EVERYTHING you believe about boys recruiting is wrong!

[Unregistered]

Here we go, the wives tales that justify why parents threw tons of money at club soccer so their kids could land that "wink", "wink" merit scholarship.

Here's another reality. If that guy's daughter has grades/test scores that low, we are not really talking about top end D3 academic institutions, more likely a very average one. While he may be correct that soccer was somehow factored as some sort of leadership extracurricular and money awarded because of that, given what we know the bar was hardly set very high and that should further define what level school we are talking about. While when funding college educations every penny counts, do we honestly think many families drop $5-7K a year on club soccer hoping for a $5K leadership grant to a school like Westfield State or Regis?

[Unregistered]

Here we go, the wives tales that justify why parents threw tons of money at club soccer so their kids could land that "wink", "wink" merit scholarship.

Here's another reality. If that guy's daughter has grades/test scores that low, we are not really talking about top end D3 academic institutions, more likely a very average one. While he may be correct that soccer was somehow factored as some sort of leadership extracurricular and money awarded because of that, given what we know the bar was hardly set very high and that should further define what level school we are talking about. While when funding college educations every penny counts, do we honestly think many families drop $5-7K a year on club soccer hoping for a $5K leadership grant to a school like Westfield State or Regis?

I don't think anyone's examples were that they were "low" but simply lower to average for the schools applied to. For most regular applicants at most schools you need to be well above average to get decent merit $. That's not always the case for athletes, or a musician they want badly.

[Unregistered]

Here we go, the wives tales that justify why parents threw tons of money at club soccer so their kids could land that "wink", "wink" merit scholarship.

Here's another reality. If that guy's daughter has grades/test scores that low, we are not really talking about top end D3 academic institutions, more likely a very average one. While he may be correct that soccer was somehow factored as some sort of leadership extracurricular and money awarded because of that, given what we know the bar was hardly set very high and that should further define what level school we are talking about. While when funding college educations every penny counts, do we honestly think many families drop $5-7K a year on club soccer hoping for a $5K leadership grant to a school like Westfield State or Regis?

Just the merit aid = $20.5k. C.O.A. = $70k. Acceptance rate < 35%. All in I'm paying UMass $$$ for a damn good private education.

[Unregistered]

Just the merit aid = $20.5k. C.O.A. = $70k. Acceptance rate < 35%. All in I'm paying UMass $$$ for a damn good private education.

OK, don't buy this one at all. What is the actual title of the merit aid on the award letter and the terms of the award?

[Unregistered]

OK, don't buy this one at all. What is the actual title of the merit aid on the award letter and the terms of the award?

Per year and the title would give the school away. Happy New Year.

[Unregistered]

I don't think anyone's examples were that they were "low" but simply lower to average for the schools applied to. For most regular applicants at most schools you need to be well above average to get decent merit $. That's not always the case for athletes, or a musician they want badly.

Here's the post that was in response to.

If you saw my daughters SAT scores and GPA you'd change your tune. I'm sure "anyone" can get merit money. I'm also sure she wouldn't be getting it if it wasn't for soccer. I'm perfectly happy the way things worked out.

Safe to assume this poster is either lying to push an agenda or his kid is not getting into a NESCAC. College admissions are a relative sort of thing. At the D3 level no one is getting an award of 20K for their soccer ability and being just an ordinary player and ordinary student to boot, certainly not to one of the top academic D3's. If this guys information bears out there will be other factors that the poster is not sharing or is intentionally shading. Think about it, if the player was so good that a D3 school would be willing to break the rules to disguise their athletic money as suggested then the player surely would have had D1 scholarship offers.

[Unregistered]

Per year and the title would give the school away. Happy New Year.

All merit aid comes with conditions. There is nothing for nothing in this world

[Unregistered]

Before BTDT suffers an aneurysm over this, let's get the facts straight.

-- Many of the top D3 academic institutions give ZERO merit aid (including ALL NESCAC schools).

-- The ones that do are NOT going to give large merit awards specifically to soccer players UNLESS those players already would have been in the mix for significant merit awards regardless of soccer.

-- For schools that do offer merit aid, there is a big difference between admit rates in the 15-20% and below range and the 25-35/40% range, meaning that what is required to qualify for merit aid will be a bit less at the latter allowing for an increased possibility that a soccer player who is also a very good student might snag some decent merit aid.

-- Bragging about merit aid adds very little to the overall discussion about the value of D3 athletics, and actually falls into a trap that is not helpful at all.

-- There are plenty of soccer players (and loads of the ISL types) who want to take soccer as far as they can in terms of their abilities and who, from Day 1 (and not just in hindsight), consider being able to play at a top-end D3 to be an excellent outcome. If a family needs money, most of these schools are generous in terms of financial aid.

