Long 2021 Recruiting Rollercoaster Ride Pays Off FINALLY!

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Aug 11, 2016
126
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Congratulations @vicimus, to your DD, you and your family. This is certainly a full family achievement.

A lot of great information here. It is always good to read about the specific experiences that recruited girls and their families went through. It provides a great deal of learning for those coming through the ranks.

For those looking at Headfirst, I agree with previous comments that is the best bang for the buck out there, for kids looking for high academics. My DD participated in 2018 and 2019 (registered to participate in 2020, but cancelled), and she got exposed to all colleges in her list. Fantastic experience.

My DD is headed to Middlebury and its Panthers Softball squad through Early Decision, with no hopes of need-based scholarship... in a school that only offers need-based.

Again, congratulations!!


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Jan 31, 2015
249
43
Congratulations @vicimus, to your DD, you and your family. This is certainly a full family achievement.

A lot of great information here. It is always good to read about the specific experiences that recruited girls and their families went through. It provides a great deal of learning for those coming through the ranks.

For those looking at Headfirst, I agree with previous comments that is the best bang for the buck out there, for kids looking for high academics. My DD participated in 2018 and 2019 (registered to participate in 2020, but cancelled), and she got exposed to all colleges in her list. Fantastic experience.

My DD is headed to Middlebury and its Panthers Softball squad through Early Decision, with no hopes of need-based scholarship... in a school that only offers need-based.

Again, congratulations!!


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Congratulations to you and your daughter as well! Best wishes in 2021 and beyond!
 
Jan 31, 2015
249
43
Congratulations! Very nice article. Always stressful when a coach you've built a relationship with quits. Looks like the new coach knows talent! Well Done!
Literally had at least 3 HC from 3 schools at which DD attended several of their camps each leave during the last 2 years. It is what it is which is why she cast a wide net. ;-)

Thanks and best wishes in 2021!
 
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
OK, one more time for the slow people in the back, can anyone with good/firsthand experience with a NESCAC school give me an idea of process, any academic merit monies available, timeline, etc... I'm getting confused between Ivies, NESCAC, etc... DD (2022) is under what sounds like serious consideration at a great NESCAC school, but some degree of aid would be absolutely necessary. We can't swing $75K a year. Thanks!
 
Jul 31, 2015
761
93
OK, one more time for the slow people in the back, can anyone with good/firsthand experience with a NESCAC school give me an idea of process, any academic merit monies available, timeline, etc... I'm getting confused between Ivies, NESCAC, etc... DD (2022) is under what sounds like serious consideration at a great NESCAC school, but some degree of aid would be absolutely necessary. We can't swing $75K a year. Thanks!

NESCAC is mostly needs-based. You might get some merit money, if you can prove you have financial need.

Seriously...we went through the process with 4 NESCACs, 2 of them seriously. Zero merit. Zero athletic. And we didn't qualify for any needs-based financial aid.

Use the calculator on their websites. It will give you a good idea of your expected contribution.
The amount won't vary much by school.
 
Aug 11, 2016
126
28
OK, one more time for the slow people in the back, can anyone with good/firsthand experience with a NESCAC school give me an idea of process, any academic merit monies available, timeline, etc... I'm getting confused between Ivies, NESCAC, etc... DD (2022) is under what sounds like serious consideration at a great NESCAC school, but some degree of aid would be absolutely necessary. We can't swing $75K a year. Thanks!

Same here, I’m sorry to say. Unless she qualifies for need-based scholarship, you’ll have to swing the full tuition + boarding.

The only thing they offered us was the ability to take a $5,000 loan .

For us, is not impossible to fund it, but I would not have mind a little help.

My DD actually goes to boarding school, and although the tuition + boarding is about $60K per year, they do offer more generous need-based scholarships (we didn’t have to fully fund it)... we were thinking that we would have the same luck with college, but colleges are more restrictive, it seems.

In my view, this tuition issue is out of control... with institutions raising the tuition every year, because students can immediately afford it by taking massive amount of loans that they then spend a lifetime repaying. Law of supply and demand, with demand artificially inflated by the ability of people to take these massive loans for an education that they can’t afford. This is making education unaffordable for most people.

I would recommend that your DD cast a wider net, and include schools that can offer some merit scholarship, if you think she will qualify for those.


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May 27, 2013
2,353
113
OK, one more time for the slow people in the back, can anyone with good/firsthand experience with a NESCAC school give me an idea of process, any academic merit monies available, timeline, etc... I'm getting confused between Ivies, NESCAC, etc... DD (2022) is under what sounds like serious consideration at a great NESCAC school, but some degree of aid would be absolutely necessary. We can't swing $75K a year. Thanks!

Hi - I pm’d you!
 
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
Same here, I’m sorry to say. Unless she qualifies for need-based scholarship, you’ll have to swing the full tuition + boarding.

The only thing they offered us was the ability to take a $5,000 loan .

For us, is not impossible to fund it, but I would not have mind a little help.

My DD actually goes to boarding school, and although the tuition + boarding is about $60K per year, they do offer more generous need-based scholarships (we didn’t have to fully fund it)... we were thinking that we would have the same luck with college, but colleges are more restrictive, it seems.

In my view, this tuition issue is out of control... with institutions raising the tuition every year, because students can immediately afford it by taking massive amount of loans that they then spend a lifetime repaying. Law of supply and demand, with demand artificially inflated by the ability of people to take these massive loans for an education that they can’t afford. This is making education unaffordable for most people.

I would recommend that your DD cast a wider net, and include schools that can offer some merit scholarship, if you think she will qualify for those.


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I do fear that people like us are being squeezed out of these private schools. We make too much on paper for needs-based aid, but we don't have $75-80K lying around in disposable income either. I think that DD's 529 plan, which we started the instant we got her SSN after birth, MIGHT pay for ONE year. Plus we have a son two years behind who needs to go to college too. Sucks to have to restrict choices based on that, but c'est la vie, I guess.
 
Aug 11, 2016
126
28
I do fear that people like us are being squeezed out of these private schools. We make too much on paper for needs-based aid, but we don't have $75-80K lying around in disposable income either. I think that DD's 529 plan, which we started the instant we got her SSN after birth, MIGHT pay for ONE year. Plus we have a son two years behind who needs to go to college too. Sucks to have to restrict choices based on that, but c'est la vie, I guess.

I completely understand you. I also have a 529 that would cover a bit over 1 year, and I started when my DD entered kinder.

I asked for a tuition discount, but was not successful. They (college student financial services) offered to talk to us, so I’m coordinating that meeting now. Not sure what is going to come out of that meeting, but I’ll let you know.

I think it would be good to start that conversation with the coach or student financial services early (before your daughter accepts, or even applies).


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May 27, 2013
2,353
113
The one frustrating thing is that FA offices do not acknowledge that you always didn’t make great money, either. It could have happened in the past 3 years but they only look at the previous year. It’s just not the same as having high-salary jobs for the past 15-20 years.
 

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