<p>I wanted to report on an interesting development with S and his college application process. He is an athlete and is being recruited by some highly selective schools. He has academics in the right range, but is not at the top of the pile. Our state u is not a safety because S goes to boarding school outside the state and does not qualify for the automatic admit as a result. He has another large state u safety, but it is in the midwest, which he isn't that keen on, although he loves the school itself. In a random act (this kid has not been overly engaged in the application process), he discovered and applied to University of Georgia! He is likely to get some merit money, and has an excellent shot at the honors college. He is excited about the "big-time" athletics (both the football team and in his sport, where he would walk-on) and really would be happy at the school. He researched it and likes the fact that Athens is so highly ranked as a college town. This was a complete shock, coming from Mr. Elitist, but I am thrilled. I would love to have the lower tuition that Georgia offers, and I would be just as proud to have him attend Georgia as one of the top LACs or the Ivy that is his first choice. So-the landscape is ever-changing. I am now filled with excitement instead of being nervous about the whole process. If the recruiting goes well and his sport helps him with admissions to a highly-selective school, that's great. If ED doesn't work out, I'll order up my DAWGS sweatshirt!</p>
<p>MOWC,</p>
<p>Congratulations on the great news. Sometimes this process is so full of the fortuitous, and you feel the whole landscape begin to lighten up! I am very glad for you and your son. Sounds like he could have a great opportunity in front of him. Thanks for sharing!</p>
<p>A great message......I agree that loving thy safety is important and also make it an exciting one. I do have a question as to why having attended OOS boarding school would make him ineligible for your state school? I don't understand that.</p>
<p>MomofWildChild:</p>
<p>That is a great attitude for you both to take. Congratulations!</p>
<p>I know we will all be much more "flexible" in our thinking with child #2. It sounds like your S will have many options! What an exciting time.........</p>
<p>(I have been following your posts because your S sounds a lot like mine.)
Keep us informed.</p>
<p>Hazmat- S will be doing an official recruiting visit to Penn in a couple of weeks, which is exciting. You and I have corresponded before. Attending school OOS removes him from the top 10% auto-admit for U of Texas. He still counts as in-state and will likely get in the university, but might not get into the business school.</p>
<p>Athens is a great music town. B-52s, REM, others came from that scene, I think.</p>
<p>MomofWildChild.....I see it is the auto admit that is relinquished.....how goofy is that. I mean he will have higher scores I presume and thus they cut him out. Have a good visit to Penn and I hope he likes it because you know I do.</p>
<p>I too like your family's open attitude about college choices. However I would add one cautionary note. If he decides to attend UGa he should not assume that he will be able to walk on to the team in his sport.</p>
<p>I speak from personal experience. I was an accomplished golfer, playing as first man all four years, qualifying for the state championship all four years and named to the all-county team soph, jr and sr years. I was a recruited athlete by Div 2 and 3 colleges but decided to attend Ohio State for reasons other than golf. As a frosh at OSU I tried out for the team but failed to qualify for team. I just didnt realize how competitive Div 1A sport programs were, but they are incredibly so. I didnt bother trying out the following years after getting involved in a number of other activities.</p>
<p>Your son should probably consider a university like UGa only if he would be happy playing his sport at the intramural level. If he were to make the varsity team it would probably be a wonderful experience for him, but be considered like a unanticipated bonus.</p>
<p>That is great news Mom - Athens is a terrific college town, and if he wants to follow big time sports, he is in the Big Time. The honors college is fairly well regarded down here, and the Hope has increased the overall quality of the student body - he will have some great choices.</p>
<p>That is wonderful news! Best of luck to your son. It sounds like he will be very happy at either place. :)</p>
<p>That was a great "random act." I would guess that the fact that he did this on his own is a good sign too.
It's evidence that there is a safety out there for everyone, all it takes is some research and an open mind.</p>
<p>I have to admit it is very rare, but the few kids I know who really took over ownership of the college selection process (I don't mean participating with their parents, but really doing the research and choosing a school themselves) ended up being very happy with their choices.</p>
<p>Originaloog- thanks for the advice. S will be able to do his sport at at least 2 of his three big state universities. He is a DI-level athlete and would make the team at all but the very top programs in his sport. He was trying to use his sport to help with admissions to a highly selective academic school. </p>
<p>I still feel that I needed to do all the research and groundwork that I did with the help of this forum and other research. It was a big help to S, even though he *****ed about a lot of it. Now that he is back at school and all the kids are talking and the process is more "real", he has a better grasp of what a liberal arts college is, what a small school might feel like, what weather might be nice and, of course, which coaches are interested in him. The big switch was suddenly thinking it might be neat to be at a school with a good football team AND that he might not have to pay a fortune for a great education. I'm sure if the ED application gets shot down (despite purported coach support) there will still be some disappointment, but it is nice to know it will be easier to move on with such neat options beyond the ED school.</p>
<p>Aren't 95% of kids happy with their choice once they settle into freshman year? All the angst is for naught.</p>
<p>Good news MOWC. </p>
<p>Now...he must have been pretty darn wild to be wild AND a D1 athlete. *cyber blessings upon all Mums with wild children:</p>
<p>You know what the nicest thing is MOWC - he may know about UGA and the other state schools before Christmas (I'm assuming he doesn't have to go through uniform signing date) - now that will make hearing about the others much easier.</p>
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Aren't 95% of kids happy with their choice once they settle into freshman year? All the angst is for naught.
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<p>If it is true that 95% are happy with their choice, I think it means that all the angst paid off!! Please don't tell me it was all for naught!! :)</p>
<p>MOWC,
Thanks for sharing the great news! Congratulations to you and your son. What a nice start to the school year!</p>
<p>I have heard Athens is a very cool community. Keep us posted with the recruiting stuff. Pulling for you! SB</p>
<p>MOWC - Go Bulldogs! Congratulations to your son and you on having a wonderful school and college town in University of Georgia and Athens as a more than satisfactory alternative. (I lived in the Atlanta area for several years and we enjoyed the state, the weather, and the people.) It's great to see the burgeoning initiative and motivation in your kids, especially when it comes along as a pleasant surprise.</p>
<p>Before you start counting the money at U Ga, it sounds like he has a very good chance of getting in the Ivy. The Ivies play at a high level, but in most sports "DI-level athlete and would make the team at all but the very top programs in his sport" usually means headed for stardom in the Ivies. </p>
<p>The coach should be able to give you a good idea of where he stands for admission. If he would be a multiyear starter and impact player, as your description implies, and his academics are in the athlete range by the convoluted Ivy rules, then he has a great shot. Recruited athlethes do not need to be at the top of the pile. Average for the Ivy academically is fine.</p>
<p>The other question is whether he would want to be essentially a professional athlete, going to school on the side, at a place like Georgia. In many sports, this is very serious athletics. It may be even less gratifying if Georgia is one of the top places in the country at his sport, and he is a walk on at the bottom of the charts. Then he is living the life of a semi pro, but not getting to play that much. Not trying to be discouraging, just pointing this out.</p>
<p>Will you get need-based money from the Ivy to narrow the financial gap? Depending on which school, they may be able to adjust the ratio of grant to loan to help ease the pain.</p>