Long 2021 Recruiting Rollercoaster Ride Pays Off FINALLY!

[benjey]

So when the Ivies and Patriot League schools claim the average financial aid given is $30K-$40K per year per student the lions share of that is needs based

Lots of great information in this thread so just want to clarify one thing for those looking at high academic schools. The Ivies ONLY give need based aid. No athletic or merit money is available. The one benefit to this is you don't need to wait for a coach to let you know how much they can offer you. You can do a google search for the school's net price calculator, input some financial info and have a really close estimate to your expected cost should your DD gain admission. Here is a sample from my Dd's(2022) future home.

Net Price Calculator | Financial Aid

financialaid.dartmouth.edu

 

[NJSwampdragons]

Congrats! Curious why your DD traveled all the way to NJ to play? Our neighbor in NJ played travel ball for a team in Chicago, so I figured NJ wasn’t exactly a softball hotspot. We’re still early in this adventure, only 10-u.

 

[vicimus]

Lots of great information in this thread so just want to clarify one thing for those looking at high academic schools. The Ivies ONLY give need based aid. No athletic or merit money is available. The one benefit to this is you don't need to wait for a coach to let you know how much they can offer you. You can do a google search for the school's net price calculator, input some financial info and have a really close estimate to your expected cost should your DD gain admission. Here is a sample from my Dd's(2022) future home.

Net Price Calculator | Financial Aid

financialaid.dartmouth.edu

Again, the Patriot League schools offer a better value since they are essentially like the Ivies but aren't quite as single-digit selective but offer both athletic and merit scholarships.

That said, there are many external merit scholarships available.

Also, there are always the service academies for high academic which although competitive, not nearly as much as the Ivies et al but they are bending over backwards for females. ICYMI, approximately the Naval Academy is adding a DI softball team in 2022.

 

[vicimus]

Congrats! Curious why your DD traveled all the way to NJ to play? Our neighbor in NJ played travel ball for a team in Chicago, so I figured NJ wasn’t exactly a softball hotspot. We’re still early in this adventure, only 10-u.

Actually, my daughter practices in NJ on a weekly basis but she plays in national level tournaments across the country; e.g. CA, CO, FL, GA, MA, MD, NV, NY, PA, TN, TX. Intensity is a national level franchise with other affiliated teams in FL, GA, TX, IN and the owner also runs some major college showcase tournaments in FL that are well attended by teams across the country and DI college coaches.

The problem with MD is that it is a lacrosse state and not so much a softball state so if you want the DI exposure you pretty much have to go to join a national level well connected club in either VA, PA, or NJ and since we live in the northern part of the state and my daughter's pitching coach recommended Intensity when we were looking for her next team we went with Intensity.

Good luck with your journey and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[vicimus]

If the Ivies really want you they will let you know early and often. And yes, you can get into Dartmouth with a 3.6/27 ACT and Harvard with a 3.8/30 ACT if you are talented enough and play a critical, “up the middle” position (P, C, SS, CF), and can hit. There are players on the rosters at both of those schools right now who have exactly those academic profiles.

Also, if they want you badly enough, money will materialize. Almost every player at Dartmouth is getting a substantial tuition discount.

MIT is indeed a waiting game. The coach has no tags through admission. You actually have to get into MIT and then join the softball team.

You do have to get in MIT first, but coach Kalman did say that coaches do have input in admissions and she has had an 85% recruiting success rate over the past few years.

 

[vicimus]

The Bucknell HC stepped down to go play on the Canadian National team. She’s going to the Olympics.

Yes actually the former Bucknell HC had been a member of the Canadian national team for years so the AC ran recruiting but he left too. Apparently, Bucknell has a lot of coach turnover because when my daughter attended their prospect camp as a sophomore some of the seniors told them not to get too used to the HC since she was the third one they had since they started there and then the next year the pitching coach left.

 

[benjey]

Again, the Patriot League schools offer a better value since they are essentially like the Ivies but aren't quite as single-digit selective but offer both athletic and merit scholarships.

Not to be argumentative, and I may be biased since DD chose any Ivy League school over Patriot League Schools but I would contend "value" is an opinion and varies significantly based upon personal circumstances. We "valued" the Ivy league education more highly than the lower cost of the Patriot League school but I understand that equation won't yield the same result for everyone. Glad you and your DD found the school that met your needs and hope all of the DFPers can do the same in this incredibly challenging recruiting environment.

 

[NJSwampdragons]

Actually, my daughter practices in NJ on a weekly basis but she plays in national level tournaments across the country; e.g. CA, CO, FL, GA, MA, MD, NV, NY, PA, TN, TX. Intensity is a national level franchise with other affiliated teams in FL, GA, TX, IN and the owner also runs some major college showcase tournaments in FL that are well attended by teams across the country and DI college coaches.

The problem with MD is that it is a lacrosse state and not so much a softball state so if you want the DI exposure you pretty much have to go to join a national level well connected club in either VA, PA, or NJ and since we live in the northern part of the state and my daughter's pitching coach recommended Intensity when we were looking for her next team we went with Intensity.

Good luck with your journey and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanks, I didn’t realize the Intensity was a National program with teams in other states. I know Batbusters is, and so is Ruthless around here. And then the Mystics and Renegades tend to have good programs, and then the Newtown Rock and PA Chaos across the river in PA. Still trying to figure the lay of the land.

Congrats and Happy New Year!

 

[Vertigo]

Thanks, I didn’t realize the Intensity was a National program with teams in other states. I know Batbusters is, and so is Ruthless around here. And then the Mystics and Renegades tend to have good programs, and then the Newtown Rock and PA Chaos across the river in PA. Still trying to figure the lay of the land.

If you are eventually considering a good college-development team in NJ, the NJ Gators have a strong program. Their Premier team is on par with Newtown Rock and Chaos.

 

[vicimus]

Thanks, I didn’t realize the Intensity was a National program with teams in other states. I know Batbusters is, and so is Ruthless around here. And then the Mystics and Renegades tend to have good programs, and then the Newtown Rock and PA Chaos across the river in PA. Still trying to figure the lay of the land.

Congrats and Happy New Year!

One major factor to consider is exactly which schools and how many girls are given offers from these clubs.

That said, at the end of the day though recruiting you have to take ownership yourself to make it happen.