PSAT score

Is your 2013 guy on varsity by chance?

If the boy is on varsity and playing then yes. If not then no.

I am thinking your boy is attending the California Underclass Showcase. (Just a fantastic decision BTW. That showcase is one of the very best!)

Congrats on a great PSAT. What are your grades?.. was the very first question every coach asked my son.

Yes, he was the varsity SS last year. He had a 4.2 last year, 4.4 this yr with AP/honors. And yes he is going to CA underclass...it's his first PG event and he is excited
He really wants to play in college at a great academic/baseball school, so we are thinking of having him go to the GPA camp next June since several of the schools he is interested in will be there. Is it too early to apply for Stanford camp? Not sure how this all works or how we're going to pay for all this!

Varsity is the hurdle. Send the boy around. Good luck.

quote:

He really wants to play in college at a great academic/baseball school, so we are thinking of having him go to the GPA camp next June since several of the schools he is interested in will be there.

Blue10

Your son is off to a good start with a very good score on the PSAT. If your son has a baseball resume that he is taking to camps, then it would not hurt to note his PSAT score, as well as when he intends on taking the SAT (presumably next year). Coaches are going to be most interested in SAT or ACT as well as how you perform on the field. You'll probably have strong interest from the Ivys (or similiar academic/baseball school at the GPA camp in JUne) if you can play at that baseball level, and translate that PSAT score into a similiar SAT score. Also, the 2200 PSAT will make him eligible for National Merit scholarship. If you're interested in Ivy baseball recruiting, please send me a PM. I can send you some info on the process. Thanks.

Wow! Those are phenomenol scores. I would say the chances are superb he will be a National Merit Scholar, so I would imagine schools would jump at that. The tuition money he would save them would be incredible. My niece and nephew were National Merit Scholars and they had great opportunities at some of the top academic schools in the nation. Actually, if your mailbox isn't full it's going to get full quick. Congratulations to him. I'm sure you are proud.

Fenway-you have a PM! Thanks!

Thank you for your responses...yes, I am happy he did well, but I was under the impression that National Merit status wasn't a big deal at the top academic schools, since they have so many in their respective applicant pools. Am I mistaken?

Blue10 - those are great scores. Academic schools are very interested in scores like that, since it is so difficult to find a student athlete that they can get through admissions and into their schools. The difference between the other students and your son is he has a special skill - it sounds like he can play baseball.

Another place you would want to consider showcasing him would be the Headfirst Honor Roll Camp (www.playheadfirst.com). Schools that attend this type of camp will have a strong interest in you son. Good luck!

He should be proud of those scores. It is a big deal, but not as big a deal financially as most people think. If he ends up as a National Merit Finalist most schools will give him an extra $1000-2000 in academic money. (renewable each year if he keeps his grades up). He will probably also get some e-mails from lesser schools offering him full tution if he designates them as his first choice before the finalist list comes out. Unfortunately, most of these will not be schools he is interested in.

quote:

Originally posted by Blue10:
Thank you for your responses...yes, I am happy he did well, but I was under the impression that National Merit status wasn't a big deal at the top academic schools, since they have so many in their respective applicant pools. Am I mistaken?

quote:

Originally posted by Blue10:
Yes, he was the varsity SS last year. He had a 4.2 last year, 4.4 this yr with AP/honors. And yes he is going to CA underclass...it's his first PG event and he is excited
He really wants to play in college at a great academic/baseball school, so we are thinking of having him go to the GPA camp next June since several of the schools he is interested in will be there. Is it too early to apply for Stanford camp? Not sure how this all works or how we're going to pay for all this!

Do everything possible to get him an invitation to the Stanford camp. There will be several of the top academic schools attending the camp and it will be great exposure for him.

quote:

Originally posted by Blue10:
2013 son just got back his PSAT...did very well (220, which I think is the equivalent of a 2200 SAT, including 800 on math and 730 verbal). Is this worth sending to coaches or are they only interested in SATs? He also wanted to tell them about a tournament he's playing in next week as well as a PG showcase he's attending next month. If we send the PSAT scores, should the other stuff be separate or just one message? Hope that makes sense...thanks!!

