Very, very good and timely topic.
Hope you dont mind my adding. The scholarship program MUST begin if the player has not been in affiliated ball for 2 years. Always has been that way. There is also a time limit on completion which I think is no longer than 5 years. So if one for goes college one cannot actually begin until they are done playing. Many do attend online programs as they are playing. Expensive.
In sons case a team wanting to draft him would not give him what his out of state program was giving as a scholarship. Granted, if he were a higher prospect, maybe they would have. That played a big part in going to play at Clemson.
The MLB scholarship plan is negotiable. As a drafted junior out of college he negotiated remaining semester tuition at the current amount upon returning. No room and board. Also keep in mind for college drafted players who went out of state, one has to return to that program or they will lose credits upon transfer. My son was out so long they didnt even have the classes he needed for his major, but they made substitutions and that would have never worked somewhere else.
As noted, reimbursement is a tedious process. DK, like MTHs son, was lucky he was returning to a school where they wanted athletes to graduate so they paid for his remaining credits (online in summer) and when he began fall classes he received monthly stipend to help with room and board. The head of that program who helps in reimbursement couldnt believe how difficult it was dealing with his drafting team.
And most of all, being 30 sitting in class with those much younger just isnt all that fun. Som wss lucky he got to go to the ballfield after classes or he would have gone mad with boredom.
I suggest the same as Goosegg, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Ask to see the plan before any decision is made, of course it all depends on who, what and where you are drafted. Most advice doesnt refer to very top picks who will not have to worry about their signing bonus disappearing.
And scouts are supposed to give you a copy of the plan if requested.