-- None of this should be construed as an endorsement of the idea that kids do or should choose D3 over D1. As the wise one has told us a couple of times over the years, there are excellent choices at the D1 level for kids who genuinely can play at that level and who are looking for superb academics. Which is not to say there is not a small subset of kids who are borderline athletically for D1 who might choose a D3 school to allow for options like a semester or year abroad, involvement in activities beyond one's sport, etc, etc.

-- Perspective

[Unregistered]

My soccer child had a similar experience. Merit Aid-Presidential Scholarship offers at decent D3 schools covered 60% of cost of attendance. Had targeted and got wait listed at NESCACs with no indication of amount of potential aid. Brought cost down to about the cost of UMass Amherst to attend D3. Didn't want to wait on NESCAC, so picked another good D3, and has been very pleased.

Did have partial D1 offers. But D3 because of academic profile and merit aid reward won out.

I am not saying my kid is a D1 athlete. They are a D3 athlete, and very happy with their choice.

[Unregistered]

My soccer child had a similar experience. Merit Aid-Presidential Scholarship offers at decent D3 schools covered 60% of cost of attendance. Had targeted and got wait listed at NESCACs with no indication of amount of potential aid. Brought cost down to about the cost of UMass Amherst to attend D3. Didn't want to wait on NESCAC, so picked another good D3, and has been very pleased.

Did have partial D1 offers. But D3 because of academic profile and merit aid reward won out.

I am not saying my kid is a D1 athlete. They are a D3 athlete, and very happy with their choice.

The key word in your post was "decent." You're talking Ursinus, Goucher, Scranton, maybe a Muhlenberg. Schools like Union, WPI, RPI and then Case Western, Rochester, etc are NOT giving merit aid totaling 60% of overall costs to kids who can't even get straight admits to lower tier NESCACs and their equivalents.

-- Perspective

[Unregistered]

Before BTDT suffers an aneurysm over this, let's get the facts straight.

-- Many of the top D3 academic institutions give ZERO merit aid (including ALL NESCAC schools).

-- The ones that do are NOT going to give large merit awards specifically to soccer players UNLESS those players already would have been in the mix for significant merit awards regardless of soccer.

-- For schools that do offer merit aid, there is a big difference between admit rates in the 15-20% and below range and the 25-35/40% range, meaning that what is required to qualify for merit aid will be a bit less at the latter allowing for an increased possibility that a soccer player who is also a very good student might snag some decent merit aid.

-- Bragging about merit aid adds very little to the overall discussion about the value of D3 athletics, and actually falls into a trap that is not helpful at all.

-- There are plenty of soccer players (and loads of the ISL types) who want to take soccer as far as they can in terms of their abilities and who, from Day 1 (and not just in hindsight), consider being able to play at a top-end D3 to be an excellent outcome. If a family needs money, most of these schools are generous in terms of financial aid.

-- None of this should be construed as an endorsement of the idea that kids do or should choose D3 over D1. As the wise one has told us a couple of times over the years, there are excellent choices at the D1 level for kids who genuinely can play at that level and who are looking for superb academics. Which is not to say there is not a small subset of kids who are borderline athletically for D1 who might choose a D3 school to allow for options like a semester or year abroad, involvement in activities beyond one's sport, etc, etc.

-- Perspective

Do you agree that disguising athletic aid as merit aid is not allowed at D3? My experience is having soccer be one of the extracurricular activities factored amongst a number of them when awarding merit aid is different than getting merit money simply because the soccer coach supposedly wants a player.

[Unregistered]

The key word in your post was "decent." You're talking Ursinus, Goucher, Scranton, maybe a Muhlenberg. Schools like Union, WPI, RPI and then Case Western, Rochester, etc are NOT giving merit aid totaling 60% of overall costs to kids who can't even get straight admits to lower tier NESCACs and their equivalents.

-- Perspective

How about schools like Hobart or St Lawrence? Are these "decent" enough?

[Unregistered]

Do you agree that disguising athletic aid as merit aid is not allowed at D3? My experience is having soccer be one of the extracurricular activities factored amongst a number of them when awarding merit aid is different than getting merit money simply because the soccer coach supposedly wants a player.

Not allowed doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Plenty of HS class leaders with great grades and extra curriculars don't merit award. Even if the kid is nationally ranked at chess or orchestra. Tag on regional level accolades in soccer and the "leadrership" qualities shine.

[Unregistered]

Do you agree that disguising athletic aid as merit aid is not allowed at D3? My experience is having soccer be one of the extracurricular activities factored amongst a number of them when awarding merit aid is different than getting merit money simply because the soccer coach supposedly wants a player.

Yes, I agree. And any D3 schools doing otherwise are committing very serious violations that would jeopardize those programs.

[Unregistered]

Not allowed doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Plenty of HS class leaders with great grades and extra curriculars don't merit award. Even if the kid is nationally ranked at chess or orchestra. Tag on regional level accolades in soccer and the "leadrership" qualities shine.

Not to the point of a kid getting major merit aid when he or she is in the bottom half of the matriculating class stats-wise (and without some major minority or war-torn country status).