<p>My son came home from school today a little out of sorts. Another boy at school had had a fancy "signing ceremony" where he received a full scholarship to a very selective LAC that my son desperately wants to go to. This kid was even on our local TV news. My son was accepted EA there, but so far, no scholarship or financial aid (which means he isn't going there). </p>
<p>Now, the worst part is that this athlete is a screw up of a kid. He does not have nearly the grades that my son has, and he is a regular in detention. I also know he hangs with a hard drinking, partying crowd, whereas my son is a rather introverted classical pianist who has (needless to say) worked really hard on his music. </p>
<p>Well thank you for letting me vent. I know there is no real way to explain this. It just stinks.</p>
<p>Hi Peacenik, I can't explain what happened but I can definitely sympathize. My s is also a classical pianist and I know how much work is involved. Unfortunately it does seem that athletes get a lot more attention for their accomplishments in general, judging by the regular articles and photos in our town paper. Is the financial aid decision for your son a done deal or could you still prevail upon the financial aid department? Sorry you've had to go through this- and your son too. It must be really demoralizing for him.
andi</p>
<p>Oh, how heartbreaking. I am truly, truly sorry. Obviously they had the ceremony because of the scholarship. But was it for athletics? As I understood it, LACs don't give scholarships for sports.</p>
<p>There are a few LAC's Davidson, Furman, maybe even a limited Patriot League D1 school or two that give some athletic scholarships but probably 90 of most folks top 100 LAC's do not. Also Wofford, and Presbyterian, maybe Colorado College (soccer,maybe?), and some of the hockey schools.</p>
<p>Well, that explains it. You learn something new every day.</p>
<p>Are you SURE your son can't go? Sometimes parents in my town won't allow a kid to go to a top LAC or Ivy because another school promises 4 years of aid, whereas the aid at the desired school is only guaranteed for one year. I would just go ahead and send him and see what happens other years. There are various scholarships - even quite large ones - available for students already in college.</p>
<p>And it is not to late to try to negotiate aid or apply for outside scholarships - even if you have to start with loans til everything comes through.</p>
<p>It is frustrating, but look at it this way. Two kids from my school signed athletic scholarships with the same DI college a few years back.</p>
<p>One quit the team after the first day of practice, and the other kid made it the whole season before quitting. They said it was so intense, and almost like a job. They were basically athletes that were getting an education on the side. All of the kids were as good, if not better than them and it was a whole different world than high school.</p>
<p>It sucks, and as an athlete, I still think it's unfair, but I'd be willing to bet you that the kid with the scholarship will be in for a rude awakening, even if he's playing DIII ball.</p>
<p>virtually all of the really selective schools that I know of only have need based aid, including Colgate. So merit may have something to do with the configuration of your package loans:grants, but if you don't need it, you won't get it.</p>
<p>Oops now I see that the Patriot league does offer athletic scholarships to a select number of students( except Lafeyette)
I wonder what made them change? Alumni protests?</p>
<p>Do we define "need-based aid" as that which is not justified by the EFC? (I don't know of any school that is "need-blind", regardless of what they claim, and I don't know of any school that won't bend over backwards to "package" things in such a way so as to get the students they really want, provided they can find a way to justify it to themselves. And in April, lots of student families suddenly get poorer, as the institutions compete to "find need" among the accepted students they truly wish to attend.)</p>
<p>We found that our EFC and whatever the CSS was computing to be quite different. And yes mini, one of my son's schools "found" and additional grant to throw in during that period in April when the shoe is on the other foot.</p>
<p>Yea, I am aware of an athlete from last year who was offered $15K a year at a D-3 LAC-- & not need based, because he doesn't get a cent where he wound up going...</p>
<p>back when I was in a D-3 school, which plays D-1 in one sport, it was amazing how many 'merit' scholarships went to members of that one team, regardless of need...but, back then policy was not to provide "athletic' scholarships...yeah, right. :)</p>
<p>Need is relative. We all have needs both the student and the school and I am afraid the need that is really determined by financial aid officiers is the schools. Most the LACs that field competitive teams even at the DIII can find a lot of needy applicants who can run, jump, and throw. But most of the LACs people on this board think about couldn't beat the local middle school. Swarthmore went five years without winninf a football game before finally dropping it and they were playing the likes of Oberlin:-)</p>
<p>Anyway that aside Holy Cross is another LAC with D1 sports for anyone who is compiling a list.</p>
<p>That's just the way it is. I know a wonderful young man who did not get into UVA with excellent academic credentials. I also know a couple of athletes who are not only in, but with athletic scholarships. Guess what the academic resumes of Duke's or Georgetown's basketball teams look like. ANd most of those players are on full rides. This just hurts more because of the personal connection.</p>