fogfog

I posted this under athlete admissions and thought maybe someone here could help too


This is all new to us and I have a question about a situation--but will be careful to not disclose personal info

a student-athlete who is a Sr...has been pursuing schools and coaches have responded. The schools include a few ivies.
The parent tells me they are now discussing what the offers are for the schools and that they are asking for everything in writing...and about the 4 yrs of aid etc etc.

Is this typical?
We aren't talking recruiting a NFL player--and signing a mega contract. This is a college student without a national ranking.

Do schools make offers of financial aid for the full 4 yrs?
What happens if the athlete has an injury during that 4 yr period?
Doesn't some of this get predicated on grades in college etc.?

Is this parent telling it to me straight?
I asked if the student had gotten the likely letters and didn't get a straight answer. I do know the student went on official visits (unless the parent didnt tell the truth about that--but am pretty sure that was the truth)

We have been friends with this family about a yr and we're trying to learn what we need to know since our student is a jr.

Any ideas how the money gets played out?
And what is reasonable for a coach to provide since a financial package doesn't arrive til Jan?
Woudl that mean for an athlete that a parent should expect to have completed all the FAFSA etc stuff mid summer before sr yr for a student athlete?

'rentof2

First, there are no athletic scholarships at Ivies. Being an desirable athlete can certainly help you with admissions, but all financial aid is need-based and is not dependent of the student being able to play, i.e., an injury or something else that ends the student's playing will not affect his FA.

Outside the Ivies at Division 1 or 2 schools there are athletic scholarships, usually those depend on the student actually playing, but they get renewed as long as that's the case. Details may vary though, so good to understand it all going in.

Division 3 does not do athletic scholarhips either, but they have ways of packaging preferential financial aid at D3 colleges that are *not* need-based only schools with regard to financial aid.

fogfog

Thanks
I guess then I don't get what this parent is talking about..because it sounds like they are trying to negotiate a firm offer/contract for their student for 4 yrs...
Odd.

'rentof2

Well, I'm just talking in generalities of course. Whatever they may work out with a particular college could of course vary wildly.

It is true that no Ivy will call whatever aid an athlete gets an "athletic scholarship" - but who knows what work-arounds a college and a coach could arrange. In a situation where an athlete is getting a straight-up athletic scholarship, kudos to the student and their parents if they can get a promise of continued aid if the student stops playing. It has always bugged me that recruited athletes can be left completely adrift financially after a serious injury.

So the parents may be getting some special arrangements. It's hard to know.

'rentof2

Oh, by the way, there's no need for you to file FAFSA summer of junior year. You may have to file financial aid applications in the fall if your child applies early somewhere (this is common for athletes), but you'll only do that when you know where he's applying.

fogfog

Thanks
I was telling DH that we will need to have our ducks in a row for the forms since DS thinks he may apply early