Competition

[Run26]

I read this site quite a bit and the conversations are usually tied to competition on the diamond or getting scholarship funds. Obviously this is a main topic on most sports forums. The almighty scholarship drives most families to drive all over the universe in hopes of getting seen by the elusive college coach.

I think most people believe sports is the only arena where competition takes place. Those of you that have daughters coming up in age will need to understand a new phenomenon we're seeing in college acceptance. These are no longer the days where everyone gets in to state schools or even private institutions. Students are required to compete for admission slots just as players compete for playing time.

Take my advice (I've put 2 in college), make sure your child is focused on the books just as much as she is her mitt. There's much more flexibility on the dirt than in the classroom. Playing time can be earned but college admission is pretty much black and white. The students are working harder and MUCH smarter than when we were in HS or college.

The competition is real and you better get prepared for it.

 

[daboss]

Great post and so very true!!!! Answers to other threads should begin with this one before anything else is typed.

 

[3onthefield]

Agreed, great advice!! Thanks for sharing

 

[thestuff142]

Great post and so very True...sent 2 older ones off to college as well. 1 was an all-state athlete the other an all-state brainiac. Neither playing sports in college btw. Both ended up with big $ scholarships, but it took a ton of searching, prepping and planning. Neither are getting 100% tuition AND room/board covered. Close, but not 100%.

Competition for college scholarships is demanding, & intense....with the BIG money usually requiring a separate application with HUGE essay, narrowed down to campus interviews. It is NOT what us in the 80's-90's. If you are not a 32+ ACT you better have a crazy good resume of leadership, community service, and solid academics....you are gonna find getting any substantial help to bring down the cost of college much tougher than you think. ACT score ACT score ACT score...take a course away from your school from someone who knows what they are doing (in Cincy - http://www.educationfortesting.com/ is the very best for top tier scores) More bang for your buck that 3 college softball ID camps.

I know a local boy who was an elite travel soccer player. Pretty good student..ACT not quite 30. Not academic star, but kid took AP level classes and did well in the classroom. Got a 20% athletic scholarship to Univ of XXX (Div I lower tier conference)...that's worth about $2500 per year. He got another $2k from large competitive scholarship fund (entry level $)...that leaves behind a HUGE amount to pay for or take out in loans every year. He is a starter as a Freshman...I bet his $ increases a little, but still...he's taking out loans to play Div I sports.

If your kid gets a 50% scholarship at a Div I (12 scholarship on roster at any time) then you will still need to come up with another$10-12k. Invest in that ACT prep now...that amount comes down dramatically.

 

[Coach Tony]

Good post!

From a practical softball recruiting standpoint, grades are vital because the better your grades are, the greater number of colleges that might accept you. Excellent grades also make you eligible to apply for academic scholarships to potentially pay for the remainder of your tuition expenses that your athletic scholarship doesn't cover → often more than 50-75% of your tuition (OR MORE).

From a coaching standpoint, It's simple: College coaches can't use you if they can't get you on the field. Getting excellent grades thus reduces the risk for college coaches who recruit you. They don't want to tie up a roster spot with someone who they aren't reasonably convinced can meet the academic standards to be eligible.

So as the original posted suggested: Have your daughters hit the books as hard as they hit those softballs!

 

[manitoudan]

Very true , and GREAT POST Run26 , yes we ( NAIA ) have some money to give softball players BUT the larger pool of available funds is for those with high ACT's and GPA's . FWIW Shawnee St gives a $6,000.00 ACADEMIC award for those with a ACT of 27 or above and a 3.8-4.0 GPA , Its 5,000 for an ACT of 25-26 and GPA 3.6 - 3.79 And our full time tuition is $ 7600.00 . So take academic $$ plus Athletic money and your daughter has a great chance to have a great 4 year degree at nearly zero debt . It can be done even if your daughter isnt the 3 hole hitter for the Lasers or Bandits . BUT it takes GRADES and ACT to get it done .

 

[frenchy101010]

I have a 7th grader, how early and where can she take a pre-act test. I only took one test before my senior year and got a lowly 20.

