Great post, Chico.
One quibble, I would edit this sentence: "And if your son is thinking HA D3, then let's face it: he is almost certainly not getting drafted." to say And if your son is a pitcher who is thinking HA D3, then let's face it: he is almost certainly not getting drafted. There are always a few drafted, and this year there is talk, at least, of 2 from 1 conference being drafted in the top 5 rounds.
On the other hand, this: "...students don't really know what college is like, and don't necessarily have a good grasp of what they want. "
...is one of the truest things ever said on this website.