D3 Offers

yes and no, they have some wiggle room but they will never admit it!

I have found for the most part, you apply and they send you a typical offer based on the school, then you say I am looking for a bit better deal....they drag the feet a bit and wait for you to do the FAFSA...that is a key because then they will actually determine how much you can afford (or at least the perception of it) and decide how much they want your kid...then if they really like him and the finances work so they can cover the school properly...lo and behold there is often a better offer available. It is not typically phrased as better offer but some kind of additional help.  If you make to much income or they don't feel $'s will be the deciding factor you may be out of luck.

This also varies from school to school and the terminology changes, as best as I can tell this protects the schools and the folks in admissions. One thing I know about college pricing it like a used car, it depends on the student, the need, the enrolment numbers and budgets....there is no set price.

All in all IMO if the school is the right place for your kid and they mutually want each other the few dollars extra that might be available aren't a deal breaker in either direction.

I like your used car analogy. Some of these RCs def sound like used car salesmen!

Well I didn't intend to sound like that was a negative, just that it is a commodity and at a given point depending on many factors, that you may or may not be aware of, the cost can fluctuate some...

I have found the hardest part is knowing you can squeeze out a better deal but also being aware your son really really wants to be there and ultimately you can afford it either way. The business side of you wants to win because that is what we are trained to do but the dad in you struggles to push it as hard as it needs to be pushed because of the personal side of things with your kid!

Good luck I found it to be somewhat frustrating and was very glad when it was over!

CmassRHPDad posted:

I think things are developing nicely for 2018 RHP.

The d1s who had initially  shown interest have stopped corresponding. The boy's velo is not where it needs to be. He does however have serious interest from some d2s (one substantial offer), and d3s.

I am curious abt these d3 pre-reads. When they say based on your numbers you can expect xyz$, is that it, or is there more wiggle room? I know that d3 assistance is primarily merit based, but im guessing there may be a bit more love if a school really wants him. Has anyone been able to get admissions to find a couple more $$$?

There is probably a very wide variation.  For starters, at some schools there is no merit aid, only need-based aid.  And then there's the question of who it is at the school that really wants him?  The coach or admissions? The  D3 coaches we asked about aid implied or stated that there was a firewall between them and the financial aid office.  If that's the case then you probably have less leverage than you might like. That said, I've seen and heard lots of reports of families asking for more aid and getting it. But I've also heard plenty of reports of the opposite. 

old_school posted:

Well I didn't intend to sound like that was a negative, just that it is a commodity and at a given point depending on many factors, that you may or may not be aware of, the cost can fluctuate 

Understood, I was just trying to be funny. I do want the best for for my son and of course cost is a factor. We have several good public d3s nearby who know him,  want him and are affordable so he has that in his back pocket. So far the private d3 numbers are not putting the schools within the range of affordability. But 2018s attitude is good and he is having fun with the process. Trusting the process for the most part seems to be working out.

CmassRHPDad posted:

I think things are developing nicely for 2018 RHP.

The d1s who had initially  shown interest have stopped corresponding. The boy's velo is not where it needs to be. He does however have serious interest from some d2s (one substantial offer), and d3s.

I am curious abt these d3 pre-reads. When they say based on your numbers you can expect xyz$, is that it, or is there more wiggle room? I know that d3 assistance is primarily merit based, but im guessing there may be a bit more love if a school really wants him. Has anyone been able to get admissions to find a couple more $$$?

Great to hear things are shaping up and offers are in place.  Since interest seems to be coming mostly from the D2 and D3 level, I will offer up that NAIA's do seem to have more flexibility and "magic buckets" where money can be found, should any of those schools come into the picture.  

I have to guess at why (less restrictions/ no NCAA combined with seemingly liberal use of athletic scholarship $$ ?) and my sample size is limited to maybe 8-10 schools but it does seem to be consistent.

I had a friend (a salesperson) who fell in love with a particular D3 and its music program. They made an offer. She called them and said "my son loves your school, but in order for him to attend we need another $x,xxx per year." They gave it to them.

The kid transferred after his first year.

Iowamom23 posted:

I had a friend (a salesperson) who fell in love with a particular D3 and its music program. They made an offer. She called them and said "my son loves your school, but in order for him to attend we need another $x,xxx per year." They gave it to them.

The kid transferred after his first year.

 

2018 has an older daughter who transferred after her first year at a school she fell in love with. I keep pressing 2018 to make sure these schools pass the "Tommy John test".

But lots of kids do transfer home... Our local d3 coach has been a great mentor and advocate for 2018. I can't express enough gratitude to this guy.

