Confused after visit

No offer made means there is no offer, yet. What division? If they do not have an NLI, no need to offer yet.

Have your son call the coach, tell him he is interested in coming to play for him.

If no offer comes, it means time to move onto someplace who really wants your son.

I'd be confused too. But then we all know the recruiting process can be a weird ride. Parents and players need to take some of the blame for this weirness. I think we sometimes make assumptions based on perception instead of asking questions or picking up the phone and calling the coach and getting some things clarified. I assume you will be paying some of the bills associated with your son’s college education so in my opinion you have every right to pick up the phone and ask these questions. I did. I'm not sure I understand your phrase of "pushing hard". This makes me think your son is being heavily recruited by this coach? Is that true? If so it's difficult to understand how a coach can spend three hours with a recruit, go through the motions of selling his program ---- going as far as telling him to apply --- without explaining the financial relationship between the player and the college. If scholarship money is important, then why didn't your son ask the coach about an offer during the visit? Maybe you need to call the coach.
Fungo

I would also be confused. But you didn't say what type of school it is. D1?/D2?/D3?/NAIA?/JC? The answer to that could make a difference I suppose.

If its really his top choice, you owe it to him/yourself to give the coach a call. You must not be afraid of less-than-great-news in this case. If you assume the worst, you may later regret that assumption. If you assume the best (i.e. coach really wants him and was "pushing hard"), you may regret that assumption later too.

As has been advised here before...there aren't a lot of college baseball players who are happy just being on the team. They all want to play. An incoming player with no $$ faces a very large uphill battle...one that can be won, but very, very difficult.

Make the call. Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions. Listen carefully to the words in the answer (write them down as you talk). And then move forward.

I would say don't worry. The fact they spent time with you shows their interest. It is a business, and they are trying to get you for the least amount of scholarship money. Our family was invited to a D1 school by pitching coach after a PG Showcase where they had seen him pitch. Great visit, including tour of facilities, field and campus for an hour 1/2. But coach said no offer until whole staff could see him. Invited us back to a camp so whole staff could see him. That sounded reasonable. You need to directly ask the coach if scholarship money is available, and if so, when?

A lot of people tend to get hung up on scholarship money/offers. If you've read this board for any length of time, you'll know that there's not alot of scholarship money in college baseball, so other factors have to take precedence. Given that fact, I know that at least for our family, the order of priority for evaluating potential college/baseball environments was:

1) College academic fit versus my son's academic goals/abilities
2) Baseball program that he wanted to play for
3) Baseball program where he would have the opportunity to play
4) Baseball program that wanted him versus just filling a hole in a roster
5) A team consisting of quality players and coaches (capabilities & values).
6) College environment/community ... is there a sense of a college community, fan support, etc. that would make for a rich college experience.
7) Was it a college we as a family could afford to send him without causing financial distress or jeopardizing the college futures of younger siblings.
8) If an athletic scholarship was offered, was it sufficient to help with (7) such that it was still financially feasible for the family (different for every school, public vs private, etc.). The scholarship issue was simply viewed as an 'enabler' in balance of (7) and never viewed as more important with respect to items 1-5.

Just remember to keep the 'offer' of playing separated in your minds from the 'offer' of scholarship money.

I got hung up on the money and still am.

I'm sure I will get snapped at for this but - what if your son didn't play ball? Did you really go through 18 years as his parent and have no plan for his college education? What if there was never any baseball money for your son? Would he have been on his own to find a way to pay for college? I'm sure lots of students do it and I'm sure it builds character - but I still think parents bear responsibility for at least part of the college education (barring extenuating circumstances). I know my parents put me through school and it was not a small sacrifice. I knew I would do the same for my own.

pbonesteele - very nice post

I probably swap #1 and #2 on your list, only from the point of view that if #2 does not work, then I don't consider #1. Either way, you present a lot of good things to consider.

quote:

Originally posted by pbonesteele:
A lot of people tend to get hung up on scholarship money/offers.....
...the order of priority for evaluating potential college/baseball environments was:

1) College academic fit versus my son's academic goals/abilities
-
-
7) Was it a college we as a family could afford to send him without causing financial distress or jeopardizing the college futures of younger siblings.
8) If an athletic scholarship was offered, was it sufficient to help with (7) such that it was still financially feasible for the family (different for every school, public vs private, etc.). The scholarship issue was simply viewed as an 'enabler' in balance of (7) and never viewed as more important with respect to items 1-5.

I think your post was great but I'm going to disagree. I think you even contradicted yourself based on the portion I cut and pasted. In your scenario, you said the #1 factor was academic fit. What if the #1 academic fit is a college that cost $50k/year? As you pointed out in #7, it really may not be an option because of the money. What if your son gets baseball money to go there which is enough to make it feasible financially?

My point is simply, the best choice is the best "fit" and fit is defined by several variables, and the money is certainly a major factor for most people. And since I don't have a money tree out back, it must come via scholarship of some sort.

Obviously, I'm one of those people who gets "hung up on scholarships" (both athletic AND academic) not because I'm trying to compare my child to yours or ClevelandDad's but merely because I'm trying to get some feel for what schools are doing for the various incoming students and how it might affect the COA. At the end of the day, the COA is what it is and if it's affordable, great! If not we move on.

You're right in saying (in general) there's not a lot of scholarship money in baseball. But maybe it's enough to make an otherwise expensive school affordable.

quote:

Originally posted by Redhead:
I still think parents bear responsibility for at least part of the college education (barring extenuating circumstances).

