I was reading the post about the players who need the most help and it got me thinking about another group of players who don't have an easy recruiting journey.
what about the kids with a lower GPA? I know it is easy to say, work harder, grades are important. But not every kid is an A student. What about the kid who works hard in school, but just does not perform well? assuming they have the skills, what do they need to do differently?
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SEdad, thanks for this post. I read a lot about 4.0 GPA, AP classes and academic money and doors opening. That's great for kids in that situation. I am more concerned with keeping my son on track towards graduating high school, and then college. I would like to hear help for keeping struggling academic kids on track. If anyone can post about it, there are a lot of us out here that don't post because the "2.5 GPA" story just isn't as fun to write about.
Hey guys, this is part of why I started the "recruits who need the most help" thread. Please be sure to join in on that one as well.
Regarding what to do, you know your boys best but I've heard good suggestions on each end of the spectrum. A few I've heard that you may consider...
If baseball is a big motivator, start at JC where maybe some classes are not as difficult and required GPA not quite as high.
On the other end of the spectrum, consider seeking out the right small private school that will give the student the lower teacher/student ration and the extra attention needed.
Work to identify what the passion is so that the interest level and effort will be at peak level.
Good discussion and also the other thread that cabbagedad started.
There is a misconception about JUCO's. They are the same academic rigor as the four year schools but only offer the first two years of a four year degree. English, Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, etc. etc. is the same as taught at the four year schools.
I know all this from first-hand foolish experience. I goofed off in high school and regret that dearly. I had the ability to do much better. After I got out in the real world, I quickly understood the value of education. I started attending JUCO classes at night and spent five years taking classes like Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus. At the end of the five years, I was accepted into several top Engineering programs with no questions asked other than what were your grades at the JUCO. I spent another five years in engineering school while raising three kids and working full time. I was burning the candle at both ends and at the middle at the same time. I regret the time I missed from my young family but it was a sacrifice I needed to make. After engineering school, I spent another four years in law school after that. I truly understand how valuable an education is.
Here's the good news for the poster in this thread. Your son can use the JUCO experience as a do-over to undo lackluster grades in high school. He can also continue his baseball career at the same time. All these things require effort. Grades are merely a reflection of effort. Yes, some are going to have to apply more effort but it can be done if the WILL is there. Encourage your son to improve his grades and everyone's impression of him will change. His future is not determined by what he does tomorrow but by what he is willing to do today. He can do it (e.g., get top grades and excel on the baseball field). Now encourage him to achieve it.
Good discussion and also the other thread that cabbagedad started.
There is a misconception about JUCO's. They are the same academic rigor as the four year schools but only offer the first two years of a four year degree. English, Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, etc. etc. is the same as taught at the four year schools.
I know all this from first-hand foolish experience. I goofed off in high school and regret that dearly. I had the ability to do much better. After I got out in the real world, I quickly understood the value of education. I started attending JUCO classes at night and spent five years taking classes like Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus. At the end of the five years, I was accepted into several top Engineering programs with no questions asked other than what were your grades at the JUCO. I spent another five years in engineering school while raising three kids and working full time. I was burning the candle at both ends and at the middle at the same time. I regret the time I missed from my young family but it was a sacrifice I needed to make. After engineering school, I spent another four years in law school after that. I truly understand how valuable an education is.
Here's the good news for the poster in this thread. Your son can use the JUCO experience as a do-over to undo lackluster grades in high school. He can also continue his baseball career at the same time. All these things require effort. Grades are merely a reflection of effort. Yes, some are going to have to apply more effort but it can be done if the WILL is there. Encourage your son to improve his grades and everyone's impression of him will change. His future is not determined by what he does tomorrow but by what he is willing to do today. He can do it (e.g., get top grades and excel on the baseball field). Now encourage him to achieve it.