A 10th grader earning those PSATs is rare. Kudos to your boy! Just to clarify all those references to NMSQ, thaat is based on junior year PSAT scores only, so this 220 is just a practice round. In Cali, your cut off score is quite high, so don't take for granted that he will sail through that process and get finalist. Chances are, he WILL go far in NM, but encourage him to work a little bit on PSAT prep over the summer / early fall.

Does Mational Merit Status impress the colleges? Sure! It is all part of that rubric of admissions decisions. The Ivies and colleges of that level get many NMS semi-finalists / finalists, and maybe it is not so impressive / unusual there. But as a recruit, it can be a huge feather in the cap, for a coach to be able to say 'we have X National Merit Scholars on our roster."

I would absolutely put that score and his GPA in his cover letters and on his player profile. No doubt about it.

Dumb question: how do you quote a previous post?

Do any of you know how a player gete invited to the Stanford camp? Is it purely a lottery or is there anything you can do to improve the probability of an invite?

Blue 10,

1) Click on the quote sign " in the bottom right corner of the post you want to quote.

2) Just have to apply early when application in website opens. You can email them as well. We did the Stanford Futures last year and I just filled out an application online and we received an email once we got accepted. It will be for his PRIMARY POSITION.

RR23

quote:

I was under the impression that National Merit status wasn't a big deal

I was a National Merit Scholar back in the stone age. Because of that, my father's employer gave me a full ride scholarship to wherever I wanted to go, to study whatever I pleased. They gave me a summer internship every summer (which paid triple the usual summer job) and hired me after graduation. Now, 34 years later, I am retiring with a very nice pension and benefits...

It was a big deal for me....

Seriously, it really is a big deal and opens a lot of doors. Good luck to your son.

Blue10,

Did the scores come via mail to your home or to your son's school? We have not received my son's scores to date.

Thanks

I'm also from Florida, and son received his this week. They are handed out through the schools, generally through guidance, and some schools opt to wait a little. (but they should be handed back this week) Our son is also a 2013. At our school, 2012s got theirs the day prior.

Thanks, Smalltownmom. I called the guidance office this morning and they are clueless. I'll stay on them....

Swampboy is correct - the less selectives will 'court' a NM Scholar, the Ivies and company will pretend it isn't very impressive. Also know that money for finalist status is going away in many private u's and in some state systems --- I want to say the whole Texas system ?? --- and possiby Cali. Reason for that is the belief that there are biases in the PSAT itself, and also that the scholarship cut offs (which are devised by state and vary WIDELY!) have some inequities and I won't bore everyone with that!!

But, moving on, Floridaball I don't know why your guidance would be clueless about this. Scores were sent to the high schools; some chose to give them out in school, some districts mail them home. Some wait until after holidays to hand them out to avoid all the parent phone calls when they arrive! Maybe that is what has happened in your school ... bottom line, kids don't really need them now but it gets them in gear for college planning.

quote:

Originally posted by Floridaball:
Blue10,

Did the scores come via mail to your home or to your son's school? We have not received my son's scores to date.

Thanks

Our were sent to our school...got them from the college counselor.

If your son was a varsity starting SS as a freshman and those academic numbers (grades, PSAT's, AP classes, the works), you're in high cotton.

First of all, he is not eliminated from consideration anywhere. Which is in contrast to a whole lot of players, whose academics narrow their collegiate baseball opportunities considerably.

It's OK to look into Stanford, Head First, etc. But all these camps and showcases cost money. So before you open your wallet, talk through with your son how he sees his future. What value does he put on shooting for the highest possible academic experience, e.g., Stanford or an Ivy? What kind of collegiate baseball experience does he want? Does he want to go to Stanford, Vanderbilt or Duke or similar schools and play at the Pac-10, SEC or ACC level? Or would he prefer mid-major, or Ivy?

Also bear in mind that a lot of these schools are pricey, baseball scholarships are partial and subject to reductions year to year, and even National Merit money is often determined more by where parents work than by how well he did on the test. If you're a family willing to pay 30-40k/year, then the list doesn't narrow much. But if that type of annual cost makes you blanche, you might do well to narrow your search to the "public Ivies" and be more focused in your recruiting efforts. Berkeley, UVA, William & Mary, UNC, Michigan are going to be more affordable options, with their baseball programs ranging from respectable to Omaha caliber.

