<p>My daughter is a rising senior currently being recruited by several Div III programs. All are excellent schools (I hope) but there are differences among them.</p>
<p>Cost of attendance will be an issue in any decision our family eventually makes. Three of the currently considered colleges are need-based FA only, no merit aid. And, according to the NPCs, we do not qualify for need-based aid. (Our EFC always comes up at around $60,000.)</p>
<p>When is the right time to bring up money issues directly with the schools that are need-based only? </p>
<p>And with whom? Do we talk to the coach first? Or go directly to the Admissions or Financial Aid office? Etc.</p>
<p>Should we just throw in the towel at those schools and tell the coach right away that it just isnt going to work out?</p>
<p>And what about the schools that do have merit? When should we talk dollars and cents with them? And what should we say? That we have a specific level in mind that we can and cant afford?</p>
<p>If the net price calculators at the need-only based DIII’s suggest you would NOT qualify for aid… are you willing and able to continue pursuit - knowing you will likely pay full freight? </p>
<p>If the COA would be prohibitive - why are these schools still on your daughter’s radar?</p>
<p>If they are only need based schools and you know you can’t afford paying the full COA, then your daughter should not be looking at those schools. The coaches can’t offer money since its D3, so unless you want to pay about $60,000, your daughter should tell the coaches that she is uninterested.</p>
<p>Agree with the above, though it seems to me that some of those need-based schools will have a bit of merit-based money to hand out. I think it’s worth asking asking about that before throwing in the towel, but if you’re not willing to pay full tuition, I think now’s the time to start setting those limits on the college list, before anybody gets attached.</p>
<p>Yes, at the very least I have already had several very frank financial discussions with my d.</p>
<p>She is very well aware of the lay of the land.</p>
<p>We’re just wondering how and when to have those same discussions with the school.
Sooner is obviously better than later.
But how soon is “soon?”</p>
<p>GolfFather, I’d bring up finances now with the coach. He may be able to facilitate a read by the FA office that may be better than what you are seeing with the online calculator.</p>
<p>Well considering the cost of attending many schools, Cost is the first thing I bring up. I know that is different, but many people are caught up in the name first and then cost etc…whereas I see schools as being part of what YOU make it. So, if you foresee a problem even after talking with the coach than you have some soul searching or just saying hey find another school…</p>
<p>the thing is if it is need based aid–they you have to decide now and swallow hard. Unless the school is particularly generous with need aid–expect you are paying the full freight.</p>
<p>Coaches can ask a FinAid office to do a “pre-read” financial AT THE SAME TIME as the OV. They do not do fin pre-reads without the scholar-athlete being a top recruit because fin aid offices dont have the time to do all of this for kids who may not apply. So it generally has to be requested by the coach. In our case the coach sent us a form and we sent it back to the coach who handled it with a fin aid rep.</p>
<p>I think any school she plans on going to an OV for–she should ask the coach for a financial pre-read at the same time.</p>
<p>Golf, This is my firstgo-round with financial aid calculators too (IVY) and the word I’ve heard on the street is that the Princeton calculator is good, and accurate. I don’t assume it translates to other divisions or schools, but I have to agree that if your number is not coming up great on any calculator, things don’t look good.</p>
<p>Son was recruited by a NESCAC and I spoke with the Financial Aid VP after the official. Numbers did not look good. Wish I did it before the official, but it did give my son a look at a good NESCAC school.</p>
<p>We found the financial calculators at our oldest 2 kids’ schools to be very accurate… so we knew what financial demands would be made of us, going into their first years of school. Unless something is likely to change with your family’s financial status, which would significantly increase your FA award… I would encourage your daughter to focus solely on schools from her list that can offer merit money and other forms of institutional aid. </p>
<p>If the coaches are showing sincere interest in your daughter as a recruited athlete, definitely ask for the financial pre-read, as suggested by others. The information you receive can lead to a conversation about possible adjustments. Good luck</p>
<p>GolfFather - We are in the same exact situation. Probably similar schools, never would have looked at them if not contacted and will receive no need based financial aid. </p>
<p>What I also wonder is…if they are pursuing, don’t they want to know what we can afford before they pursue further. Also, they can’t assume we know that much about the school. Not every parent researches this stuff. Some parents don’t know the DIII athletic rules. I get asked all the time by parents if my kid will see money.</p>
<p>Agree with stevelm, bring it up to the coach now if you are having discussions and certainly before any type of visit. The last thing any parent needs is for their child to fall in love with something that is unaffordable. Give the coach a chance to tell you if he/she has any influence over merit dollars. Some DIII seemed to have pretty interesting scholarships that they can award to kids they really want. We got good/factual responses from coaches when we said, “we want to be upfront with you…our budget is xxx a year and we won’t qualify for need based aid”. It felt awkward the first time around but we did it via phone call, we had my S say that mom/dad would like a minute with you before he hung up his call. Coaches know that the cost to attend discussion is coming eventually for most kids they contact (although they are hoping that they have miraculously found an athlete who will love the school so much they will pay full price and won’t need help getting admitted.)</p>
<p>We are currently in communication with two ivy league coaches. D has official visits scheduled with both schools in September. However, at our request, this weekend we are heading to campus to meet with Financial Aid Officers. The coaches were amazing at setting up meetings with the FA office and we are submitting paperwork in advance for an early read of FA. If the numbers don’t work, D will not attend the OV. She will schedule visits with other D1 schools that can offer athletic aid.</p>
<p>If you do not have need by the school’s definition, you are NOT going to get fiancial aid. However, there may be merit scholarships availabe at some schools, and those are usually offered by admissions to the students that the school wants most. The top academic stats are not always the ones that get those awards. Other factors, sometimes gender if the school want to keep a balance that way, geographics if the school wants that diversity, and other holistic factors like what the student has to offer the school come into play. So the admissions office should be made a ware that there is a high interest in any scholarships being offered, as should the coaches.</p>
<p>If the school gives need based aid only, there isn’t going to be any money other than help in getting some campus jobs. There are usually a number of them in the gym and associated with the sports that the athletic dept has control or leeway in giving to whomever they want. But it is not allowed to give money for athletics in a D3 school and that is stricty enforced. ANy coach or school that is doing this should be avoided as it gives a good indication of what the ethics are in that place.</p>
<p>My kid has accepted several OVs and has been the primary contact with coaches, although we have offered advice. I know coaches want to deal with the athletes, but it will be my financial obligation. Would it be ok for the parent/s to contact the coach directly about getting a financial pre-read or does every communication have to come through the kid?</p>
