My son just finished his second year at a NESCAC school. While in high school the thought of a Penn State type of Saturday afternoon fueled most of his dreams of what a college experience should be. His skill level coupled with an excellent academic profile changed the thought process. I was worried when dropping him off, thinking that the school might be too small (1800) and the athletics not what he was looking for. Here is where we are at today.
1) He plays in a very competitive baseball conference with and against coaches and players who are excellent.
2) The academic rigor, which took a semester to adjust to,has helped him truly appreciate the value of his education.
3) He, his teammates and friends have a healthy social life.
4) Almost 60% of the students are or were varsity athletes. He is surrounded with kids who are smart, like to learn and are passionate about playing and watching sports.
A final note. This past year the football team went 8-0 and won the conference. They beat their arch-rivals on the last Saturday of the season. My son reported this on the phone that afternoon. "I know there weren't 80,000 people in the stands, but when Kevin caught that pass, it was my friend Kevin I was rooting for. All these guys live with me, eat with me, go to class with me. It would be nice to be rooting with 80,000 people, but I don't know if it would be better than rooting for my friends."