He discussed his recruiting strategy with us. He knows he does not have a shot at much of the young upcoming talent. But he makes it a point to let them know that if it does not workout at Big-time U, they have a place here at home. And for various reasons many do come home. And that's ok.

Generally, you have as much leverage with the Financial Aid office as your son's academic numbers convey . College and Universities are about published academic numbers that help them maintain or move up in the marketplace.  Yes, some people are going to be awarded money they ordinarily wouldn't  get because they asked for it and their son's academic numbers help the school.  Some people are not going to be awarded money because they asked for it and the school wants to pass on the students academic numbers.  Before asking for academic or financial aid money, do you homework on what your son is bringing to the table.  There is a lot a institutional dollars (grants from various sources)  that private schools can use at their discretion to incent prospective students.   Even very selective schools provide grants.   It never hurts to ask, but know where you stand first.

JMO

fenwaysouth posted:

Generally, you have as much leverage with the Financial Aid office as your son's academic numbers convey . College and Universities are about published academic numbers that help them maintain or move up in the marketplace.  Yes, some people are going to be awarded money they ordinarily wouldn't  get because they asked for it and their son's academic numbers help the school.  Some people are not going to be awarded money because they asked for it and the school wants to pass on the students academic numbers.  Before asking for academic or financial aid money, do you homework on what your son is bringing to the table.  There is a lot a institutional dollars (grants from various sources)  that private schools can use at their discretion to incent prospective students.   Even very selective schools provide grants.   It never hurts to ask, but know where you stand first.

JMO

http://www.prepscholar.com/sat...rvard-SAT-scores-GPA

Have you tried the College Net Price Calculator for those schools? My perception is that this will give you a pretty good estimate.

https://collegecost.ed.gov/netpricecenter.aspx

We used the Net Price Calculator a lot and it wound up being pretty accurate in calculating merit awards and expected costs.  I would also add that for anybody looking at D3 schools, be sure to go into FASFA as soon as it opens in October.  Knowledge of the differing financial costs of these schools is critical, so the sooner you know if you would qualify for need-based aid, the better.  Many of the top academic schools do not offer anything but need-based aid.  So if you find out through the FASFA process that you do not qualify for need-based aid, yet you don't have the budget to spend $60K a year on a private D3, you can eliminate those schools.

https://financialaidtoolkit.ed...017-18-fafsa-changes

CMASS,

Some great insight here already.

It sounds like your son has some solid opportunities.  Congratulations!  A very nice D2 conference in your neck of the woods and a ton of wonderful D3s.

It's worth asking for more at the D2 or D3 schools in my experience.  As JCG noted, some schools are need based financial aid only and if you don't have the need you don't get the $.  Asking doesn't help.  And at other schools that offered merit money, we found a wide variation in what schools were willing to do, probably as Fenway notes. 

My older guy transferred last year and was awarded very little at his favorite school, and nearly a full ride at some of the D2s.  He asked for more from his favorite school and got more, though nowhere near the "almost free" scenarios we had from a few other places. 

My 2016 had awards ranging from zero $ to over half of all costs.   Merit money played a huge factor for him (and us).  A few schools asked if the awards were sufficient.  When 2016 said he was not going to attend, they (admissions and the coaches) asked if more merit money would change his mind.  That wouldn't happen at Amherst or Williams (at least for him), but it definitely happens at schools further down the rankings and that have merit money to give.

Branson Baseball posted:

CMASS,

Some great insight here already.

It sounds like your son has some solid opportunities.  Congratulations!  A very nice D2 conference in your neck of the woods and a ton of wonderful D3s.

It's worth asking for more at the D2 or D3 schools in my experience.  As JCG noted, some schools are need based financial aid only and if you don't have the need you don't get the $.  Asking doesn't help.  And at other schools that offered merit money, we found a wide variation in what schools were willing to do, probably as Fenway notes. 

My older guy transferred last year and was awarded very little at his favorite school, and nearly a full ride at some of the D2s.  He asked for more from his favorite school and got more, though nowhere near the "almost free" scenarios we had from a few other places. 

My 2016 had awards ranging from zero $ to over half of all costs.   Merit money played a huge factor for him (and us).  A few schools asked if the awards were sufficient.  When 2016 said he was not going to attend, they (admissions and the coaches) asked if more merit money would change his mind.  That wouldn't happen at Amherst or Williams (at least for him), but it definitely happens at schools further down the rankings and that have merit money to give.

we had a similar experience with my 2014 football player son.  offers at d3's varied from half the cost, to none.  Found that the high profile academic d3's like CMU and Johns Hopkins offered very little, all need based, which for us meant "you don't need any".  Others were very generous.  all were private in our case.