I’ve been accepted into all of these schools under the condition that I run track for the school. I got a full athletic scholarship from Tulane. Even though my parents are in the 500k+ income bracket,they think that I should just take the scholarship. Will I regret this decision later in life?
Absolutely. Unless you’re going to be a professional track runner, then I think it’s a very bad idea. With a 500k+ income per year, you can definitely afford those other schools. Though it may not seem like the best choice right now to pay 60k a year, you can afford it, and that degree from Yale/Duke/Vanderbilt will pay off. Track is not really a team sport, and your running times should not really be different at a division 1school versus a division 3 school.
Why do they think you should just take the scholarship. Couplemoreweeks is quite right.
Go with your best choice school. I agree with the two posters above me.
And remember you’d have to run track all four years. Huge commitment in addition to your studies.
“they think that I should just take the scholarship”
So the real issue here is how to get them to change their minds, right? Unless you are actually on the fence, in which case, it would be good to hear the pros and cons from your perspective. If you are not on the fence, then it would be good to know more about where you’d prefer to go and why, and what your parents think about whatever case you have made to them.
Your university will form you, to a great extent. Also, you will love your university in the end. That is why you will see many, many posts on College Confidential suggesting that you should always choose the school where you will graduate with zero debt. Basically, the prestige of the school is not what you are after, it is the personal experience. Tulane is a wonderful school and New Orleans is a wonderful city, if you like that sort of city.
Is there some academic path that is special at one of the other schools? Will you be in the top half of your class? Will you enjoy the school/environment? Conversely, will it be a culture shock to go north to Dartmouth (and cold!) or Yale?
Since it appears that you will graduate debt-free either way (assuming your parents are willing to pay tuition), you really need to assess all of the factors that you are looking for in your school experience. Basically, will going to the school get you to where you want to be faster than any of the other options?
If you will not get appreciable advantage in moving your life forward, and if you are more comfortable in the south, and if your parents do not want to pay $50,000+ a year in tuition, why not go to Tulane? Otherwise, make a case to your parents for why you should go to one of the other schools, based on clear metrics that really matter.
I was once told that if I make the best decision at the time with the best available information at the time of making the decision, I would never regret it. That advice has stood the test of time.
Yes, I think you will regret it. Tulane is a fine school, but if you can go to an Ivy or equivalent I’d do that in a heartbeat.
The real question is will your parents PAY for those other schools. If not Tulane may be your only option.
What are your goals?
Also, Duke, Rice, and Vandy are DivI (FBS) like Tulane. No scholarships there?
Of course, the benefit of Yale/Dartmouth/Emory is that if you quit track, there really aren’t negative repercussions.
How do you know you are accepted at all these schools? It’s too early to have heard back definitively from all the schools you’ve name. Yale, for example, has Single Choice Early Action, which restricts applications other schools. Dartmouth has ED not EA.
Also, I thought that recruited athletes needed to make a commitment to one school and apply ED for those coaches to push for the student with the admissions committee.
@SDonCC, the process for athletes is different. While it’s possible for admissions to deny an athlete that a coach really wants, academics have to be borderline/drop off for that to happen.
And while coaches/schools push athletes to commit and apply ED, nothing says they have to (and if an athlete is good enough/wanted enough, the coach/school will wait).
PurpleTitan, I understand that, but if an athlete waits until the RD round, then they really can’t have that same level of certainty that the OP seems to have. The chances are that the coach will look hard to fill the slot of whatever time, position, etc. he / she wants on the team in the ED round. The OP would really have to be a superstar to feel so confident that all these schools will wait. I know plenty of recruited athletes and every single one of them went ED. It’s like a legacy admissions: it’s much more valuable in the ED round than later on.
The basic issue here is what the parents are truly ready, willing, and able to pay. Tulane may be the only option that this student realistically has, unless the scholarship there can be used as a negotiating tool to squeeze some money out of the others. And yes, if the athlete is really desired, that has been known to have succeeded.
The student also needs to find out from Tulane what will happen if there is an injury that end the athletic career. Will Tulane continue the scholarship at the same level for the remaining years of college?
@SDonCC, depends on the sport. Signing days are different dates for different sports. Also, what level were the recruited athletes that you knew?
For instance, most FBS football recruits would not be applying ED. Many decide or switch commitments right before signing day.
The OP says she runs track, which is apparently a proportional sport. In addition, the scholarship would be annually renewable. Why would Tulane renew the scholarship for someone who is injured and no longer on the team?
What are the parents saying? Will they pay for Yale and others? If so, then go where you want.
OP, which school are you most comfortable with academically? I mean, if you take track out of the picture. Would that be Tulane?
Also, do the other schools give full scholarships? I’m guessing yes. This would mean you are not the strongest (or maybe even one of the strong) runners on the team. How’s your ego? Are you ok with that?
I say this as someone who roomed with a girl on the track team who came with the most positive attitude and best work ethic ever, but was never able to truly keep up, both academically and on her team. She ended up transferring out to a school she was more comfortable at.
In other words, would you have applied to any of these schools if track were not in the picture? Your gut is probably the best decision maker at this point.
Well, @redpoodle, the Ivies and Emory don’t give any athletic scholarships.
The OP hasn’t said what she would get from Duke/Rice/Vandy.
Just because parents have high income doesn’t mean they can pay for expensive private schools. At that range they will be full pay, but maybe they’re encouraging scholarship because of debt, liquidity issues or some other reason they haven’t shared with OP. What will happen at any of these schools if you drop track after a year? I agree with redpoodle - where would you go if track not in picture? If Tulane would be in the running, then not a mistake.