Interesting point. But I think it depends on the background of the parents too. For example; I went to a somewhat expensive 4 year school paid for by my parents. My wife went to a rather inexpensive 2 year school that she helped pay for.

Which situation is "right"?

What if our views differ on how our children's education will be funded based on our experience?

I'm not snapping, just throwing out other possibilities.

I agree that all these variables are inter-related. The point I was trying to make was that the comparative measures for items 1-5 were absolute go/no-go type of decision points regardless of the money issue. If the answer to any of 1-5 was a negative, it wouldn't matter it was attached to a 100% full scholarship, he wouldn't go there. The financial side of it had to be considered on a case by case basis in terms of what we could afford and what the absolute $$$ go-forward cost burden would be after subtracting scholarship dollars, but this was only a worthy math exercise after we decided that 1-5 were positives. Yes, some very expensive schools meant that math exercise required some significant scholarship $$$ for it to work.

He had alternatives that were better financial packages but the answers to 1-5 weren't as good fit-wise ... thus we opted to give more weight to academic/baseball fit. We were more focused on the quality of the overall college experience and finding an environment where he could sense a path to his goal of developing into a key contributor in a high level D1 program ... and someday hopefully look around to find himself standing on the mound pitching in the CWS.

I just don't get into quantitative comparison of percentages or absolute $$$ because it really boiled down to a qualitative measurement of financial feasibility versus the plus factors for us. There were funds set aside for college education going back to when baseball was just T-ball and there wasn't yet any connection between going to college and playing a sport. So, it was never about who offered the biggest scholarship ... it was simply about supporting his dream and could we make it work. That meant finding the right environment where there was a higher potential for that dream to become reality.

I agree there is benefit from a student who helps pay his own way. That point is indisputable. I sometimes read a post and all I can think of is that the person writing acts as if a baseball scholarship is the ONLY way their son will be able to go to college and that theamount of money is the ONLY factor to consider. My point was that surely, when the parent first held that baby boy in his/her arms there was no plan for a baseball scholarship and that they had to have some vision or plan for his future education that did not include a scholarship. Maybe I see my parental role differently than most - it wouldn't be the first time. This is the last post for me on this subject.

Redhead - I agree 100% in that there are parents who think baseball is the ticket to an education. I've always stressed with my kids that while athletics may help, their academics is the key!!!

And I wasn't saying whether it's right or wrong regarding a parent paying for a child's education. I think it depends on the circumstances and I'm sure arguments can be made either way. I agree that parents should help (if within their means) but just pointing out that some parents may have differing views based on thier experiences.

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
pbonesteele - very nice post

I probably swap #1 and #2 on your list, only from the point of view that if #2 does not work, then I don't consider #1. Either way, you present a lot of good things to consider.

Exactly what I thought. The only other relevent qualification in the analysis was weather and climate, which certainly came before any financial consideration. I don't think the poor child even owned a pair of long pants at the time and was NOT interested in acquiring any.

He did get a letter early from Columbia University, which I got pretty excited about...by myself. "An Ivy Leaguer", I thought. Hmm.

Jr. quickly informed me there was no way he was going to school way up north.....in South Carolina.

We looked a criteria that like, great city, Hot weather and play against top schools as part of the schedule. The education is important but my son will have to get a degree here after finishing his 4 years in the US. He can also continue playing college ball here as there is no limits to the number of years you can play.
My middle daughter (23) graduated with honors and paid every cent of her school. When she graduated she said what a ripoff but I know I will need the degree. Her husband of 2 years is studying to be an architect while working in the field. They bought a condo when they got married and just sold it for a $20,000 lift and are now living in an apt on Bluejays Way. She has been working as a waitress making $50,000 a year and told me she didn't know if she could give this job up. Lots of friends and great interaction. I never pictured her as a roadhouse girl and loving it. She also knows she will have to leave some day and continue what she started. Life takes funny turns so you have to be open to change.
Too many people think they know what they want and end up some where totally different.

quote:

Originally posted by TheRock:
Son went on a visit on Monday with a school that had been pushing hard. Coach spent about 3 hours with him showing him around and really selling the program. At the end, he said go and apply online and I know your trying to decide between schools. Call before you do make a committment.

No offer was made. Son was surprised, because on our other visit things went the same way and at the end an offer was made. Son prefers the school he visited on Monday. Any suggestions.

All the things that others have pointed out are valid, heres a few more to cloud your brain with.

**you mention that on your other visits offers were made (how many others and why did he not accept any of them). Coach may feel that you are shopping for dollars and wants ur Son to want to be at his school before he throws a number out there.

**a tie-in to above Coach may not have felt the visit went well (did not feel there was strong interest from u or ur Son...or just didn't click) and wanted to wait.

If ur Son is truly interested in the school has he voiced that to the Coach???

quote:

**you mention that on your other visits offers were made (how many others and why did he not accept any of them). Coach may feel that you are shopping for dollars and wants ur Son to want to be at his school before he throws a number out there.

Lots of good points made.

1. Didn't take the first offer because of a number of reasons, mainly it wasn't the right "fit".

2. We did follow-up with the coach he mentioned we needed to apply so he could figure out what he could give. We did this and are waiting on the process to complete and to see what is offered. School is a D2.

3. First crack at this, but I get the feel that some coaches want to see "how committed" a recruit is before they just make an offer.

Question: Do D2 schools make that many early offers? or do they wait and sign most after the spring?

Thanks for all the great comments.

The two D2 coaches we've talked to recently both concentrate their recruiting on spring of senior year. One told us he offers the vast majority of scholarships in April, May, and June.