Not an athlete but was a big football program important?

[Anonymous]

DS has friends at schools with big football programs. e.g. Texas A&M, The Ohio State University, FSU, Bama, etc. He knows what he wants to study, but he is only considering IS and OOS with huge football programs. School rankings, graduation rates are secondary to him. His grandfather left a great deal of money in an UTMA which he will gain access to at 18 so he will be paying for college himself. We can advise but really have zero say.

Anyone else have a kid like this?

[Anonymous]

I mean a kid only looking at big football schools not self funding.

[Anonymous]

Look, it’s not like you can’t mix big football schools with very good academics. Big football schools tend to be more fun, and college is supposed to be fun.

So good for him.

[Anonymous]

Obviously, many kids have preferred School X over School Y and I'm sure football was part of that equation. There is nothing wrong with it.

There are many schools with strong academics & football. They aren't mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

There are a number of good schools with big football programs, if he can get in:

Michigan
Stanford
UCLA,
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
UNC
UVA
Washington

to name a few
Duke

[Anonymous]

Important?
Not at all.

a side factor.

[Anonymous]

DS is not an athlete and liked big rah-rah sports schools, but just about football but that whole vibe. He's happy at VT and said he and friends were planning to watch football all weekend. They also do fantasy football together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a number of good schools with big football programs, if he can get in:

Michigan
Stanford
UCLA,
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
UNC
UVA
Washington

to name a few
Duke

USC, Wake

[Anonymous]

Yes, my son purposely avoids big sports schools

It’s all fine, OP. They need to own their choices.

[Anonymous]

Michigan
Florida
Penn State

[Anonymous]

They want a school with big school spirit, tailgates, gear, school colors. All good OP.

[Anonymous]

Huge driving decision for our daughter too.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I went to a small high school but I loved the football games, basketball games, soccer games and pep rallies. Just the overall atmosphere and school spirit. I enjoyed the same thing at a big state school in college and would not have chosen a small school without that vibe- but I still was interested in academics. You can have both.

[Anonymous]

I went to VT and football games are some of my fondest memories. We love bringing our kids back to games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huge driving decision for our daughter too.

+2 Also, a huge factor for our DD.