<p>A sorry from me…in reading these posts…this kid sounds like he’s being recruited at Eastern Kentucky…but not FSU. Sorry, my mistake.</p>
<p>I’d have a hard time saying no to Dartmouth. Great education AND he can play football, which you say he loves. It depends how much of a financial hardship it would be. </p>
<p>I also think you could give this decision back to your son with the choice: If you go to Dartmouth, I’ll pay undergrad, but you’ll have to find your own grad school funding. If you go to FSU, I’ll pay for grad school. Let him decide what’s worth more to him.</p>
<p>Depending what he decides to do, he could get a job that pays for his grad school - especially coming out of Dartmouth. So potentially paying for grad school might not be such a hurdle.</p>
<p>(just re-read Blossom’s post. Once again, Blossom hits the nail on the head!)</p>
<p>hmom</p>
<p>that was out of line.</p>
<p>food or thought blossom…gracia</p>
<p>I would select Option 2.</p>
<p>i am beginning to form my position.</p>
<p>I appreciate ALL comments yeah neah ambivalent…</p>
<p>will talk to son in the am.</p>
<p>BTW…its supposed to be 10 degrees up in Hanover this weekend…coming from Florida…
this whole discussion might be moot!</p>
<p>will report back our thoughts on Dartmouth after our visit.</p>
<p>well well first one w/ that choice…you figure solid football…graduate top of the class…still get in to grad school w/ Ek degree w/ football credentials?</p>
<p>hmmm</p>
<p>like i said…</p>
<p>decisions…</p>
<p>Yeah, he gets to play football and it’s a decent school and you get a free ride. Also, I’m not sure how this is for other graduate schools, but I’ve heard that where you go for undergrad barely (if at all) affects your chances at any medical school.</p>
<p>heard the same…</p>
<p>decisions…</p>
<p>thanks my brother.</p>
<p>Understand your dilemma well (what a wonderful dilemma to have though!). We chose Option #3 for our DS last year. He’s thrilled to be participating in his sport at an Ivy this year - loving every minute of the experience, particularly his team. I know some kids come away from the experience not enjoying it, but he really loves his sport and couldn’t imagine not participating. Of course the Ivy’s are Division I, but I think there is a difference between the way athletics are treated in that league vs. in other Division I leagues. For example, he had a mandatory lab that conflicted with practice one day a week last semester and he took the lab - no question. One difference - we are not having to take on debt, but are paying out of savings and current income. It’s still a significant sacrifice and we had the same questions about whether the money would be better saved for grad/prof school. I think it’s very likely that he’ll be going on to school, but it’s not clear what type of program he’ll pursue, so we opted to spend the money where we felt clear it would be really useful now. Not suggesting that’s right for everyone, but for our son it seems to have been a good choice so far.</p>
<p>If your S is considering grad school or med. school, he needs to make sure that he can have time to do well in classes, connect with professors, do RESEARCH (EXTENSIVELY for grad school), do clinical work/shadowing/volunteering (if he wants med school), prep for GRE/LSAT/MCAT, etc., in addition to football.</p>
<p>What was it about Furman that you mentioned?</p>
<p>double post</p>
<p>“For those who disagree I respectfully suggest they have not attended these schools and seen the power of the name in opening doors and clearly underestimate the alumni connections.”</p>
<p>I have degrees from Williams, Oxford University, and the University of Chicago, and in the past 35 years, alumni connections have netted me zilch. (But I got a wonderful education.)</p>
<p>thanks runners…similar situation…but it really would not be a dilemma without the debt and the DW.</p>
<p>And to the poster about Furman? DS took a visit elsewhere so they pulled his scholly.</p>
<p>Leaving for Dartmouth this friday…will report back my impressions.</p>
<p>thank you all again for the varied and heartfelt opinions…no surprise they run the gamut of my own feelings…</p>
<p>If you’re staying at the Hanover Inn, ask for a corner room facing the Green, have dinner at the Italian restaurant (can’t remember name but just ask at the hotel) and lunch at the Canoe Club, hope for a light dusting of snow and DW will soon be a Dartmouth convert.</p>
<p>word Hmom</p>
<p>thanks for the scoop.</p>
<p>DW is not joining us on this trip as we are flying back the next day for DS to start practice for the All-Star Shriners Bowl…</p>
<p>but a corner room…light dusting of snow…</p>
<p>i hear you loud and clear. ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Too true! As a fellow parent of D student, I have a vested interest in trying to convince you to send him to D! :D</p>
<p>Seriously, I agree with whomever said that those who pooh-pooh the elite schools usually have not been to one. In our case, it was no contest: S qualified for aid at D that made it cheaper than any state school, and we do not live in a state with an outstanding state school. On the other hand, do you? I don’t have the impression from comments by students from FL here that FSU offers a quality academic experience. I gather that UF is better, but even in the honors college, how many honors college courses does the student actually take? At many schools, it is no more than 30-50%. It seems that FL has FA programs that aim at keeping good students instate, and that many take advantage of them.</p>
<p>I don’t envy you the choice. I also don’t think that anyone should bank on that extra $250K actually being available for education purposes four years from now, any more than it is now.</p>
<p>DS also applied to UF…but will no find out for a month or so…FSU has grown closer and in some respects exceeded UF (don’t tell a gator that} lol</p>
<p>like I said…i want the best for my son…in all repects…</p>
<p>i sincerelt appreciate all who have spoken.</p>
<p>dartmouth ADCOMM please forgive the sp. goofs…;)</p>
<p>In attending a college workshop given by a former D-1 baseball coach, he mentioned that D-1 scholarships are year to year, subject to review at the end of a season. There are programs that do cut kids from their scholarship ranks, so make sure you check any school’s history with its athletes. That’s not what any parent wants to hear, but … just check all the fine print.</p>
<p>It is a wonderful position that your son sits in. He has many excellent options. My son, who also has many good, academic options for the fall, has several classmates who chose to limit theirs … and he fears they will be very disappointed this spring. </p>
<p>Enjoy the trip to Dartmouth. Dress in layers.</p>