Anonymous
03/01/2026 18:22
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Of course this thread will go well like every other thread about FA. /s
Anonymous
03/01/2026 18:19
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
The thing is there are definitely a significant number of recruits who do not need athletic status to get in. I can’t imagine parents of superstar not leveraging that to get the best packages from the schools their DC got into.
Try harder to imagine it. Many of us lived it.
Of course. Not every recruited athlete is a superstar.
Grubbing for aid is unbecoming with mid 7 figure HHI and high 7 figure assets.
Man, if that was our situation, I would not be on this thread….
Anonymous
03/01/2026 16:58
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
The thing is there are definitely a significant number of recruits who do not need athletic status to get in. I can’t imagine parents of superstar not leveraging that to get the best packages from the schools their DC got into.
Try harder to imagine it. Many of us lived it.
Of course. Not every recruited athlete is a superstar.
Grubbing for aid is unbecoming with mid 7 figure HHI and high 7 figure assets.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 16:28
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
So at minimum, does being recruited means that there have been conversations between parents/players and a coach?
Anonymous
03/01/2026 14:59
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
The thing is there are definitely a significant number of recruits who do not need athletic status to get in. I can’t imagine parents of superstar not leveraging that to get the best packages from the schools their DC got into.
You may have leverage, but most situations they will only give you the need when you need it
Anonymous
03/01/2026 13:40
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Thank you to those who have shared. I am OP and these responses have been very helpful.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 13:39
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:No one is answering OPs question.
This has been answered. OP doesn't understand this.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 13:38
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anyone with a recruited athlete willing to share what their financial package is? Don't have to share the sport or school if you want to be super anonymous.
Thank you!
You don't seem to understand this at all. Being a recruited athlete will help you get admitted. There is no financial package. This isn't a thing.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 13:29
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
Right, because anyone that makes less than, say, $300K doesn’t have their act together. I’m fortunate enough to be doing quite well, but also appreciate that I had no school debt, could afford to take risks to start a company and had a pretty easy life. Those that don’t have the same luck aren’t lazy and you sound like an entitled Karen.
You should stop making excuses for other people. Everybody has access to public school. If you want to send your kid to private school, you should probably have your act together and be able to pay the bills. Financial aid is funded through donations so it is a form of charity. No different from a soup kitchen. Financial assistance for people who need it.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 12:57
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
I am the PP whose kid gets a lot of aid but it's need based.
We're at the point of thinking about college. My kid is talking to coaches at schools that offer very generous need based aid. He's a very strong student, strong enough to "buy a lottery ticket" to someplace like JHU, but his sport significantly increases the likelihood that he'll get in. If he gets in, and the net price calculators are correct, we'll pay $15K or so less than we would at our state flagship, UMD. So, he'd end up with a savings of $15K because of his sports. Even though JHU doesn't offer athletic aid, he'd still be getting aid because of athletics.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 12:49
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anyone with a recruited athlete willing to share what their financial package is? Don't have to share the sport or school if you want to be super anonymous.
Thank you!
Answers that you get to this won't be helpful. Recruited athletes get anything from zero to a full ride. It's all best on what the family is willing to pay and how badly the school wants them.
There are families making over 500k that receive aid because they are being cheap and their child is that talented.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 09:41
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
The thing is there are definitely a significant number of recruits who do not need athletic status to get in. I can’t imagine parents of superstar not leveraging that to get the best packages from the schools their DC got into.
Try harder to imagine it. Many of us lived it.
Of course. Not every recruited athlete is a superstar.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 09:21
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
The thing is there are definitely a significant number of recruits who do not need athletic status to get in. I can’t imagine parents of superstar not leveraging that to get the best packages from the schools their DC got into.
Try harder to imagine it. Many of us lived it.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 08:56
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.
The thing is there are definitely a significant number of recruits who do not need athletic status to get in. I can’t imagine parents of superstar not leveraging that to get the best packages from the schools their DC got into.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 08:51
Subject: Financial Packages of Recruited Atheletes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Zero dollars
Did you ask and were rejected or were you given the impression that additional financial assistance was not an option?
Most parents at private school are full pay. Parents who have their act together can afford the tuition. Why would we have to ask?
So it sounds like your DC wasn't good enough to be offered anything? But they are considered recruited because they wouldn't have gotten in without athletic ability? Sorry, I'm learning more and more that being recruited doesn't mean the same across schools and sports and even within the same school team.
No…it’s that it seems 99% of schools are honest when they say they don’t provide athletic scholarships which is the case even with WCAC schools.
Now…the sport may get a FA kid accepted at which point their financial situation determines their FA…and there are quite a few athletes that qualify for full FA.
Also, if a top athlete qualified for any FA, then it’s easier to get more FA after explaining “special circumstances”.
Thank you! That makes sense.
It sounds like “special circumstances” is prob a conversation that is happening only for some athletes.
I'm the PP above whose kid got a lot of aid, and I think it's important to note that many of the private schools in the area don't meet every student's need. They are either need aware, so a student who needs a lot of aid is less likely to get in, or they are need blind but sometimes make offers of admission without needed aid because they have run out of money.
If a school has 4 applicants that all seem like good candidates but need 90% aid, and they can only afford to offer one spot with that level of aid, they might offer that spot and aid to an athlete. It's not merit aid exactly. The school can say that they were only meeting need. But the kid still got the aid in part due to their athletic skills.
You have to look at it as two decisions.
First decision was the accept a kid because of athletics.
Once accepted, their athletic status is irrelevant and now FA is based on their financial situation.
It’s no different than Ivy League schools accepting athletes over “more qualified” applicants. Once accepted to Harvard, your athlete status is irrelevant and the FA office awards you $$$s based on your need.