I agree 100%. I think that some of the dandelioness is personality, and some is immaturity. I think if we got to May of senior year, and my kid was saying “I have no opinion on the question of Ohio State vs. Olin, so I’ll pick the one that’s a few dollars cheaper”, it wouldn’t be a good sign.
But at this point we aren’t answer the question of “where will he go to college?” That’s a question for a much later date. We’re answering the question of “If he jumps through all the recruiting hoops, what kinds of options, at what kinds of costs will he likely have?” and “If he stops jumping through those hoops, and applies without the athletic hook, what kind of options, and at what kind of costs will he likely have?”
Given that that’s the lens I’m looking through, I am investigating all sorts of options.