What college coaches want....

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At my D2, which is a private school in Michigan, academic and athletic money are separate. It's much harder to get good academic money, though, than it is at almost any other school. At the same time, we are only around $31,000 per year for everything, whereas many extremely selective private schools are $40-50k.

If a girl with a 4.0 GPA and 33 ACT gets 50% tuition, if I add another 25% tuition, and she gets 15% tuition in grants or outside scholarships, then she is paying 10% tuition, plus room and board. With tuition at about $21,000 at my school, that would eat up $5,250 of my budget. I'm not sure how other coaches keep track of things, but rather than thinking about the number of scholarships we have (7.2 max for a D2, which some have and many don't), I only use the total amount of money we have to work with.

Joe, 33 on an ACT would be extremely well above average. I think the average is around a 22. Plus it is also getting very hard for students to receive additional scholarships from outside sources and grants probably only if income levels are very low. What would a player who had a 3.5 GPA and 28 ACT receive if they wanted to attend Hillsdale?

 

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If ANY softball money is added to the academic scholarships, doesn't it ALL then come from the softball budget? That is what we were told by DD's DII college coach. Or is it just certain schools that do that?

Here is where grades are important. Regarding academic and athletic money there is a NCAA Standard ( I don't know what the standard is lets say 3.5 GPA 1200 SAT top 10 class rank) Now if you hit those academic standard, Recieve athletic and Academic money the Academic money does not count against the softball money. If you don't hit the standard it does. So your DD hits the standard gets 5k Athletic 10k Academic, only 5k counts against softball. If she doesn't hit the standard it's 15k against softball.

The NCAA Standard for D1 and D2 is the minimum, schools can set stricter standards.

 

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I don't know what the standard is either. With a 3.7 GPA and 25 ACT, my dd is getting all softball $ so it seems like her grades don't matter.

 

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I don't know what the standard is either. With a 3.7 GPA and 25 ACT, my dd is getting all softball $ so it seems like her grades don't matter.

That would have to do with the college's standard for academic money not the NCAA standard. She got some money, so good for her! ( And you lol )

 

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Here is scholarship breakdown from a college website here in Pittsburgh.

http://admissions.carlow.edu/fin-aid/scholar-list.html#scholar

3.9 and a 1400 on the SAT gets you $17.000!

 

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That would have to do with the college's standard for academic money not the NCAA standard. She got some money, so good for her! ( And you lol )

Yes it's still good, but the academic $ was double the athletic $ and then it all had to come out of the coach's budget. They can get more total $ if the two stay separate.

 

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Joe, 33 on an ACT would be extremely well above average. I think the average is around a 22. Plus it is also getting very hard for students to receive additional scholarships from outside sources and grants probably only if income levels are very low. What would a player who had a 3.5 GPA and 28 ACT receive if they wanted to attend Hillsdale?

A girl with a 3.5 GPA and 28 ACT would be lucky to get anything in academics at Hillsdale. She might get $2,000 or so. Our average is a 3.8 GPA/29 ACT. But as I said, we are not just a selective school, but extremely selective. People mostly aren't aware of that because Hillsdale gradually got that way over the last 5-8 years after advertising heavily on Limbaugh, Hannity, etc.

A 3.5 GPA and 28 ACT at my old D3 school, which was pretty selective, would have earned one probably $12,000 to $14,000 a year in academic money, but tuition there was $31,000 (not counting room and board).

 

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Talked to a player who attended a camp this past summer it was a team from the MAC conference and she had told me that they weren't so demanding of 4.0 students as they were of how good of a softball player she was, from what i have heard the DI schools want great players more than great students , D2 will give you more money for good grades and i don't think D3 gives money for athletics its all about grades with them.

 

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If you are a very good student and a very good softball player the coach can offer you a full ride knowing chances are good that they may be able to re-coop half of your scholarship from academics. And then go get another very good softball player / student.
I don't know how many coaches are going to give a $30,00 to $50,000 a year scholarship to a girl with a 2.2 GPA no matter how good she is. With no money back to the coaches budget from academics and a huge possibility that the 2.2 student is not going to make the grades to remain eligible. That is not a risk most coaches will want to make.

 

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Don't get me wrong D1 schools want good students 2.5 to 3.0 is average but they definitely want very good players , and actually there is really no such thing as a full ride you have to pay for something but by being a good student and player will get you some money to help with your education.

 

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harley78, I disagree on three points. In my opinion, being a good student will get you a lot of money, over all, a lot more than softball will. Two, 3.0 is average, 2.5 is below average. Third, there are scholarships that cover education, room, board, fees and books (all school expenses) being worth $30,000 to $50,000 anything that is not covered in that is fairly insignificant.

In my opinion, great grades are a lot more than just a tie breaker.

 

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Gotta agree with Harley... to a point. DI programs are looking for GREAT athletes FIRST, but poor grades will get you disqualified. The academically gifted kids who stand to get the most in academic money (like full academic rides) probably don't have the time for athletics. A very good athlete, especially a pitcher, has a good shot at a full athletic scholarship at many Ohio DI schools. As a bonus, if she also can maintain a certain GPA, she is generally eligible for many privately funded scholarships at most schools. Honestly, how hard a choice could it be to pass on softball at an Ohio DI school for an offer to Harvard Medical School?

For DI, athletics is what GETS you there, and academics will KEEP you eligible. College coaches aren't scouting summer tournaments looking for scholars, they want great softball players. The huge caveat - poor grades will keep you out of the "great softball player" pool - and word travels fast among college coaches.

Yes - it's "student-athlete", but if your kid wants to play softball at the DI college level, she better be somewhat of a self-starter when it comes to academics. It's not always the high school GPA, it's how hard are you willing to work?

