Scholarship question, your input appreciated

when you say full academic what does that cover?

Is that 100% for everything?

Sounds like the coach doesn't have any confidence in the player. He doesn't want to invest in the player. If playing baseball is an important goal for the student/athlete I think I would advise him to move on.

Your post does raise a couple of questions:

1. How much influence does the coach have on who gets academic money?

2. If he has a full academic scholarship what expenses are covered by the "check"?

BTW, forgot to mention that the player was told he may play a LARGER role next year. And he has an option NOT to take the new offer but keep teh same offer. Sorry.

That was my question, the coach doesn't make the decision about who gets how much academic money.

To me, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. He may be promised that he'll get full academic money in subsequent years, but will he receive that promise in writing and will it be binding? There's always a chance that the college coach could be gone by next year and that the new guy could change the rules in the middle of the game.

It would be in writing.

Let's break it down.

Supposed annual tuition/room/board/fees is $21,000. Right now, the player is getting $7,000 in athletic aid and $7,000 in academic money, totaling $14,000 per year. If he keeps his scholarship agreement as is, he will receive $42,000 over the next 3 years.

If he agrees to the changes, it'll come out like this:
Year 2 - $7,000 in academic aid
Year 3 - $21,000 in academic aid (plus a check for expenses)
Year 4 - $21,000 in academic aid (plus a check for expenses)
This totals $49,000 plus expenses -- a net gain of $7,000+

Is the coaching staff trustworthy? When they say the player could see additional playing time next year, can they be believed? Is there any chance the coach might renege and cut the player from the team? Only the player, his parents, and perhaps current and former players for that coach can decide this.

Has the coach explained why he wants to make the changes? Is there a highly-coveted pitcher he wants and he needs the extra athletic money for this guy's scholarship?

To me, it is an issue of trust. If the player and his parents trust the coach -- and current/past players can confirm their gut feelings -- I say go for it.

Ok here is some more info, forgive me I am trying to relay as I get it.

Option 1 is to keep it the same.
Option 2 is this coming year, academic only (1/3) as the player has the needed GPA for academic money.

The following year and years subsequent full ride, the check is to cover expenses not incuded in the bill. Essentailly this is like what son got a stipend to cover rent and food (though not a full ride). If the players receives academic money it's there to keep?

Well essentially this sonunds like a good deal to me. In writing. Please note that this coach has told some players drafted if you don't sign you come back with no money (walk on status). This sounds cruel but as I have stated before, many programs do this.

I do agree that the trust factor needs to come into play, this is giving one FULL ride.

I am going to suggest the parent may wish to call or email the coach for further clarification.

Sometimes our very intelligent players lose some understanding in the conversation, whether between us or the coaching staff. JMO.

Academic awards just like baseball scholarships are for ONE YEAR---neither are guaranteed for 4 years and the academic awards require a minimum GPA be maintained.

Just something to keep in mind

My son's academic money is guaranteed for 4 years as stated by the college as long as he maintains a 3.0 or above gpa. The paper work states the total amount over the 4 year period. However, his athletic aide is year by year as stated in the NLI.

CABB

That is exactly what I said

I am wondering if people are using the word FULL with out understanding the confusion it causes. Max academic money is based on GPA and nothing to do with BB. In most cases max academic money was 7-10 thousand and had nothing to do with BB The coaches I talked to guessed at how much academic money my son would get. It was an estimate wich was the decision of the school and had nothing to do with him. It formed part of the overall package but he had no influence on the amount. It was renewable every year based on GPA the previous year. If you fall below the GPA required you lost it.

If 3.3 GPA was required, 2/3 of the guys in my son's conference would get no academic money. I think most colleges have a 2.0 GPA requirement to keep academic money. Even a 3 would wipeout most teams.
No renewal agreement except the word of a coach on BB money. The academic money comes with the provisio that you maintain a certain GPA.

If you read teh entire thread there was a misunderstanding, it would now be baseball money, not academic.

I may be wrong, but I do beleive each program may their own standards to keep your academic money, depending on the source of the dollars.

Yes each college does have it's own requirement but if you look at the conference academic awards which most publish you will see that fewer than a 1/3 of a team or fewer get that award. A 3.0 is generally the required level for our conference. I would assume other conferences are similar.
Full academic scholarship (Max scholarship) is also set by each school. The most academic scholarship that we encountered was $10,000 according to the addmissions office at that school. I am sure their are bursaries for extremely brilliant students in a select field. I have a friend who just got accepted by Harvard into a graduate program in the sciences and I am sure he got a huge scholarship as they wined and dined him to lure him away from other top schools.They flew him to the school and put on a show for him.

OS was that the question ?

I disagree with your statement that all deals are off if you sip below 3.3. It may be countable but it is still academic money which usually requires only a 2.0 to continue to receive it.

From the point of view of the NCAA, "academic aid" is limited to two special circumstances. By definition, most aid is athletics aid, regardless of which budget provides it or what nomenclature is used by the college to describe it. From the D1 manual:
Athletics Aid. A student-athlete who receives financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability shall become a counter for the year during which the student-athlete receives the financial aid;

The NCAA exempts aid from the equivalency calculation in two situations:
Academic Honor Awards which are based solely on the player's high school academic achievement. During college, the player must maintain a 3.0 GPA to retain the award.

Institutional Academic Scholarships which are solely based on academic achievement at his college. A 3.3 cumulative GPA is needed to obtain or retain the scholarship.

In both cases, there are significant other requirements to qualify for the aid. By rule, there is no way that a baseball coach could promise that either of these would be awarded.

Some colleges provide academic aid, which likely is still awarded even if the student isn't on the team, to players who don't meet the requirements (e.g. SAT/ACT of 1200/105 or a 3.0/3.3 cumulative GPA) but the NCAA considers that to be countable aid.

By the way, I see nothing in the D1 rules which necessarily link countable financial aid to either a NLI or to the roster.