Clarifying Questions for Offer

I must regrettably report that you have to be on the alert for people short changing you by being overly clever.

I hear many stories of kids being told they're getting "full tuition" offers or things of that nature.  When the NLI later comes, the dollar amount is not what they were expecting.

A true "full ride" means getting what a football or basketball player would get -- all tuition, fees, room, board, and books paid in full.

The NCAA rule requiring that any offers be for at least 25% is defined in terms of 25% of a true full ride.  Anything less would not be legal.

So be sure that, if they offer something other than 25%, you know what that percentage is being applied to.  For clarity's sake, you'd want it applied to the total cost of attendance.

Also be aware that, under an NCAA rules change instituted last year, the school CAN offer you an NLI that is binding on them for up to five years. 

The school doesn't have to do that, and to my observation, few if any are doing it.  The norm is year-to-year deals.

But you can always ask and see what they say, e.g.:

Them:  "We'd like to offer you XX%."

Your son:  "Wow, that is wonderful news.  I really appreciate that.  Can you tell me, when do you need my answer?  And also, so that I can tell my parents, would that be guaranteed for 4 years?"

There is a lot to be optimistic about in your son's situation. You can handle the upside. Gotta have eyes open for possible potholes.

The amount. No matter what they say now, for a 2015, it can change before NLI signing day.Typical excuse is "fewer guys got drafted than we expected". Just gotta ride with the flow until signing day.

(I've just heard of a case where a player who signed an NLI last November was told in June he was no longer wanted. He could have insisted that the school honor the contract, but he would not have been welcome at practice. If he wanted to transfer after that, he would have to sit out a year. In other words, if he insisted that the school honor the contract, his baseball career would have been over. This is an exception, not the rule, I hope and expect. But still, schools have all the leverage. Take your time, ask all the right questions, good luck)

As you have these discussions, try not to be immediately dismissive of the coach who seems to hedge some. Often, he's not trying to be disingenuous; rather, he's trying to respond pragmatically to a situation involving a lot of moving parts (many of which are completely out of his control).

Instead, listen carefully to the overall situation he describes along with what he is offering specifically to your son. As you listen, ask yourself if what he's offering makes sense, given the broader context he's describing. 

For example, he may say something like,"Based upon what I know today, we're able to offer your son at least 40% of his total costs. I'd like to be in a position to offer something more like 50%, and I may find myself able to do that; but, it depends in part upon which of my rising juniors signs a pro contract (and/or which of this year's recruits sign pro contracts out of high school)."

This is not a professional team trying to apply a "salary cap" that can be exceeded if the club is willing to pay a tax for exceeding the cap. It's a hard-and-fast, zero-sum game. Every dollar he gives your son takes a dollar away from another player on the current roster or recruit; and, he has to be exceedingly aware of that. This is especially true when considering a situation involving a player who won't matriculate for another two years.

Meanwhile, the roster of current players and recruits is as fluid as it can possibly be. For this reason, his hedging may well be both a response to that reality and a good faith effort on his part to commit what he knows he can commit today with an earnest desire to find more money for your son as roster and recruiting developments allow.

If this is the sort of thing you hear and he seems genuine in what he says, find the opportunity to come behind his comments and see if current or recent players have (1) heard the same sort of thing as recruits and (2) found, once there, that he lived up to his professed intentions.

Best of luck to your son!

I don't have a dog in the fight as my son is already playing college, but I do have a question about this statement Prepster.  If the coach does say something like the above, would he really be able to or willing to do that once the NLI is signed.  I ask because early NLIs are signed in November and the coach may not know the answer to the draft question until June or July.  Would the coach come back at that time and amend the NLI, or once you sign the NLI are you pretty much locked into that?  Just curious.

The coach has the latitude to increase the amount after the NLI has been signed; but, I think that's quite rare. I know this to be the case because my son had his amount boosted after the first semester of his freshman year. When his commitment had been made, we had been told by his coach that he'd try to find additional funds as they became available...and he did. I repeat, though, this is unusual.

Frankly, however, I was writing more to the circumstance faced by the OP. His son is a rising junior in high school, and it's 16 months before he'll have the opportunity to sign his NLI. A LOT can take place in a program's scholarship budget in those 16 months.

After all, there's the final disposition of both this year's and next year's draftees (both high school and college players). Meanwhile, there are any number of changes that can take place due to health considerations, academic shortcomings, transfer decisions, etc.

A college baseball roster is a VERY dynamic thing; subject to constant fluctuation. Virtually every time a current player or recruit makes a change, the scholarship budget moves, accordingly.

Got it.  I think it's safe to say that you should expect and plan for the lower amount and base your decision on that.  Don't bank on that "I hope to get you more" amount. 

We didn't "bank" on it at the time (and I'm not recommending that); but, we did do our homework and confirm that there was some basis for believing him genuine. That's a separate question from whether or not the budget frees up sufficiently to allow it.

My principal point was that coaches who hedge some and seem to have a cogent, reasonable basis for doing so need to be given some consideration if and when that happens.

Nobody answered the summer school portion of the OP, so I'll take a stab at that.

Schools are permitted to pay tuition, fees, books, and room (but not board) for athletes attending summer school without these costs being charged against the 11.7 equivalent scholarships.

Not all schools have the money to cover these summer expenses, and some make the decision each year based on the current budget.  This is an area you should ask about if the answer will affect your decision.  However, don't be surprised if the answer is tentative because often the coach simply won't know the budget two years in advance.   

When my son was an incoming freshman, they offered to pay tuition, fees, books, and room for summer school. I counter offered with the proposal that I'd happily pay all those expenses if they'd just feed the boy, but they didn't fall for that ploy.

Great perspectives, so thank you everyone!  Some definite things to think about as we move into this exciting next stage. 

Very much appreciated!

"Schools are permitted to pay tuition, fees, books, and room (but not board) for athletes attending summer school without these costs being charged against the 11.7 equivalent scholarships."

I believe, though, that the same terms that apply fall/spring have to be applied to the summer costs.  Otherwise the team can lose more of its 11.7 to one player.

Midlo, 

You might be right.  Handbook does seem to say so, but that's definitely not what we experienced.  Wonder if the rule has changed, wasn't applied correctly, or if there's another clause authorizing it somewhere else.

Prepster...off topic...but I noticed the VT avatar!  I believe congratulations are due!  Go Hokies! 

http://www.hokiesports.com/bas...aps/20130715aaa.html

Now back on topic...

Many thanks, keewart!

He's extremely excited to be there. I had to laugh. He drove his stuff to Blacksburg last Wednesday...and was recruiting in Atlanta the next day. He's been on the road recruiting somewhere every day since. Guess he'll get settled sometime around Thanksgiving. 

Go Hokies, indeed!

Now, back on topic...