I have done a lot of research but there seems to be no clear opinion based on my situation. I am going to be a senior this coming fall and I don’t know whether I should attend a big university or a small private school. With that in mind, it has been a dream of mine to play college baseball since I was little, but my talent level isn’t up to par with these big division 1 schools. Academics and my future are put way before athletics, so I don’t want possibly going to a small school to jeopardize possible internships and a better education all to play a sport. I’m in the top ten percent of my high school class and have a 1720 SAT score. Right now I’m being recruited by Lebanon Valley College and Franklin and Marshall College for baseball, but I feel like I should be looking into bigger schools for bigger opportunities, especially because the cost for universities such as Penn State and Pitt are cheaper. Any advise would really be a great help!
F and M is an excellent school, with a strong focus on internships and career-readiness. It does not give merit aid, however, so it is crucial to run the “Net Price Calculator” on F&M’s website, putting in your family financial information from last year’s tax filings, to determine what they expect you to pay and what kind of financial aid you will get.
The important thing is to sit down with your family to discuss finances, how much can they pay for college each year, and then see what different school’s NPC says they expect you to pay. Penn State and other instate schools may be more affordable, or they may not, depending on your family’s situation.
Good luck, and spend some time on the Financial Aid and on the College Search boards here to learn more about financial aid etc.
Would second the response above that Franklin & Marshall is an excellent school that would be a great launch pad to the next chapter of your life. In addition to being able to play ball at F&M, you’d have the increased attention and opportunities available at a smaller school. It is much better career-wise to be a somewhat big fish in a small or moderate size pond than an average or slightly larger fish in a huge pond. So some of the decision is based on where you may be able to create better opportunities.
But as noted above, all this is framed by what you and your family can do financially, and whether you see added value commensurate with the added cost at the private school. Good luck.
I would throw out that Penn State and Pitt are probably nearing the end of their recruiting cycles for baseball in the class of 2016. They both play in major conferences and the baseball is very high level. Have you been to a Perfect Game event or the like and had any evaluation? Baseball recruiting is very difficult and competitive and the process for 2016 in D1 is getting pretty late.
No I have already come to realization that division 1 is out of my league, the decision would be whether I to go to a small school to play baseball or a bigger university
There are some excellent D3 schools that would give you academic opportunities and allow you to play baseball. That said, if you feel you would be happier with the environment of a larger school, I would not let the desire to play baseball get in the way of that. There might be a club team, and at a D1 school, the athletic clubs are very good.
With all that said, my daughter chose a D3 school that she felt suited her academically and socially, and where she could continue her sport at a level appropriate for her. If you are leaning towards a small school, you should be able to find one that meets all of your needs.
bdaub4,
Your choice of the oxymoron “clear opinion” may be the perfect way to sum up your situation. There is no one right educational road. This is your educational experience, and you need to think about and choose what is right for you. Others can throw out ideas for consideration, but that is about it.
Personally, I am a big fan of small schools. I’ll give you an example, one semester I had 15 papers to write. My friend attending an Ivy League wrote one paper for an entire college career (if you have ever tried to grade exams or papers in a large class, you will understand why). I would NOT assume that a smaller school would lead to fewer internship opportunities. A place like F & M has a strong alumni network. You might find that the baseball bros have their own network for internships that is quite preferable to that of a larger university. That said, there are some majors that have better offerings in a large university setting. And, large universities have broader social opportunities (good for some, overwhelming for others). So, there is no one right approach. You need to decide for yourself.
Baseball could provide you with an immediate social network – your teammates might become your close friends for life. It could also provide discipline for better academic achievement (why is it that the more you have to do, the better you do it?). If I were you, I would do an overnight at both the large university and the D3 colleges recruiting you. I think the comparison of the experiences will give you the insight you need to evaluate your options.
I have two sons - one is already a college baseball player, the other is a rising HS senior and wants to play baseball in college. He’s a D3 ability kid at the college level. My advice to him has been based on the fact that after high school, he likely has four years left to play competitvely. He can choose to do it at a D3, or he can play club ball at a larger D1 type school - either way, we agree he is probably done in four years. With that in mind, I’ve encouraged him to seek the right school, with the right setting, and the right academic opportunities, and to consider baseball as a secondary priority. He can play D3 or club and still get to play and enjoy all that goes with it.
I’m going to major in Econ, which makes me think a larger school in a city setting would offer more opportunities.
My suggestion is to dig a little deeper than the size of the city in which the school is located. I am assuming that the internship you are seeking is for credit. If the internship takes place during the summer, the location of the school is not all that relevant. You should research what “for credit” internship opportunities each school offers. Sometimes schools will actually place you in an internship as a part of a class. I merely suggest that you compare what each school has to offer. It may be that such an internship placement is actually more difficult at a large school, since the school would need to place a large number of students. You also might want to look into Drexel and Northeastern, each of which (in at least some programs) actually require a placement for graduation.
I know many people here are advising small schools, which I am a fan of as well, but I think you should visit each of your schools, get to know their environments and student bodies, and get to know their programs in the subjects you are interested in. Then all else equal make a choice based on fit and where you can see yourself thriving. It may be a big school or a small school, or you can apply to both and see what happens