Clevelanddad,
Great insight into JUCOs. But I do need to disagree with one comment. You mentioned that "Grades are a reflection of effort." While that may be true in a lot of cases. It is not always the case. For example, my son has a diagnosed learning issue where processing the written word is harder for him. He spends hours a day on this. He has had tutors and he works closely with his teachers. He will never get better then a B in those subjects. Sometimes he ends up with a C. He missed practice last night and spent five hours on homework. I am not looking for sympathy here. I just want people to realize that lower grades are not always a sign of lack of effort.
-I will get off my soap box now :-)
Southeastdad - good points and I considered that possibility in my reply. Post-high school colleges allow kids with issues such as these to compete. They'll provide additional testing time and tutoring to help him among other options. B's and C's are outstanding if that is the best that he can do and I wish I wouldn't have implied otherwise.
It sounds like he is a max effort kid and that is to be commended/encouraged. My reason for posting was that if he is rejected initially by a four year school because of high school grades, he can still achieve his goals by going the JUCO route first, getting suitable grades, and completing his four year degree thereafter. I could have worded things better, but it sounds like your son has already gotten the message of effort. I still don't see any reason why he can't continue on his educational path - he'll just have to work harder than other kids. Fortunately and proudly for you, he already knows how to do that. All the best to the young man. Feel free to send a private message if I can help him in any way.
Grades are not necessarily a result of effort. Some kids are just more gifted in this area, just like athletics. My son's formula for getting at least a "B". Granted this is a small school where the professors teach class, but the same would apply with a larger class and a TA. Same approach works in HS.
1. Sit in the front of the class.
2. Ask a few intelligent questions.
3. Always turn in all homework and reports requested on time or a day early.
4. Always go to the teacher's office hours with problems and get to know the professor by name and make sure he knows yours.
5. Prepare for tests and ask the professor what is important to know for them.
Good discussion and also the other thread that cabbagedad started.
There is a misconception about JUCO's. They are the same academic rigor as the four year schools but only offer the first two years of a four year degree. English, Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, etc. etc. is the same as taught at the four year schools.
I know all this from first-hand foolish experience. I goofed off in high school and regret that dearly. I had the ability to do much better. After I got out in the real world, I quickly understood the value of education. I started attending JUCO classes at night and spent five years taking classes like Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus. At the end of the five years, I was accepted into several top Engineering programs with no questions asked other than what were your grades at the JUCO. I spent another five years in engineering school while raising three kids and working full time. I was burning the candle at both ends and at the middle at the same time. I regret the time I missed from my young family but it was a sacrifice I needed to make. After engineering school, I spent another four years in law school after that. I truly understand how valuable an education is.
Here's the good news for the poster in this thread. Your son can use the JUCO experience as a do-over to undo lackluster grades in high school. He can also continue his baseball career at the same time. All these things require effort. Grades are merely a reflection of effort. Yes, some are going to have to apply more effort but it can be done if the WILL is there. Encourage your son to improve his grades and everyone's impression of him will change. His future is not determined by what he does tomorrow but by what he is willing to do today. He can do it (e.g., get top grades and excel on the baseball field). Now encourage him to achieve it.
Clevelanddad,
Great insight into JUCOs. But I do need to disagree with one comment. You mentioned that "Grades are a reflection of effort." While that may be true in a lot of cases. It is not always the case. For example, my son has a diagnosed learning issue where processing the written word is harder for him. He spends hours a day on this. He has had tutors and he works closely with his teachers. He will never get better then a B in those subjects. Sometimes he ends up with a C. He missed practice last night and spent five hours on homework. I am not looking for sympathy here. I just want people to realize that lower grades are not always a sign of lack of effort.
-I will get off my soap box now :-)
I would look into what accommodations may be available. With a diagnosed issue you may have options available. Good luck.
Grades are not necessarily a result of effort. Some kids are just more gifted in this area, just like athletics. My son's formula for getting at least a "B". Granted this is a small school where the professors teach class, but the same would apply with a larger class and a TA. Same approach works in HS.
1. Sit in the front of the class.
2. Ask a few intelligent questions.
3. Always turn in all homework and reports requested on time or a day early.
4. Always go to the teacher's office hours with problems and get to know the professor by name and make sure he knows yours.
