My DD never cared for sports, but now loves going to football and basketball at a T20 school. I would never exclude school just because it had D1 football an basketball team. Sometimes kids don't know what they are missing until they try it. It wouldn't be the primary factor, but I consider school sprint a positive.

My son is at VT in part for the big sports culture but also strong program for his interest. DD, OTOH, has no interest in sports and is mainly targeting LACs. That fit makes sense for her. Different strokes for different folks!

Neither of my college aged kids could have cared less about football. I doubt either one has ever been to a football game in their lives.

Anonymous wrote:

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

My daughter experienced her first Enter Sandman last night and was thrilled!! Sent us the video - incredible vibe!

My son is a freshman at VT and was also at the game! He loves football and had a blast last night.

Anonymous wrote:Alumni networks for some of those schools are deep and the name recognition nationally is valuable. If he is a good student and majors in something where he can get a job, he'll be in great shape when he graduates.

Also as PP said, some of those schools are excellent and attract great employers. I went to one on that list and it was really a great combination I want my kids to have.

I would also not be excited about my kid going to Bama, but it sounds like yours has more power than most in the form of the trust. Do the best you can to guide but he has to own it.

This is our sentiment exactly as parents of a DS that wants a big football school. The only top academic schools with big name football are ones he won’t get into - Michigan and Notre Dame. Stanford, Northwestern, Duke are great sports schools but are not what most of these kids are looking at for big football - not SEC level of game day. He could get into smaller more prestigious liberal arts colleges but wants no part of that. So he will likely go to a lesser academic school. We believe the alumni networks at some of his choices will be very helpful and somewhat offset the lack of prestige and recruiting that comes with top academic schools. DS also makes case that he will do well and focus on top academic school for graduate degree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Huge driving decision for our daughter too.

+2 Also, a huge factor for our DD.

Mine too! DD went to small charters her entire life. She wants to experience Big, Football, spirit. I’m 100% behind her. Plenty of schools that are Division I and good academics.

Anonymous wrote:I went to a big football school, and it was a huge part of the experience for me. My DS was adamant that the school have no football program.

[/b]Kids have interesting ideas about what will make them happy at college. They may seem odd to us, but being happy with your college choice goes a long way toward actually being successful in college. Kids who hate the school, for whatever reason, tend never to really become a part of the place. This choice is also a big part of their first step toward independence.

[b]

+1 to the bolded.

Anonymous wrote:Michigan
Florida
Penn State

Notre Dame
Northwestern

I went to a big football school, and it was a huge part of the experience for me. My DS was adamant that the school have no football program.

Kids have interesting ideas about what will make them happy at college. They may seem odd to us, but being happy with your college choice goes a long way toward actually being successful in college. Kids who hate the school, for whatever reason, tend never to really become a part of the place. This choice is also a big part of their first step toward independence.

Anonymous wrote: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?

There are big football schools where your kid will get a great education. I mean, any public university will do. I went to U Texas, great school and huge, yet disappointing football program. My siblings and many friends went to Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor. All went on to med, law, engineering, and other great careers.

Your DS will get a great education at any of the schools that you mentioned above, OP

Alumni networks for some of those schools are deep and the name recognition nationally is valuable. If he is a good student and majors in something where he can get a job, he'll be in great shape when he graduates.

Also as PP said, some of those schools are excellent and attract great employers. I went to one on that list and it was really a great combination I want my kids to have.

I would also not be excited about my kid going to Bama, but it sounds like yours has more power than most in the form of the trust. Do the best you can to guide but he has to own it.

My child also was only interested in D1 schools with big football programs. IMO, this is a stupid reason to choose a school, but it is what it is, and it's his life, not mine. Now a sophomore and very happy attending games all fall (football) and winter (basketball). He might even go to some soccer and volleyball games too. Doesn't much like baseball, but his roommates do, so he's attending those games as well.

He also made the Dean's list with straight As last Fall and Spring, so it's OK.

Was for my girl also.

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

My daughter experienced her first Enter Sandman last night and was thrilled!! Sent us the video - incredible vibe!

Anonymous wrote: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.

Same with my daughter (not the fantasy football, but everything else). She wanted an excellent school with a big sports vibe too and is loving VT.