Anonymous
08/17/2025 14:22
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
It seems because she wants to be able to compare aid, and the numbers right now are not working out. Which is why I’m saying you need to have frank discussions with them now about aid. If they can’t commit to something workable now, and they want your athlete, I don’t see why you think they would make a better offer later.
Thx. Helpful guidance. I wasn’t sure if merit is normally low balled in ED vs RD.
- OP
Some schools yes. They tend to be non-SLACs in my experience. But given they really want your daughter for the sport, they have no reason not to give you their best offer now.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 14:19
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
It seems because she wants to be able to compare aid, and the numbers right now are not working out. Which is why I’m saying you need to have frank discussions with them now about aid. If they can’t commit to something workable now, and they want your athlete, I don’t see why you think they would make a better offer later.
Also, as the mom of an athlete at a D3 in the 40-60-ranked range, I can say that a lot of these schools are not going to give more than $40K, if that. So if you’re looking to get the number down below $50K a year at a school in that range in New England, that’s going to be very unlikely. It just doesn’t work for them financially; they need to be able to get $X from each student to meet their budget.
Maybe it’s more likely at LACs in PA or the Midwest or south, or lower-ranked schools.
#2 is a very good LAC in the Midwest. I’d be happy if we got to $40K in merit. They offered $33K so far.
- OP
Anonymous
08/17/2025 14:17
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
It seems because she wants to be able to compare aid, and the numbers right now are not working out. Which is why I’m saying you need to have frank discussions with them now about aid. If they can’t commit to something workable now, and they want your athlete, I don’t see why you think they would make a better offer later.
Thx. Helpful guidance. I wasn’t sure if merit is normally low balled in ED vs RD.
- OP
Anonymous
08/17/2025 14:17
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
Because we can’t swing $90K a year (despite the college believing we can). She can’t blindly commit to #1 without knowing what merit they would give. She would not make the team there so there hasn’t been any pre-discussion with them yet about merit (working on applications for both still).
-OP
Anonymous
08/17/2025 14:15
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Sounds like if you wait she might not end up at either school.
That’s my worry but she’s not ready to give up on the possibility of #1 at this point before she’s even applied (hence why we had not planned on ED)
- OP
Why can you not have a frank discussion with them about their bottom line on aid? If it’s a dealbreaker, I don’t see why you wouldn’t try. If it’s not, then that’s fine, but you’ve indicated to us there is a specific number above which you can’t go.
Frank discussion with which? #2? That was what I was asking - should we be direct that she really lives #2 but the aid there would need to be X to make it work - and either way she is also applying to #1? Or it’s not really possible to tell #2 they are #2 without screwing things up. Thing is #1 is definitely a reach and I think #2 will know that too.
- OP
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:22
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Is this an academic scholarship or athletic?
Seriously, if you’re asking this question at this point you don’t belong in this discussion.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:19
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this an academic scholarship or athletic?
Academic. School is D3.
It's an athletic scholarship but D3s can't give athletic scholarships so they call those "merit" scholarships, but they are really not.
You always say this. A D3 school cannot give merit aid to athletes in a different proportion or frequency than non-athletes. It’s against the NCAA policy. They can be audited on this. Often “merit” scholarships are given very broadly to nearly all students. So it is not a huge competition to get them. If that means they’re not based on “merit” to you, that’s fine. Don’t know why it bothers you so much, but whatever.
I do??? It doesn't bother me at all. I was just trying to clarify. I don't remember ever saying it here.
Ok, sorry. There are some posters who are obsessed with this issue for some reason. My view is, as long as they are transparent re the number of students who are getting aid and how much (as they should be on their common data sets), I don’t see what the problem is.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:17
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
It seems because she wants to be able to compare aid, and the numbers right now are not working out. Which is why I’m saying you need to have frank discussions with them now about aid. If they can’t commit to something workable now, and they want your athlete, I don’t see why you think they would make a better offer later.
Also, as the mom of an athlete at a D3 in the 40-60-ranked range, I can say that a lot of these schools are not going to give more than $40K, if that. So if you’re looking to get the number down below $50K a year at a school in that range in New England, that’s going to be very unlikely. It just doesn’t work for them financially; they need to be able to get $X from each student to meet their budget.
Maybe it’s more likely at LACs in PA or the Midwest or south, or lower-ranked schools.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:14
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this an academic scholarship or athletic?
Academic. School is D3.
It's an athletic scholarship but D3s can't give athletic scholarships so they call those "merit" scholarships, but they are really not.
You always say this. A D3 school cannot give merit aid to athletes in a different proportion or frequency than non-athletes. It’s against the NCAA policy. They can be audited on this. Often “merit” scholarships are given very broadly to nearly all students. So it is not a huge competition to get them. If that means they’re not based on “merit” to you, that’s fine. Don’t know why it bothers you so much, but whatever.
I do??? It doesn't bother me at all. I was just trying to clarify. I don't remember ever saying it here.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:12
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
It seems because she wants to be able to compare aid, and the numbers right now are not working out. Which is why I’m saying you need to have frank discussions with them now about aid. If they can’t commit to something workable now, and they want your athlete, I don’t see why you think they would make a better offer later.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:12
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Recruited athletes need to find a match. The college application process is tough for students who have a reach dream school, you need to be open to a variety of schools or it’s likely you’ll be disappointed, instead of excited about your college.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:07
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Why isn't she applying ED to her top choice?
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:03
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Sounds like if you wait she might not end up at either school.
That’s my worry but she’s not ready to give up on the possibility of #1 at this point before she’s even applied (hence why we had not planned on ED)
- OP
Why can you not have a frank discussion with them about their bottom line on aid? If it’s a dealbreaker, I don’t see why you wouldn’t try. If it’s not, then that’s fine, but you’ve indicated to us there is a specific number above which you can’t go.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 12:01
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this an academic scholarship or athletic?
Academic. School is D3.
It's an athletic scholarship but D3s can't give athletic scholarships so they call those "merit" scholarships, but they are really not.
You always say this. A D3 school cannot give merit aid to athletes in a different proportion or frequency than non-athletes. It’s against the NCAA policy. They can be audited on this. Often “merit” scholarships are given very broadly to nearly all students. So it is not a huge competition to get them. If that means they’re not based on “merit” to you, that’s fine. Don’t know why it bothers you so much, but whatever.
Anonymous
08/17/2025 11:56
Subject: How to position (merit aid)?
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like if you wait she might not end up at either school.
That’s my worry but she’s not ready to give up on the possibility of #1 at this point before she’s even applied (hence why we had not planned on ED)
- OP