 

[CARDS]

I have a 7th grader, how early and where can she take a pre-act test. I only took one test before my senior year and got a lowly 20.

Get with your school guidance department or, district website. They have ACT test prep class info. Some are free the more advanced classes usually are a whole day and cost around $80.
Its best to take the exam a min of 2x.

Here are the links for ODEs ACT practice test info and Graduation requirements that are ever changing.

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing/ACT-and-SAT-Practice-Tests

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-s-Graduation-Requirements

Here is a good link for parents on coursework requirements and real GPA.
High Schools and Colleges look at the teams academic success. If you are a player that can help boost the teams academic performance with some skills there are opportunities.
I know of ladies that were average players, some did not even play HS varsity until SR year and even then they were not starters getting invites to DI teams and lower programs because of their ability to help the team in other ways.

https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/prepare

 

[Bink44]

Run26, Great Post as I totally agree with you! The more we Parents, Teachers, Coaches and other role models push the importance of there education; the more prepared these young Student Athletes will become in life!!

 

[Fairman]

Since the spring sports senior year is almost useless for recruiting. (Applications are made and offers made in the winter of her senior year.) Your dd has to be a full year ahead of her classmates. So she should be taking her first tests her sophomore year and the second test her junior year. Females do better on the ACT for some reason, so make sure she takes that test.

 

[cam.p22]

The biggest thing to take from this thread is that we are STUDENT-athletes, not athlete-students. If the player is not a good student, they will not have the opportunity to earn playing time. As far as the ACT, I took mine as a freshman in HS just to have a baseline score when schools began to ask for it. The earlier the student can take the ACT and get a decent score allows at the family to get a baseline of what they could potentially count on for academic scholarships (as you all know it is very difficult for students to get full athletic scholarships).

 

[wow]

http://www.educationfortesting.com/[/url] is the very best for top tier scores) More bang for your buck that 3 college softball ID camps.

I know a local boy who was an elite travel soccer player. Pretty good student..ACT not quite 30. Not academic star, but kid took AP level classes and did well in the classroom. Got a 20% athletic scholarship to Univ of XXX (Div I lower tier conference)...that's worth about $2500 per year. He got another $2k from large competitive scholarship fund (entry level $)...that leaves behind a HUGE amount to pay for or take out in loans every year. He is a starter as a Freshman...I bet his $ increases a little, but still...he's taking out loans to play Div I sports.

If your kid gets a 50% scholarship at a Div I (12 scholarship on roster at any time) then you will still need to come up with another$10-12k. Invest in that ACT prep now...that amount comes down dramatically.

The goal should ALWAYS be academic money first, then grants/specialized scholarships/ athletic, in that order. I disagree about the ACT scores. 32 is VERY solid and ELITE. There is money out there for 27-31 as well. Below 25 gets dicey. The other point is many schools use a formula of ACT GPA to determine money. But the point of researching what is available is a HUGE undertaking. We were able to secure 70% tuition from a D2 school without any athletic money. That is still TBD. But to know you have more than 1/2 school paid for is a awesome feeling.

 

[thestuff142]

Absolutely 100% agree with you that Academic Money always comes 1st. Its "guaranteed" for 4 years which athletic money is not always. Grants...grey area at schools in my experience. Federal grants based on family income...institutional grants...none of my kids saw any of them.

34-36 is the absolute top of the food chain in the ACT world.. 32 will get you admitted to Honors College at any state school in ohio and gets you a pretty nice scholarship on it's own. Probably 50% or more depending on which school. 27-31 is still a VERY strong ACT score that will get you into the base of most state schools scholarship programs. From there...your leaderships/service/activities can get you even more money at some schools (got my kid an extra $12k). If your child gets below that ACT range...they are probably not getting much, if any, academic money. I can only use experience of my 2 older children and how that worked out for them...one is still in school. We are pretty much in agreement...just probably seen differences base on our kids journey to the money.

Get ACT prep stuff properly taken care of...if you don't know how...seek advice.