College Sports Recruiting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a financial perspective, D3 athletics rarely offer the cost savings many families hope for. Unless your student is exceptional enough to earn a full scholarship at a D1 or D2 program, your state's public university system often remains the most affordable option.

Take Case Western Reserve as an example: Even with generous merit aid of around $30,000 (roughly half of tuition), you're still looking at approximately $30,000 annually plus room and board. Compare this to an in-state public institution like the University of Maryland, which costs about $32,000 all-inclusive for state residents.

The primary D3 advantages aren't financial but rather an admissions boost (particularly valuable at selective institutions), athletic pre-reads, and the chance for your student to continue playing their sport at a collegiate level.

D3 athletics makes the most sense when your student is passionate about continuing their athletic career, you have significant flexibility regarding institutional prestige and location when seeking merit aid, or cost isn't your primary concern and you value the streamlined admissions process athletics can provide.

For most families focused on affordability, the local public university system typically offers better financial value than even merit-heavy D3 programs at private institutions.

I like your example...if only because an athletic recruit can get accepted to Case Western with merit aid, but may in fact not gain acceptance to UMD as a non-athletic recruit. So, in this example, they get to attend Case Western for a decent price.

I have a son that is an FCS/Ivy caliber player and I wouldn't be able to get him to touch Case with a ten foot pole. Although larger than most D3 schools, it definitely has a unique vibe. The campus is surprisingly nice, though.

[Anonymous]

If interested in Patriot League football the school to look at is Holy Cross they have won the PL title 6 years in a row tied Lehigh last year. HC has the best attendance of the league Bucknell is bottom of the PL. Holy Cross also plays Harvard and Yale. URichmond starts Patriot League football this fall and rival W&M just announced they are joining PL in 2026 .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What sport
What level of academics
D1 or D3
Boy or girl
Full pay or not.

All of these matter.

Football, high academic level. Only D1 would likely be Ivy or similar. Per above, do not want to be full pay.

I'm the PP.

My DS was recruited for football to a high academic D3, and received a merit scholarship. Which is the only kind you can get for D3. What would you like to know?

What I need to know to help you:

Current grade level of your son.
GPA/SAT
Position

Thanks. What school, and how much money, if you don’t mind?

One of the T20 Lacs, and $35k/yr. Don't think that's going to help you though.

What year is your son and what position does he play?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If interested in Patriot League football the school to look at is Holy Cross they have won the PL title 6 years in a row tied Lehigh last year. HC has the best attendance of the league Bucknell is bottom of the PL. Holy Cross also plays Harvard and Yale. URichmond starts Patriot League football this fall and rival W&M just announced they are joining PL in 2026 .

You don't look at Holy Cross, they look at you. And they don't really recruit NoVA because we don't really produce much football talent. (Note I didn't say any, just not much)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a financial perspective, D3 athletics rarely offer the cost savings many families hope for. Unless your student is exceptional enough to earn a full scholarship at a D1 or D2 program, your state's public university system often remains the most affordable option.

Take Case Western Reserve as an example: Even with generous merit aid of around $30,000 (roughly half of tuition), you're still looking at approximately $30,000 annually plus room and board. Compare this to an in-state public institution like the University of Maryland, which costs about $32,000 all-inclusive for state residents.

The primary D3 advantages aren't financial but rather an admissions boost (particularly valuable at selective institutions), athletic pre-reads, and the chance for your student to continue playing their sport at a collegiate level.

D3 athletics makes the most sense when your student is passionate about continuing their athletic career, you have significant flexibility regarding institutional prestige and location when seeking merit aid, or cost isn't your primary concern and you value the streamlined admissions process athletics can provide.

For most families focused on affordability, the local public university system typically offers better financial value than even merit-heavy D3 programs at private institutions.

I like your example...if only because an athletic recruit can get accepted to Case Western with merit aid, but may in fact not gain acceptance to UMD as a non-athletic recruit. So, in this example, they get to attend Case Western for a decent price.

