<p>Thanks very much for your post.
<a href=“Don’t%20know%20if%20your%20salutation%20was%20unintentional%20or%20an%20acknowledgement%20of%20my%20punish%20screen%20name.”>i</a>*</p>
<p>Academically, we don’t know yet where my D will wind up. I expect in the A-/B+ range.</p>
<p>Athletically, we don’t know either. If I had to predict, I’d say in the B-/B range. Not good enough to really be recruited but maybe good enough to make a team at some schools. * So, we are really facing the unknown and will just have to see what happens.</p>
<hr>
<ul>
<li>Which is another question we are going to have to deal with – would she prefer to be near the bottom, talent wise, on a very good team or get to be more involved on a lesser team.</li>
</ul>
<p>GolfFather–DD has the talent to play on pretty much any team in the country, however, she does NOT want to devote that much time to her sport in college. She is the top recruit at all of her schools for that reason. All of the schools to which she applied focus on academics. They compete only on weekends for the most part, limiting the number of days of classes they miss. Practices are scheduled around class schedules, etc. There is far less pressure to perform as a result. She doesn’t care if her team finishes last in every tournament (well she hopes they don’t) but still wants to do well individually. She is looking at this as a way to help pay for college and for something fun to do while in college. If she wanted to go pro, her list would look a lot different :D.</p>
<p>Hypothetically, I know we are speaking in generalities…If your son or daughter has the athletic talent to be recruited, desire to play college sports it is a much easier path to come in through the front door as opposed to the back door. </p>
<p>First, your kid learns how to deal with the adult world. This becomes their project, and they get to manage it. You advise them, and then they execute the plan. THey will stumble but they will learn alot about themselves during this recruiting process which will transfer into their job search in 4 years.</p>
<p>Second, admissions rates are vastly better with a recruited athlete or ED/EA application. Why would you not use something at your disposal to get into a school you may not ordinarily have access to? If my kid works his tail off in high school demonstrates talent in a particular area, I want my son/daughter to have that choice.</p>
<p>Third, money. Folks have already talked about that, so I’ll leave it.</p>
<p>Fourth, if your son or daughter has “angst” about college recruiting then they probably shouldn’t be recruited. My son told me when he was a high school senior that if he couldn’t handle his school work, AP classes and some recruiting then he has no business playing college baseball. I agree.</p>
<p>Fifth, tryouts at some schools are a formality to appease the administration, and tell them they had tryouts. Many coaches at many schools know who will be on the team. Again, it is better to be on the front end of recruiting than take the long shot chance of walking onto many schools.</p>
<p>Bottom line is there is more good that can come from college recruiting than bad.</p>