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First I'd say it's a bit unusual that a coach would present an offer to a parent and not the recruit, but maybe I'm wrong on this. Unless you had a specific number in your head for a specific school, any offer would be a "think about it".
My advise would be for you and your son to prioritize the influential issues in the decision making process. This can be different for different individuals, but is it money, competitiveness of the program, academic standards of the school, or any of the myriad of other variables?
Whether you shop the offer to other schools is dependant on the above criteria. Are you looking for the best offer, are you hoping for a different school, etc?
My advise would be for you and your son to prioritize the influential issues in the decision making process. This can be different for different individuals, but is it money, competitiveness of the program, academic standards of the school, or any of the myriad of other variables?
Whether you shop the offer to other schools is dependant on the above criteria. Are you looking for the best offer, are you hoping for a different school, etc?
I am not well-versed in negotiating, but here's my two cents, for whatever they're worth.
If you receive an offer today (or in the future), I would definitely say you need to discuss it with your family because you do. Make sure you get a sense of the school's deadline for your decision.
Meanwhile, I'd let the other schools know that your son has received an offer and ask if they are prepared to make one as well. I personally would not give the other schools the dollar amount that has been offered by the first school. I would wait to see what the other schools' offers are and if they are lowball, you might then come back and say that their offer is significantly less than what your son has already received from the first school. At that point, they may go higher.
I would be careful to discuss this matter only with schools that your son is definitely interested in playing for. The idea is not to play one school off of another, but to ascertain what the best fit for your son is.
Please keep us updated on things. Best wishes!
If you receive an offer today (or in the future), I would definitely say you need to discuss it with your family because you do. Make sure you get a sense of the school's deadline for your decision.
Meanwhile, I'd let the other schools know that your son has received an offer and ask if they are prepared to make one as well. I personally would not give the other schools the dollar amount that has been offered by the first school. I would wait to see what the other schools' offers are and if they are lowball, you might then come back and say that their offer is significantly less than what your son has already received from the first school. At that point, they may go higher.
I would be careful to discuss this matter only with schools that your son is definitely interested in playing for. The idea is not to play one school off of another, but to ascertain what the best fit for your son is.
Please keep us updated on things. Best wishes!
The offer would be at least 25%. If this is where your son wants to go to school, play and it's a good fit, why not.
I am not in favor of early committs but that is just my opinion. But ACC schools don't make early offers unless they are very interested.
Don't make the decision on the coaching staff that MAY change. Of course you can make a commitment next fall and things might still change, that's the way it is. Base your decision on the over all standards of the program and the school.
I am not in favor of early committs but that is just my opinion. But ACC schools don't make early offers unless they are very interested.
Don't make the decision on the coaching staff that MAY change. Of course you can make a commitment next fall and things might still change, that's the way it is. Base your decision on the over all standards of the program and the school.
Couple of things:
1) Dont feel the need to accept on the phone as they expect you to say you need time to digest it
2) If it"s his dream school go for it if the offer makes it financially feaseable for him to attend or ask if that is the best they will be able to do
3) If not "the" dream school go ahead and visit any other schools you've been invited to visit. It always helps to confirm your thoughts through these visits.
4) Its a small world amongst these coaches so I wouldnt get into trying to create a bidding situation. If this isnt the no doubt about school just tell the coach you'll make a decision at whatever time your family sets i.e after the holidays, right before the HS season starts, by July 1, etc.
1) Dont feel the need to accept on the phone as they expect you to say you need time to digest it
2) If it"s his dream school go for it if the offer makes it financially feaseable for him to attend or ask if that is the best they will be able to do
3) If not "the" dream school go ahead and visit any other schools you've been invited to visit. It always helps to confirm your thoughts through these visits.
4) Its a small world amongst these coaches so I wouldnt get into trying to create a bidding situation. If this isnt the no doubt about school just tell the coach you'll make a decision at whatever time your family sets i.e after the holidays, right before the HS season starts, by July 1, etc.
One more thing, make sure it is what HE wants to do, not you (as your topic states).
WarriorDad,
I would look long and hard at what Infield08 said above. Every nail was hit on the head squarely and precisely!
What Infield advised is exactly how I would approach each school and each offer, no more or no less.
Good luck!
I would look long and hard at what Infield08 said above. Every nail was hit on the head squarely and precisely!
What Infield advised is exactly how I would approach each school and each offer, no more or no less.
Good luck!
This is a email that my son received from a college coach a couple of weeks ago. I am sure that he sent this email to all the 2010 "prospects" that he has on his list. Quite possibly he has sent this same email out in previous years also. But, considering the topic of this thread I thought I would share it with you.
______
I have struggled long and hard about whether or not to write this email to you. In the past few weeks I have received an extraordinary number of calls and emails asking me for my opinion on "Verbally
Committing Early". Let me share thoughts with you.
It has recently "hit me" that choosing which college to attend is like "choosing your wife". You say, "what"?? "how"??