 

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Sammy, I am confused, you say you agree with harley, to a point, and then your first statement is "DI programs are looking for GREAT athletes FIRST, but poor grades will get you disqualified"? That is pretty much my point. There are plenty of great players out there with 3.somethings or 2.87's. With all of the great athletes out there to choose from, you better be Jennie Finch if you have a 2.2!

 

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Reality is that at DI the emphasis is on being a standout softball player. Grades alone won't get you a starting position on the team. Simply, athletic ability will qualify you... Poor grades will disqualify you. Average grades - not poor grades - can be overcome. Poor athletic skills cannot.

 

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I agree a lot of what Serensoftball is saying because my DD is going through it. She did get a Full Ride with a D1 school; books, tutution, dorm (looks like a apartment!!!) and food. They also want my Dd to pursue Academic money also (regardless everything is paid for); because if she does get Academic money then the softball program will need to give her less; therefore it is more money for other players. Coaches that I talk to will help the athlete in anyway they can to keep up the good grades. We have been having these talks with our entire team about playing softball in college, because I do have players that will be going to school to become a doctor. You cannot be a doctor in four (five) years so why not play softball for a college while you take your courses at first. In my Dd case when she is a freshman in college, she will be "bumped" up ahead of the upper class so that she gets the classes she wants; instead of taking unnecessary classes that no one wants. My dd gets most A's and a couple B's. Now that she has a college picked out, they (college) will help her in every way they can. For example, remind and help her with the NCAA clearing house, fill out the forms for scholarships, etc.

 

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Sorry, want to add a couple thoughts of mine. If you are going for a scholarship ask for a percentage and not a dollar amount. If you have a dollar amount and tuition goes up, you may have to pay that year. My Dd starting writing to colleges in 8th grade. I have heard parents say it is too early and too early to give verbal’s at 10th grade. I have heard colleges coaches say the longer you wait, it is a chance you may not get what you want because the program does not have the money, because it is promised to someone who gave a verbal. In my DD case, it is one of the colleges she wrote too and academically it is what she wants. So at this point for softball, she doesn’t need to go to all the camps and keep on writing and so on. She is focused on honing her softball skills the best that she can. She caught the colleges attention from hitting; she also plays first and pitches. When they can they do watch her pitch and play first and like what they see for those positions too. So if you are not a pitcher, become a hitter and most colleges will find a place for you on the team.

 

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Talked to a player who attended a camp this past summer it was a team from the MAC conference and she had told me that they weren't so demanding of 4.0 students as they were of how good of a softball player she was, from what i have heard the DI schools want great players more than great students , D2 will give you more money for good grades and i don't think D3 gives money for athletics its all about grades with them.

At the Toledo camp and the HC stated her girls must have 3.0. That was the minimum requirement. She sais she only had so much money to go around, so she expected good students. She also was telling us that the professors gave them progress reports every other week along with the exam results before the players got them. Really earned my respect.

On the way out, my dd told me she was glad that I rode her about her grades. I told her, the lower the division, the higher the standard. I told her her dream may be a SEC, PAC 12 or Big 12 school and you may make it, but my job is to also prepare you for reality like D2. You must keep all bases covered.

 

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Ability is the #1 factor, otherwise college softball teams would be full Chess,Math and Science club presidents even if they never played an inning of softball. The difference between 2 very good players abilities would be slight and subjective, their grades and test scores are not. Hedge your bets, make your DD more appealing to colleges push grades, join clubs, show them your a well rounded, well balanced individual that can Hit and Hit and Hit. You will have no problem playing college ball.

 

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A few points of interest I'd like to share and I'm sorry if it's redundant. OFC is not working properly for me this morning and I'm unable to read all the posts.

Remember, less than 2% of high school age softball players will get an opportunity to play the game at the college level regardless of division. That means over 98% of the girls you may be aware of, with or without talent, will not take the field after high school graduation. With sports programs being rewarded financially for GPA's in college, it only makes sense to know that grades play a huge roll in the selection process for the majority of the players in the game. Don't compare our game to football. The programs are different.

As stated, many programs have a great interest in the financial package that a potential player is eligible for because it saves them money. They'll wrap the whole deal together to make it appear the entire amount is coming from athletics instead of academics. Why? Because it's what you want to hear. When they have interest in a student athlete, they become salesmen trying to make a deal.

It doesn't matter how they make it appear because the truth is your daughter is hopefully going to end up with what she wants.

College programs can be picky in today's world. With the game more popular, they have more players to choose from. Some coaches may make statements about minimum academic requirements but they reserve the right to drop below that line for say a Jennie Finch or Crystal Bustos. (nothing intended here) The fact is; many coaches will associate a high school GPA for what they believe would be an eventual SAT or ACT score along with a final FAFSA report. Some programs won't make any offer until they see the FAFSA so they know how much federal money is going to be kicked in.

There are seriously talented kids out there that never step foot on a college field for a variety of reasons. The reasons list is too long to mention.

My advice; just know all factors are considered and live each day of your high school and travel ball career as if you're always being watched. Study hard, play hard, live a clean lifestyle, play nice with others, and be respectful to others----especially your elders. That moment in life when you let your guard down will probably be at the worst time to have something bad happen.

 

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Number of scholarships
DI offer up to 12 scholarships per team
DII offer up to7.2, scholarships per team
NAIA offer up to 10 scholarships per team

Looking at a number of schools rosters it seems most teams carry around 18 players.
Do the Math there is enough money to give every girl a full ride. That means a number of girls are getting partial scholarships. Schools can pick and choose who they want and you can bet grades are very important. No school wants to give girl money and have her become academically ineligible, or get kicked out of school. Better yet if a girl has good grades and they can earn academic money it is a benefit to a program because it gives them flexibility to recruit more players or spread the money around better.
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