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18 replies

Here is an interesting dilemma we face for college....

jemazjemaz1,000+ posts
....our second son is a solid player on a national calibre high school team (a team that includes a sure-fire top 2 or 3 round draft pick who has signed with Arizona State and another player who has signed with Stanford and a third who has signed with Duke).

As a junior, he started only on a part-time basis and batted about 50 to 60 times as we literally rolled to the state championship and finished 30-2 and ranked (depending on the poll) in the top 10 or 15 in the country. He played well in a limited roll.

Over the summer, he was on a top Connie Mack team and in the fall (in addition to playing football) played Scout League baseball.

He is rated by Prospects Plus in the top 15 or 16 high school seniors in Arizona and has received consistent recruiting attention from a number of schools, most prominently UNLV and the top 1 or 2 junior colleges in Arizona. The coaches at Virginia Tech told him that he was probably not an ACC prospect, but certainly a mid-level D1 prospect. He has some (inconsistent) attention from Ivy League Schools.

He also is a truly outstanding student on a National Merit level and has in hand seven offers of academic scholarships that will cover every dollar of the cost of attending college and then some (money intended for incidental expenses, research and summer study away from school). These offers are from Top 50 public research universities and require that he maintain certain levels of academic performance.

All of that is great -- except for the fact that there is a nearly compete mismatch. The baseball offers (assuming they materialize) will not come close to matching the academic offers and will come from schools not close to the same academic quality.

The academic offers come from schools where his chances of playing baseball would be essentially non-existant.

I am excluding the Ivies here (where I believe he might be able to play either football or baseball and perhaps both) because 1. there are no offers of any kind and uncertain interest on the part of the schools; 2. the expenses are so great they make the financial situation very, very difficult even if assistance were to materialize; 3. I am not certain he would be admitted.

I'd be interested in opinions here.
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P PhoenixDad100+ posts
Our situation was similar in some aspects, different in many others, but it still came down to making a choice that concerned money, academics and baseball.

We let our son make the decision. It was his life, his future. We can educate and prepare him for difficult choices, but we can't make them for him throughout life.

It had to be his choice, but he had to be able to explain his reasoning of why he made the choice. If he couldn't state absolutely why one choice was better than another, it wasn't time to decide yet.
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
Sounds like to me you have a great son. Academics are great and he is a very good ball player. You should be very proud of him and you have so much to look forward to. He has to make a decision. Is playing baseball or football in College important enough to him to go to a school that might not have the academic prestige that he desires. Its not where your at its what you do where your at.
B BigWI1,000+ posts
Let's consider getting off the DI kick for a moment.

There are some dang great schools that play DIII ball where it sounds like your son would be a great fit. What does he want to major in?

My son seems to be on a lot of DI schools "B Lists". But there are several outstanding academic schools that play DIII that would love to have my son. My guess is that might be the direction my son goes.

Going to a great school and playing ball, nottin better then that.
Last edited by BigWI
piaa_umppiaa_ump5,000+ posts
This is the exact place where my son fell into last year.....A definate B list D-1 player, with many "invited walk on" and "walk on" opportunities was courted academically and athletically by a local DIII.

The academic $$$ package presented by the DIII, the academic reputation,the availability of his major and the potential early playing time sealed the bill.
Last edited by piaa_ump
infielddadinfielddad10,000+ posts
Very interesting and thought provoking situation. On the Ivy side and playing two sports, my son's recruiting experience with one Ivy program was pretty negative. The football coach made it clear, without saying the exact words, that he did not think it was doable. Son was a QB so maybe that makes a difference. Sounds like there is a need to identify whether your son is willing to accept the either/or dilemma for academics and baseball currently faced as opposed to doing both but at a midlevel DI or high level, strong academic DIII. On the former, have you looked into Davidson, Bucknell and other schools that are DI baseball and high quality academics. On the latter, Krakatoa has given you two very top DIII on academics and baseball. If cost is an issue, Trinity is generally about $15,000 less than Emory or the Ivies for an education that is equated in some publications and with people in TX. to be on par with Rice.
CoachB25CoachB25Honorary "Old TImer"
jemaz, why not consider a DII school that would be willing to do both. I know several schools at the DII level go this route. Also, if you pick a decent DII school, your son will get good competition while also getting a free education. Our local DII school has had more than its share of success and it has also had several players drafted. Just a thought!
jemazjemaz1,000+ posts
I appreciate the thought-provoking input and we will certainly follow-up on some of the suggestions. I will be giving you a call, John. Thanks for the offer.

Part of the issue is that what we have are offers in hand. They may or may not materialize at some of these other schools that have been suggested. As I inferred in my original post, the schools that seem most interested in him on the academic side are large public research universities (all of whom happen to have top-level baseball programs). I just don't know if he would have the same offer of financial assistance from some of these other schools and, if not, how much of a factor does baseball remain. It is a very good choice to have to make in very many ways, but, nonetheless, a dilemma to some degree.
B BigWI1,000+ posts
Jemaz.

One more thought for you .

Do not rule out Private schools. They have TONS of money to give if they want the student.

Last year it was cheaper to send my son to the private school that he ended up at, then it would have been to send him to the local state school (assuming he lived on campus at both).

Also the Finaccial aid offered by the state school was in the way of subsidized loans (to be paid back), the financial aid from the private school was Grants & Scholarships (not to be paid back).
Last edited by BigWI
V VaDad100+ posts
jemaz,
the coaches at VaTech may not always be right about their assesment of your son's abilities. They are not the top evaluators of talent in the Commonwealth.

Why not look at some D1s with great academics and good baseball programs outside the ACC? William & Mary, Northeastern, Georgetown, Seton Hall are all good programs. I am of course partial to William & Mary. Call Coach Wheeler and discuss the situation with him. PM me if I can help.
hsbbwebhsbbwebhsbbweb
jemaz,
I read your post and think I understand your predicament. My suggestion would be strongly consider the juco route.

While many players at the upper juco programs are either draft and follow or are semi academic casualties, that is not true of all the players. Some are very good students hoping to get some playing time, improve their skills and showcase them to the 4 year schools.

When a student-athlete applies himself and the course cirriculum is done right the two academic years at a juco are not much (if any) different than at a 4 year institution.

Just my 2 cents worth.
O OldVaman500+ posts
Jemaz

First, congratulations on your dilemma. Many of us would love to have this problem.

What is he saying? All the academic credentials won't make a lot of difference if he is fixated on playing baseball in college. On the flip side, if you can contact someone who can put him in contact with some of the top academic or industry-types in his would-be major, that might tweak him, too.

I'd continue to pursue the Ivies, hard, then play the waiting game a little. National Merit credentials are, of course, a very big deal. Perhaps they need to feel more interest on your end before they get excited. Seems you have time on your side, as long as you're already down to something of a short list.

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