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19 replies

College choices for average students

K KmomNH100+ posts
Okay, I'm going to broach a topic that some of you will frown upon, but here goes anyway. Report cards came out this past week and while some of my son's friends and teammates fall into the coveted straight-A's-able-to-go-anywhere-they-choose group, the vast majority are either A/B or B/C students. The A/B kids will eventually graduate with a 3.something and the B/C students will graduate with a 2.something. These kids are all headed into either their jr or sr years so even straight A's from here on out will only marginally shift their GPA's. I know that will upset some of you, but that's the reality of their situations and I suspect it effects lots of other kids - not just the ones in NH. We have other forums within HSBBW to discuss grades and how to improve them and how to work hard to be able to show college admin folks a positive trend, etc. That's not what this discussion concerns.

I've noticed a number of posters here who appear to have given up hope on getting into a decent school and that's a bad thing. Anytime a young person looses hope the future becomes ugly and uncertain. Rather than continuing to berate kids who may be past the point of being able to attend the top D1's and the nation's best academic institutions, how about providing some specific direction (as in: "WVU requires a 2.0 GPA", rather than "look at JUCO's 'cause that's all that will be available"). If your son had a GPA of less than 3.5, would you please let our young posters know where he went to school? Please don't give the whole story of where he could have gone if he'd done better - just the reality of where he went. As I said, we adults, and the players on the site, know where excellent academics would get them. Let's give them some options to let them know their average student type GPA is not the end of the world. Thanks.
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TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
My son had a 2.2 GPA -- went to M New Mexico State--played 4 yrs and graduated with a 2.7 GPA

There are loads of schools where a kid can go and have a great college career both in the classroom and on the field

The what I call normal HS student, C to B student has plenty of options. There are way more of the normal HS studnets than not

Folks do your homework--look at the schools on the internet--they give you all the information
ClevelandDadClevelandDadHSBBWeb Administrator
KmomNH - I think you raise some good points.

Here is a suggestion I have. GPA is but one criteria for admission. The standardized admissions tests are also a big factor. I advise kids all the time to learn how to take these exams. Much of it is practicing - over and over again, past/example test questions which will lead to a great improvement in test scores. There are several professional courses offered such as Princeton Review that are designed to teach one how to succeed on such tests. The key is practice, practice, and more practice and it will guarantee success.
NewcomerNewcomer100+ posts
[quoteI've noticed a number of posters here who appear to have given up hope on getting into a decent school and that's a bad thing[/B]


It is also quite daunting to see the GPAs and SAT scores of some of the UNSIGNED players! There's another topic area on this website where players who haven't found a college baseball opportunity can post their grades and stats and so forth. Some of these guys have fabulous numbers and yet nobody picked them up. It would be great to hear about the average player and what the recruiting process has been for the 3.0 and below type of guy.
L lafmom5,000+ posts
KMOM - My son was a very average HS student. He did attend JUCO last year as a freshman in part because we felt that would be an easier transition academically. It worked! He was on the dean's list there and is going to go ahead and transfer to a four year school this fall.

I hope that every student reading this thread understands that a higher GPA does give one MORE options! However, my son was accepted at every school he applied, so it doesn't mean doom if you're dealing with average grades.

I think look at the academic fit as part of the entire picture. For the most part, there aren't going to be great differences in the curriculum or the professors. Class size and expectations can vary though IMO.
J Jazzman10+ posts
KMom,
In the Northeast we are blessed with alot of good colleges that have respectible to excellent baseball programs. The main questions kids have to answer is where do they want to go to college from an academic standpoint. The next step is to research the school and see if there is an opportunity to play baseball. The goal is to find that match and this means alot of work on the research end and knocking on doors. The kid has to be realistic on most of the schools they go after, but have a few reach schools from both the academic and baseball perspective.
My son graduated with a 2.8 GPA and had 1220 on his original SAT's (660 math and 560 verbal). Baseball helped him get accepted to three schools in their engineering program and have a baseball opportunity (UMBC, Western New England and Ithaca). Two of the schools are D3 and the other is a D1. Two of these opportunities were created by knocking on doors and the third the coach came to see him play. He contacted the coaches, made unofficial visits and attended their camps. Ultimately he chose UMBC for the combination of academics and baseball.
On my son's varsity team this year 5 seniors are going on to play baseball. The schools are Western New England (2), Keene State, UMBC and MIT.
N NVR1100+ posts
Kmom,

I wasn't sure if you were addressing strictly the academic side or wanted to include the benefits (extra looks) received by many student/athletes.
I agree with TR. An "average" student (hard working) who is fortunate enough to have the athletic ability that meets the needs of a particular school can go virtually anywhere. That's the awesome upside of athletics complementing academics. Many students have had the opportunity to go to schools that they would not have been allowed to set foot in without athletics. My son, who was a "B" student received offers to attend a few Pac "10" schools, including Cal and a few private colleges such as Santa Clara. All great schools, but without athletics, he probably wouldn't have had any opportunity to attend those schools based solely on academics. So, to the "average" student, there is opportunity out there. Good luck to all.
FungoFungoHighly Regarded and Beloved Old Timer
quote:
Let's give them some options to let them know their average student type GPA is not the end of the world