You have a lot to get excited about. But instead of firing off in all directions, think first about what is possible and what your son really wants. This will allow you to focus your efforts, and also to deal with the inundation that comes if he checked the College Search Service box when he signed up for PSAT's!

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:

...What value does he put on shooting for the highest possible academic experience, e.g., Stanford or an Ivy? What kind of collegiate baseball experience does he want? Does he want to go to Stanford, Vanderbilt or Duke or similar schools and play at the Pac-10, SEC or ACC level? Or would he prefer mid-major, or Ivy?

...If you're a family willing to pay 30-40k/year, then the list doesn't narrow much. But if that type of annual cost makes you blanche, you might do well to narrow your search to the "public Ivies" and be more focused in your recruiting efforts. Berkeley, UVA, William & Mary, UNC, Michigan are going to be more affordable options, with their baseball programs ranging from respectable to Omaha caliber.

Thanks Midlo Dad...actually, he IS shooting for the stars...his top choices (he has a list of 20 favorites) now include almost all of the schools you specifically named above, plus several of the Ivies. I would love to see him select at least a few excellent D3 programs as well, just in case things don't work out exactly as he anticipates.

Financially, yes, many of the schools are very expensive, but several of the schools on his list have financial aid calculators online and when we plug in our numbers, it sounds like it's going to be pretty close going private or public, since the UC system is basically going bankrupt (ZERO help expected) and Michigan's cost of attendance for out-of-state runs >$55K/year (he is legacy there), neither of which I would call affordable. I have to admit I think I am hoping he goes to an Ivy bc I KNOW we can afford it based on current FA policies plus I know he'll be able to study anything his heart desires, and the slightly less crazy game schedule might be a little easier.

On a side note, based on the advice offered here, I had my son email all the coaches on his list re: PSAT and out of 20 emails sent, eight coaches emailed back (in 2 days), all basically saying "good job", some asking for high school schedule, some asking for summer tournament/showcase schedule. One actually said he saw him at AZ Jr Fall Classic, which I didn't know. This is kind of fun for all of us

Your son sounds like a great student and ball player. I'll put in a plug here for the NESCAC, especially Williams College. We have a few players from Southern California on the team as well as other states outside of New England, including my son from Texas. However, Coach Barrale doesn't hit the recruiting trail so you will have to email and send video or video link. Good luck to your son and enjoy.

quote:

Originally posted by Burnt Orange:
Your son sounds like a great student and ball player. I'll put in a plug here for the NESCAC, especially Williams College. We have a few players from Southern California on the team as well as other states outside of New England, including my son from Texas. However, Coach Barrale doesn't hit the recruiting trail so you will have to email and send video or video link. Good luck to your son and enjoy.

Burnt Orange I 2nd that notion. And Midlo offered a great overview of how to frame this.

Blue10 you are getting great advice here! I just want to say, don't let your son be attracted to Ivy just because it is Ivy. The prestige is attractive, but I have to say, some of the Ivies are not the best undergrad experiences, at least not for all 18 -21 year olds out there. Impersonal, indifferent advising in some cases, TAs teaching while faculty are too busy researching and publishing.

But the NESCACs, for the most part, are ALL fantastic undergrad experiences, faculty every bit as good as Ivy, and much more a part of the (undergrad) students' lives rather than off in their own research worlds.

(Burnt, I have heard several professors (at other colleges) state that in their opinion, the undergrad education at Williams is the best we have in America! Your son is a lucky guy.)

quote:

Originally posted by Burnt Orange:
Your son sounds like a great student and ball player. I'll put in a plug here for the NESCAC, especially Williams College. We have a few players from Southern California on the team as well as other states outside of New England, including my son from Texas. However, Coach Barrale doesn't hit the recruiting trail so you will have to email and send video or video link. Good luck to your son and enjoy.

Burnt Orange you have a PM!