5. Prepare for tests and ask the professor what is important to know for them.
My son also struggles in class. I have started getting him to do #2 - 5. As the biggest kid in his high school, getting him to sit in the front of the class is a challenge :-)
I talked last night to the grandma of a friend of my son's. The kid is a freshman at a D1. Not a great student in HS...but good enough to get in to college...no academic money. Since the fall has started, the "regimented" lifestyle of lifting, classes, practice, study table, etc, etc has really helped him. She told me he is doing very well in school...even with the hectic schedule that baseball requires. He even told her that he "enjoys" classes and studying.....lol. I've always heard people say that it's tough to keep up with your school while juggling everything that's required from a baseball player....in this case it seems to be the opposite.
I started to post this earlier but decided not too, but the more I think about it there maybe some info here. The reason I held back is I am not in expert in this area but my wife (as a school administrator) has some insight that I have picked up on as she has talked to family and friends with children with learning disabilities and college opportunities.
There are colleges out there that have programs for students with learning disabilities. They have similar programs in place as the HS's do in regards to making accommodations for the learning disability. Of course these programs are only available to those that have a diagnosed disability and not to those students who don't do well in school but do not have a disability. I would check with your sons HS counselor and/or college and career center to identify which schools may have programs that would benefit your child. You can then look to see if those baseball programs are a fit for your child.
One thing to keep in mind is that time commitment your child will need to make to play college sports. You will have about 2 to 3 hours of practice every day. This will not include trainer time, weight lifting and specialty training. Add another 1 to 2 hours a day for those activities. You will have 25 hours a week committed to practicing. This does not include game time or travel to or from games. If your lucky you have home games that week/weekend. If not figure in a bus ride and game time. Your total time commitment for a sport will be somewhere in the 35 to 40 hour time range on top. That will take away from the a good portion of the free time a child has to seek help and/or additional tutoring they may need due to their disability.
I look at academics as the 6th tool in college baseball recruiting. It gets factored into the equation just like the others. I've seen many kids who struggled in high school go on to play college ball. In those particular cases they played at local CCs and lower academic DII schools, but as others have pointed out every school and situation is unique. Of course low academics will limit your options, but most recruits have something that's going to limit their options.
From a strictly academic standpoint, many colleges are not in a position to be selective with their applicants. Don't assume that your son won't qualify until the school tells you so. My daughter was a below average high school student, but she found a great fit in a small private college (she didn't play a sport). Not only did they admit her, but they worked very closely with her to make sure that she was successful (without coddling her).
I do second Joe87's recommendation about colleges with "LD" programs, and you can also search colleges who admit students with lower GPA/SAT. I like CollegeData.com for this kind of search, but there are many others. Don't get hung up on labels like "non-competitive" or "not selective" admissions. There could be a school out there that's a great fit for your son.
On the bright side, the prospect of playing college baseball may be the difference between your son pursing a college education or not. It may be the incentive he needs to continue to work hard and to learn how to adapt to his academic challenges.
I started to post this earlier but decided not too, but the more I think about it there maybe some info here. The reason I held back is I am not in expert in this area but my wife (as a school administrator) has some insight that I have picked up on as she has talked to family and friends with children with learning disabilities and college opportunities.
There are colleges out there that have programs for students with learning disabilities. They have similar programs in place as the HS's do in regards to making accommodations for the learning disability. Of course these programs are only available to those that have a diagnosed disability and not to those students who don't do well in school but do not have a disability. I would check with your sons HS counselor and/or college and career center to identify which schools may have programs that would benefit your child. You can then look to see if those baseball programs are a fit for your child.
Finally, something I am very knowledgeable on...EVERY college has disability programs, if they didn't they would just be sued.
I am dyslexic and while it allowed me accommodations when I GOT to college it did not allow me any lee-way to get INTO college.The colleges assume that if you have a disability you were accommodated. For example, you got extra time to take tests, perhaps you had a student volunteer who read the test aloud to you. If you took all your classes like this and your SAT's with accommodations you SHOULD be on the same footing as everyone else who applies.
