Full Ride

[jonriv]

Great advice on letting your DD be an impact player- why spend a load of cash on a team that they do not get noticed

[Blind Squirrel]

Regardless of whether your kid is offered a full or partial, it might be worth your time to look at how many kids are on the roster for all 4 years at colleges you're interested in. Are you prepared to pay signicantly more if the initial scholarship amount is reduced? I don't have time to say more now, but I think the point I'm trying to make is obvious.

And no, my kid hasn't had this happen to her.

Good luck to all currently involved in the process.

Increasingly Aware Squirrel

[sftblldud]

We were told by our TB Leaison that my DD had a cull ride on the table and was encouraged to accept the offer for the visit, so we did. The visit is pretty crazy, met with the coaches, who were all gussied up. We went from 9:00am to 10:00pm At one point I told my wife, "they have got to be tired of looking at us". My DD was on her first visit alone, so she got all the attention. It was actually really fun to watch my baby girl walk through all the amazing facilities and meet all the amazing people involved with the softball program. She has worked hard since she was 8 years old, and she deserved it. When they made the offer that we knew was coming they did not classify it as a full ride. They informed us of all that would be covered. Everything but parking. They said they would only cover her for four years and if things didn't work out on the field, and she maintained her grades, they would not take her scholarship away.

Now...check this out....A kid we know is a freshman at the school, she was DD's teammate in TB. This kid has not adapted well and has been in quite a bit of trouble with the coaches. The kid is a good pitcher but she is lazy and has an excuse for everything. They told her last week that she was not going to dress for games, travel on away games and would not play one inning on this team. They said she could stay but she would throw BP and do laundry for the the team. Then they said they would give her a release if she liked.

So they say you can stay but they will make life miserable for ya.

Never know....My kid is signed and leaves in a couple of months and I'm nervous as hell for my kid. Even though she is nothing like that kid.

Except for the 2nd paragraph it feels like I could of wrote that. 2 1/2 months then my wife and I will be empty nesters. What I'm I going to do??

I'm going to make a Naked Room out of my DD room, eugh!

[xyzdude]

Much of how this all works varies from school to school I think. DD got a couple of offers. At one school, the coach was pretty unspecific about where the money would come from but simply said that they could offer 75% of the room/board/tuition. Offer DD took was a set amount of athletic money. That covers slightly more than 50% of the cost of the school - room/board/tuition. We asked about other money available and the coach said that she had no control over that - we would get whatever DD qualified to get on basis of application, test scores, gpa, etc. DD accepted the 50% offer as the school was a great fit for her. Sent in application, signed NLI in early period. Got official accpetance letter a month or two later and we were surprised that it included an academic scholarship. Now just about 70% of total cost of school (room/board/tuition) is covered. This has been our experience for what it's worth.

[Blind Squirrel]

"Full Ride" Softball Athletic Scholarships are EXTREMELY RARE ..."

Two kids on my daughter's team have full rides (100% athletic money). My guess is that is fairly common, though I could certainly be wrong. Whether that makes those 2 "EXTREMELY RARE" is a matter of opinion. Is 10% "EXTREMELY RARE"? Not to me.

Extremely Rare Squirrel

[ZenMasterTao]

I would refer to spazsdad and southernman posts. Spazsdad - right on the money (no pun intended).

All the athletic/academic money in the world can't change a thing - if your kid wakes up every morning saying...i hate being here....

[AM Softball]

It doesn't bother me that everyone says their kid got a "full ride" because honestly, it's nobodies business and people shouldn't even ask.

My travel ball coach, a very wise man named Larry Mays, always told us not to ever discuss our money with anyone, even the monthly stipend each month. We didn't get it then but it becomes a "status" thing in people's minds when no matter how much you get, you are all one team.

My FR year, one of our teammates told the seniors how much we got (the incoming Fr) and it was only like $25-$75 more a month and we were punished all year because of it...seriously punished to the point of all 5 Fr almost quitting...if she would have not said anything, I imagine the year would have gone a lot better, on and off the field.

The bottom line is the post above. The girls are going to college, a college they want to go to, to get their education, and play some softball. With only 12 fulls, many players split the money but everyone is of equal importance on a team. The money is year to year so you can earn more and if coaches have it, they will try and help everyone out as much as possible.

Always ask what the costs are just in case. Right now, if my daughter would commit to the school I'd like her to go to, I'd pay for her to walk on and earn a spot. I know she's capable and I'd gamble 100% for her to go to her school of choice, where she will be happy. I have had several teammates and friends do the same. They walked on and earned a full. 100% with their hard work and loyalty. Anything is possible.

[fasterpitch92701]

There are over 950 colleges (not including J.C.'s) with softball teams. Approximately 220 are Division I; approximately 230 are Division II; and the balance is divided between Division III and NAIA schools. Fewer than 50% of colleges with teams offer softball scholarships but most schools have financial aid of one kind or another. Division I schools are allowed a maximum of 12 total athletic scholarships for the entire team. Division II schools are allowed around 7 total athletic scholarships for the entire team and Division III and Ivy League schools have zero athletic scholarships in any sport. NAIA schools are allowed approx.10 total athletic scholarships for the entire team. It is important to know that even though, D III and Ivy League schools (many of which are smaller private schools) do not offer Athletic Scholarships. Many times these schools have large endowments, & the overall financial aid package these schools are able to offer is far better than what the schools that have athletic scholarships (many of which are larger publicly funded schools) are able to offer.

Further reality: much of what is offered is a loan... a loan that must be paid back. Doesn't matter if it's a Stafford or school or xyz... a "loan" is not a "gift" or “grant”. Secondly, much of what is offered is also "need based". If you have saved for retirement, not run up large bills, have equity in your home... you are screwed. When colleges talk about "acceptance" and "need based", that only applies to being accepted. Doesn't mean you get anything. Most of the stories you hear do not reflect reality.

Reminds me of the river about 30 miles from home. People go there to fish steelhead. Every year one person catches a 28” fish. That fish grows… becoming 30”… then 34… then 38”…. Then the guy caught two of them, or was it 3, and his friends all caught a couple and they have been nailing them like crazy for a month!!! Reality, as my brother lives ON the stream… it’s about 1-2 fish per year but everyone… everyone hears about it. Locals don’t even bother because they know “the truth”. Funny, actually…