<p>moscott,</p>
<p>Here is my two cents…</p>
<p>Good questions. At some point it needs to be determined what your son wants to do AFTER college. Once that is determined you can then figure out a rough path to get there. You continue to say academics are the most important but you continue to reference top level D1 FBS football teams. It is beyond difficult to be a Stanford QB with an eye to Medical school or a chemical engineer. Most starting Stanford/Duke QB football players go there with hopes of becoming an NFL player not a Cardiologist. And if he isn’t starting in college or doesn’t have an opportunity to start is it really worth his time…something to think about. It just doesn’t happen much at all because of the time & committment required to play an NCAA revenue sport. I think you can really help your son by researching the time commitment and effort to be a top shelf D1 football player. I’m not trying to be harsh but open your eyes a little bit as to what goes on behind the college sports curtain.</p>
<p>What the Ivys, D3 NESCACs and other elite D3s give you is a much better athletic to academic life balance for student athletes. It is much more possible to be a football QB at an Ivy/Patriot League or D3 school with a demanding major. My son was an Ivy baseball player and engineering major. There is no way he could have majored in engineering at a top shelf D1 or mid-major D1 colleges that offered him a scholarship…but that is him. Are there exceptions., sure. But very very few. There are many others on this board that have the same story as my son…that absolutely worked their tails off for 4 years in a major they love and a sport they love. This is the beauty of this level. I think once you get a better understanding of the bigger student-athlete picture, you will understand. </p>
<p>As for high school, if he is academically minded keep him challenged but don’t overwhelm him. Academic Admissions committees like to see a students challenge himself and take the most rigorous classes possible. If he is purely athletically focused then academics won’t matter nearly as much. </p>
<p>This may be a good time to sit down with your son to see what he is thinking, and you can help guide him. At some point it would be very helpful for him to get a skills evaluation from an impartial person. Determining your son’s athletic level is important to know where to spend your time and money. You’ll get academic feedback from school grades and SATS/ACTS so that will help determine academic options. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>