My son was recruited by a few Ivies but fell in love with the schools in the NESCAC.

The last time I checked you can only go to one school at a time. Ive never heard of someone picking a college because of the conference....must be a new trend. My son selected his college based upon their academic offering in engineering and baseball program rather than the specific Athletic conference.

Each school is athletically and academically UNIQUE as well as its fit for the potential student athlete. It is going to come down to the individual's academic and athletic goals,and the colleges ability to meet those goals. Harvard, Columbia and Cornell are no more or less similiar to each other than Williams, Hamilton and Tufts. This would be like me telling you that RI and Vermont are the same because they are New England states.

quote:

Originally posted by BaseballmomandCEP:


Burnt Orange I 2nd that notion. And Midlo offered a great overview of how to frame this.

Blue10 you are getting great advice here! I just want to say, don't let your son be attracted to Ivy just because it is Ivy. The prestige is attractive, but I have to say, some of the Ivies are not the best undergrad experiences, at least not for all 18 -21 year olds out there. Impersonal, indifferent advising in some cases, TAs teaching while faculty are too busy researching and publishing.

But the NESCACs, for the most part, are ALL fantastic undergrad experiences, faculty every bit as good as Ivy, and much more a part of the (undergrad) students' lives rather than off in their own research worlds.

I think you are being a bit too general here in your assessment of the Ivys. While what you say may be true about some, I do not believe it is true about all of them. Also, the experience at a NESCAC school will be that of a small intimate setting, with limited baseball opportunity as compared to the Ivys. It is an individual thing, and something that should be checked out before making a "blanket statement."

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
The last time I checked you can only go to one school at a time. Ive never heard of someone picking a college because of the conference....must be a new trend. My son selected his college based upon their academic offering in engineering and baseball program rather than the specific Athletic conference.

Each school is athletically and academically UNIQUE as well as its fit for the potential student athlete. It is going to come down to the individual's academic and athletic goals,and the colleges ability to meet those goals. Harvard, Columbia and Cornell are no more or less similiar to each other than Williams, Hamilton and Tufts. This would be like me telling you that RI and Vermont are the same because they are New England states.

When people are talking about Ivy league schools that is what they are doing.

Fenway and Bird,

No blanket statement from me. I agree that all schools are unique. I was just trying to put in a plug for the Ephs. Many people outside of New England including my family had never heard of the Williams until my son's college counselor suggested it. It was a fit for my son then and now. Just trying as Ken is to put the word out and describe some, and I do mean some of the differences. BTW my son has good friend playing Defensive End for the Big Red. Really likes it there.

IMO, pretty much every school in BOTH conferences (Ivy + NESCAC)are academically excellent, however you want to define excellence, and there is a high probability of receiving a great education at any of them, almost regardless of institutional differences. I think the bigger challenge will be figuring out where our kiddos would be best suited athletically. Now does anyone want to weigh in on the ACC?

quote:

Originally posted by Blue10:
I think the bigger challenge will be figuring out where our kiddos would be best suited athletically.

Assuming our kids get IN, of course!!!!! It seems like admission standards get tougher every year.

i can honestly tell you that, after looking through Ivy signings on Perfect Game's web site, your son is looking pretty good academically if he were to go that route. the average seemed to be around a 3.6 GPA and a 2100 SAT. i had a 226 on my PSAT and scored a 2380 on my SAT, so expect a similar jump for your son--a sophomore scoring a 220 is exceptional. if he's on varsity now... hopefully we'll be playing together at an ivy in a few years!

quote:

Originally posted by cbg: Do everything possible to get him an invitation to the Stanford camp. There will be several of the top academic schools attending the camp and it will be great exposure for him.

Do what cbg says. Stanford camp was the turning point in my son's pursuit of college baseball.

Thanks to everyone for your responses. An update: after reading all of the glowing reviews here, we just registered son for the CA Headfirst Camp and sent in an application for Stanford All-Star Camp (hopefully he gets in). Thank you Ryanrod and bbdad for posting the schools that attended last yr! He had a GREAT time at PG CA Underclass and did well. There were a few scary-good kids there...gives son something to work toward