KmomNH, are you suggesting that AVERAGE is bad?
I never attended college and I think that made me even more aware of the adjustments my son would have to make from high school to college. While he had a 3.5 GPA coming out of high school he lacked the necessary study habits and time management skills necessary to cope with the academic load at college. He thought he could approach college academics in the same manner he had approached high school academics and that was a rude awakening. Toss in about 6 hours of baseball everyday, increased social activities and a brutal SEC travel schedule during the spring semester and he soon realized this was more of a challenge than he thought it would be!
In my opinion two things stood out. The vast majority of college students can find sufficient education at just about any four year college ----and ---- the toughest obstacles college students are faced with are not the actual academics but trying to blend in the social life, the extra curricular activities, new found responsibilities, freedoms and still allotting time to focus on the increased college academics.
Two things will always happen ---- Some pretty good athletes will quit playing to focus on academics and some pretty good students will ignore the books because of athletics --- but life goes on!
Just your "Average" Fungo
Y YourBasicMom100+ posts
quote:
I've noticed a number of posters here who appear to have given up hope on getting into a decent school and that's a bad thing. Anytime a young person looses hope the future becomes ugly and uncertain.


Our son was in a most undesirable situation his senior year in high school, and that was that he was unable to pass a math proficiency exam required by our state to graduate. His gpa was 2.9something, and I had to keep encouraging him that college WAS an option for him. He was very discouraged about his future when it was clear that he wasn't going to graduate in 2003. He had already signed with a junior college in January of his senior year. I was all over the information from the school about how to get him in without the diploma. In our case it was the "ability to benefit" test. I talked him up a lot, helped him to see that he could be a success academically. He is average, and with some determination on his part and mine, he played ball and graduated from Yavapai College in May 2005. He just finished his first year at his new school and was on the Honor roll for all A's this past semester. I think a college degreee is just that, except for a small amount of prestigeous schools. And it doesnt matter if you go to Ball State, or UNC or Southeastern Oklahoma as long as you come out with the degree. My average kid is no longer playing ball, but the academics have finally caught fire with him and that is something. Average kids can find a way, I think one just has to look a little harder.
Last edited by YourBasicMom
ClevelandDadClevelandDadHSBBWeb Administrator
Nice post YourBasicMom Smile

Everyone is average or below in some things and average or above in other things. Talent comes in many forms. Many people I have admired and learned from over the years, simply outwork their competition.

You can start off below average in something, yet, if you work harder over time, you can outperform and yes be or seem "smarter" than your more cognitively gifted co-workers or competitors who may have gone to the finest schools. The pedigree will certainly help you get in the door but some people never really combine that wonderful education with the work-ethic required for long term success.

Also, everyone is working on a life resume which includes academics and other activities. I think if a young man goes to an employer someday and says "I was a student-athlete who managed to succeed on the field and in the classroom," that is going to carry a lot of weight with many employers.
K KmomNH100+ posts
Great posts, All (okay all but one).

Fungo, I am by no means suggesting that average is bad - its average, normal, status quo. Not every student is going to get straight A's. Some get perfect grades without even trying, others work hard to get them, and still others work hard but still come up with B's and C's (and in the real world an occassional D or F that they have to deal with).

I started this thread because I've been seeing kids begin to show signs of giving up the dream - not just of playing college ball, but, in some cases, of going to college altogether, because they keep hearing about the competition.

My son is a hard working student athlete and will go on to college, but no matter what he does he knows he will never have the number of choices available to him that some of his teammates in cross country and/or baseball have had or will have. He is, however, a very competitive, goal oriented young man. He knows what he wants out of life and he's working hard to get there - including identifying colleges that he may one day attend. He isn't discouraged by the fact that he will never be ivy league material. He simply focuses on schools that may be a good fit for him and where he may be a good fit for the program.

There are, however, kids who are getting discouraged because they hear that coaches will always take the player with higher average and they know its not them. I appreciate so many understanding that those guys are out there and giving them the encouragement they need. And thank-you for sharing your sons' stories. There are others out there who need to know they aren't the only one ever to walk the path they're on.
Catch RCatch R10+ posts
Thank you for these thought provoking posts. I hate to think that average equates to below average, but it often seems to. Our state university, University of Md., is a great school. My son, at this point, isn't even close to getting in when we hear the average (that word again) GPA to get admitted is something like a 3.87. Let alone play baseball there! It is sad and frustrating. He has Jr. year and Sr. and SATs coming up, but is already sure he is "just average". By the way, he has worked with tutors for school as well as for baseball, always trying to do better in both! Let's see what Jr. year brings... he is taking a hard course load....
TR Tim Robertson100+ posts
Are schools getting harder to get into or are high schools getting easier in their grading? I believe it to be the latter. I am also surprised by "college grads", even with "master's degrees" that can't spell consistently and have atrocious spelling! I have been a bad speller, but either I am getting much better or people are getting much worse.
Anyway, one may be surprised what their "average" HS kid can do in college. My 2nd oldest had a good GPA in HS, but struggled in the harder classes (PE in 12th grade as an elective helped raise his GPA). He is at the local community college now (no baseball or sports) and is in the Beta Kappa society (can't recall the name exactly) and last semester had a 4.0 average. I always told him that I was not that worried about his grades in HS as he worked hard to get what he got. His brother skirted through HS and got a rude awakening in college - the boy had to actually work! He is doing better now too once he bought into the actually working for his grades.
So you see, they are all different and you just have to encourage them to do their best at what they are doing.
Hard work pays off.

Tim Robertson

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