I have a son that is an FCS/Ivy caliber player and I wouldn't be able to get him to touch Case with a ten foot pole. Although larger than most D3 schools, it definitely has a unique vibe. The campus is surprisingly nice, though.

That's a different issue. The point I was making is that a school like UMD or UVA is selective and it's hard to get accepted. Therefore, a kid isn't deciding between Case as an athlete and UMD/UVA as a non-athlete...but more likely Case as an athlete and say UMBC or CNU at an equivalent cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What sport
What level of academics
D1 or D3
Boy or girl
Full pay or not.

All of these matter.

Football, high academic level. Only D1 would likely be Ivy or similar. Per above, do not want to be full pay.

I'm the PP.

My DS was recruited for football to a high academic D3, and received a merit scholarship. Which is the only kind you can get for D3. What would you like to know?

What I need to know to help you:

Current grade level of your son.
GPA/SAT
Position

Thanks. What school, and how much money, if you don’t mind?

One of the T20 Lacs, and $35k/yr. Don't think that's going to help you though.

What year is your son and what position does he play?

To add: the FCS schools that were interested in him, we crossed off the list due to the school(s) not being academically as selective/challenging.

[Anonymous]

Why do people keep posting FCS/Ivy? Do you know that the Ivy league is part of FCS? Or just want to be clear that your kids is looking at Yale and not Austin Peay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If interested in Patriot League football the school to look at is Holy Cross they have won the PL title 6 years in a row tied Lehigh last year. HC has the best attendance of the league Bucknell is bottom of the PL. Holy Cross also plays Harvard and Yale. URichmond starts Patriot League football this fall and rival W&M just announced they are joining PL in 2026 .

You don't look at Holy Cross, they look at you. And they don't really recruit NoVA because we don't really produce much football talent. (Note I didn't say any, just not much)

NOVA is certainly not a hotspot for HS football, but there are couple of kids every year that go FBS from Fairfax county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If interested in Patriot League football the school to look at is Holy Cross they have won the PL title 6 years in a row tied Lehigh last year. HC has the best attendance of the league Bucknell is bottom of the PL. Holy Cross also plays Harvard and Yale. URichmond starts Patriot League football this fall and rival W&M just announced they are joining PL in 2026 .

You don't look at Holy Cross, they look at you. And they don't really recruit NoVA because we don't really produce much football talent. (Note I didn't say any, just not much)

NOVA is certainly not a hotspot for HS football, but there are couple of kids every year that go FBS from Fairfax county.

I would imagine there are plenty of Nova football players in the WCAC conference (both the upper level of SJC, Gonzaga, Good Counsel and Dematha and the lower level which is all the rest of the WCAC) which produces lots of football talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep posting FCS/Ivy? Do you know that the Ivy league is part of FCS? Or just want to be clear that your kids is looking at Yale and not Austin Peay?

OP mentioned Ivy so my assumption that they were interested high academic type schools. Gotta pass the broken league test, which is why I assume that D2 isn't mentioned much.

[Anonymous]

OP - Has your kid been contacted by coaches or received offers?

[Anonymous]

Holy Cross has the best PL football and currently 3 or 4 players on NFL rosters. They recruit nationally and have several players from Maryland and Virginia. Great football tradition at Holy Cross and this November will play Georgetown in football at Fenway Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep posting FCS/Ivy? Do you know that the Ivy league is part of FCS? Or just want to be clear that your kids is looking at Yale and not Austin Peay?

Bc OP said: “So far, interest from D3 and a couple Ivies…”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep posting FCS/Ivy? Do you know that the Ivy league is part of FCS? Or just want to be clear that your kids is looking at Yale and not Austin Peay?

Bc OP said: “So far, interest from D3 and a couple Ivies…”

I think the question means writing FCS/Ivies as if that is two separate things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy Cross has the best PL football and currently 3 or 4 players on NFL rosters. They recruit nationally and have several players from Maryland and Virginia. Great football tradition at Holy Cross and this November will play Georgetown in football at Fenway Park.

Had a great Nova recruit recently:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalen_Coker