With 12 years experience as a DIII head softball coach.... I will give you my perspective.
My daughter has a couple schools on her list that are D3. She isn't set on going to a D1 school but would rather go to a smaller school where she can get a good education. To be honest, after visiting a couple of the smaller schools, they are the kind of school I would like to see her at. They are schools that have good programs in what she wants to study and the schools have great reputations. I'm just unclear about a few things.
1. D3 offers no athletic scholarships. Scholarship dollars are all academic. I get that. My daughter is doing great in the classroom. So my question is, if she goes to a D3 school that is $40,000 a year, how much can good grades knock off? I know it's hard to tell without more info...just trying to get some idea.
1. All merit scholarship dollars are based on HS academic performance (GPA) and standardized testing (SAT/ACT). It is a simple matrix.... xxx gpa, yyy SAT, dollars awarded. They can vary from $6000.00 - Full tuition at my school. This amount is the same as an incoming student who couldn't find 1st base on a softball field. 4 years award, as long as academic criteria is met.
2. Endowments. Other tools used by private colleges to fund additional need based or criteria based ( major, religion, etc) to assist and fund a potential student. Open to all students applying to school. 4 years award.. see above
3. Work study... based on economic background of family. can be an additional $2000.00 a year. Yearly award, based on family income.
4. Legislative grants... Some states, mine included, provide xxx dollars per year to students of tax payers with the state, to offset benefits of achieved from attending state funded university system.. My kids get approx $2000.00 a year. awarded every year.
5. Private based scholarships... earned by the student, some are yearly, some are 4 year.
6. Pell grants based on need and income
7. Stafford loans... all freshman qualify, amount increases each year... interest paid by Feds until 6 months after graduation. Free money for 4.5 years.. Everyone should take it...
Fafsa.... Free application for Federal Student Aide... file every year... will generate an EFC ( Estimated Family Contribution). This is the number most school use as they award grants, scholarships, etc... formula is Cost of admission + room and board, minus EFC = amount of dollars awarded...
2. Isn't there a chance she could go to a D2 that is that same price as the D3, and get just as much scholarship money from the D2 as the D3? The only difference would be D2 is academic/athletic dollars and the D3 is all academic dollars.
This is true... but DII only has 7.2 scholarship dollars.... unless your a big time pitcher, etc... most kids get 1-2 grand... I can usually match that with Work study...
3 She is being contacted by one school already as a junior. Let's say she decides to go there. Is she really committing to anything other than her education? You can't verbally commit or sign to a D3 school can you? I mean, couldn't she just apply to the school, show up on day 1 of classes and try out for the team, or is the coach actually holding a spot for her? I'm thinking it is more just her telling the coach she is coming, and they waiting for her to register at the school. Does a D3 coach actually have a list of incoming recruits?
The good DIII programs recruit their butts off.... while their is no NLI, most of the kids will announce their choices... There is nothing binding, but in our case, I reserve a spot for her for the first year.... The top 40 or so DIII schools can compete with 95% of all DII's and plenty of DI programs... DIII is more about the whole college experience, which is more than softball, but at the same time, tons of playing time... DIII schools include places like MIT, Emory, Carnegie Mellon, Tufts, Williams, Ithaca, to name a few high academic members...
The biggest difference is the amount of time that the coaches have with the athletes during the school year.. DIII gets 19 weeks... DII and DI jump up considerably.
Make a good choice.... don't make your signing day, the greatest day of your career...