In both cases, you will probably live with your decision "FOREVER", and if you decide to change it, is going to be costly, difficult, and emotionally challenging!! Most everyone would agree that it would be a mistake to marry the "first and only girl you ever have dated". In the same sense, it is foolish to committ to the first school that
offers you a scholarship.
There are TWO REASONS to verbally committ early:
1) That university is the very best "fit" for all your academic, baseball, social, and economic needs. How would you know that without comparing it to other schools. There is no way to know at
this point in time, that you can know what all your options are going to be.
2) Reason number two. That schools scholarship offer is going to be the only scholarship offer you will receive. At Stanford, we are trying to win the NCAA National Baseball Title! If you have only one offer from a college, you in all likelihood would not ever play here.
What you need to know is, that in reality, there are only "X" number of players in the country that have the skills to win a university the National Title. If you are one of those elite
players, we coaches will be there waiting for your decision----- whenever you make it---(whether it be March, May, July or October.....) Quality players are very tough to find. Jeff, if a coach is willing to pull his offer, how "important" are you to he and his program?????
I hope you would agree, that it would be extremely hypocritical of Stanford (with our claims that we are one of the finest schools in the world) to decide on whether or not you are acceptable for
admission before you have even completed the first semesterof your junior year and logged an SAT / ACT test score????
My final thoughts--picture this: I am an 8th grader trying to figure out which high school I should attend. I ask your high school baseball coach the following questions:
1) How is it academcially here?
2) What the social life / dating scene like?
3) How are the athletes viewed by the other students? teachers?
4) How much drugs and drinking goes on?
5) How much peer pressure is there here?
6) How is it to play for you?
Now, your coach has a vague idea on academics. He has very little clue on how the social scene works. Has no idea on drugs, drinking, peer pressure. And like most of us who coach, he probablys thinks he is "good guy" to play for. Unfortunately, you may not say that about him, or for that matter, my players may not say that about me.
Could you answer the questions above? Absolutely. Would your answers be different than your coach--of course. One of the major problems of deciding early is that you are getting the answers to these types of questions from the coach and not the student/athletes in the system! Bottom line is to TRUST WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER A SCHOOL! Enjoy and embrace this awesome process of selecting a school.
Have a Great Veteran's Day! If someone is a veteran in your family, please thank him for me, as so often we in America take all we have
for granted. Freedom is not free!
______
I have struggled long and hard about whether or not to write this email to you. In the past few weeks I have received an extraordinary number of calls and emails asking me for my opinion on "Verbally
Committing Early". Let me share thoughts with you.
It has recently "hit me" that choosing which college to attend is like "choosing your wife". You say, "what"?? "how"??
In both cases, you will probably live with your decision "FOREVER", and if you decide to change it, is going to be costly, difficult, and emotionally challenging!! Most everyone would agree that it would be a mistake to marry the "first and only girl you ever have dated". In the same sense, it is foolish to committ to the first school that
offers you a scholarship.
There are TWO REASONS to verbally committ early:
1) That university is the very best "fit" for all your academic, baseball, social, and economic needs. How would you know that without comparing it to other schools. There is no way to know at
this point in time, that you can know what all your options are going to be.
2) Reason number two. That schools scholarship offer is going to be the only scholarship offer you will receive. At Stanford, we are trying to win the NCAA National Baseball Title! If you have only one offer from a college, you in all likelihood would not ever play here.
What you need to know is, that in reality, there are only "X" number of players in the country that have the skills to win a university the National Title. If you are one of those elite
players, we coaches will be there waiting for your decision----- whenever you make it---(whether it be March, May, July or October.....) Quality players are very tough to find. Jeff, if a coach is willing to pull his offer, how "important" are you to he and his program?????
I hope you would agree, that it would be extremely hypocritical of Stanford (with our claims that we are one of the finest schools in the world) to decide on whether or not you are acceptable for
admission before you have even completed the first semesterof your junior year and logged an SAT / ACT test score????
My final thoughts--picture this: I am an 8th grader trying to figure out which high school I should attend. I ask your high school baseball coach the following questions:
1) How is it academcially here?
2) What the social life / dating scene like?
3) How are the athletes viewed by the other students? teachers?
4) How much drugs and drinking goes on?
5) How much peer pressure is there here?
6) How is it to play for you?
Now, your coach has a vague idea on academics. He has very little clue on how the social scene works. Has no idea on drugs, drinking, peer pressure. And like most of us who coach, he probablys thinks he is "good guy" to play for. Unfortunately, you may not say that about him, or for that matter, my players may not say that about me.
Could you answer the questions above? Absolutely. Would your answers be different than your coach--of course. One of the major problems of deciding early is that you are getting the answers to these types of questions from the coach and not the student/athletes in the system! Bottom line is to TRUST WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER A SCHOOL! Enjoy and embrace this awesome process of selecting a school.
Have a Great Veteran's Day! If someone is a veteran in your family, please thank him for me, as so often we in America take all we have
for granted. Freedom is not free!