times. While it sounds good in theory to find the college you want based upon your perceived course of study, it rarely works out in reality. It amuses me when many give the advice to each other, and to potential student athletes, to make a decision based upon academics. Come work with a bunch of college freshman and see how that plays out.

I agree many change their minds, and that's what has me scratching my head hearing some "verbal" in 9th/10th grade. I'm curious though, if the advice for a "decision based on academics" is not what you would recommend.........on what basis would you propose the decision be based on?

 

[AimHigh]

I agree many change their minds, and that's what has me scratching my head hearing some "verbal" in 9th/10th grade. I'm curious though, if the advice for a "decision based on academics" is not what you would recommend.........on what basis would you propose the decision be based on?

It's a good question, and hard to answer. When I talk with students on why they chose MSU, the variety of answers is stunning and amusing:

1) my boyfriend/girlfriend goes here
2) I wanted to get away from my parents
3) I wanted to be close to home
4) I've always liked MSU
5) the football/basketball team is good
6) my sibling liked it here
7) they gave me the most money
8) academics
9) I like being in an urban environment
10) I like bringing a rural environment
11) I wanted a big school
12) I wanted a small school
13) I liked the campus
14) I liked the dorms
15) I hear its a party school
16)I hear its not a party school


Academics should be the driving force, but understand that unless your DD or son is going either to an elite Ivy League school, or some prestigious public school like Michigan, most schools are academically adequate and fairly similar. Caveat: some schools have a speciality program that may be unique.

But to pretend that most 18 year olds know what they want to study is a bit silly, and that they will stick with the program of study is a hope and a prayer. My DD has already gone from sports management to journalism in one academic year.

Choosing a school is really a crap shoot, and there is no one way, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes not. Good luck.