Harvard or Other?

What advice would you offer a young lady who is trying to decide whether to accept an offer from Harvard? She has a few other softball scholarship offers; including at least one full ride.

I don't know the particulars of the Harvard offer.

 

Harvard . . . .

Of course, this offer has to be all academic (Ivy League schools don't offer any athletic scholarships). Doesn't really matter though. There's a lot to consider here. A Harvard education is a pass key to a very exclusive club that could profit her handsomely for a lifetime. That could dwarf the value any athletic scholarship.

Softball? Harvard isn't very good but if she can play every day that may not matter.

 

Well

Harvard if with academic money it becomes affordable! Softball will be fun and you can not get any better academically!

 

the problem with those schools is they end up making you talk funny and you can't get grits up there!

 

If you can get accepted at Harvard(and you want to go there) you go to Harvard.

I have heard that many of these IVY league schools, if you get accepted and the family income is below a certain level, the school is free.

If I wanted to go to Harvard, I would be PROUD to be on the Harvard softball team even if they finished 0-30... because getting accepted to play on the Harvard softball team is a HUGE accomplishment.

 

If your family income is less than $125K at any of the big three Ivies: Harvard/Yale/Princeton and you get in the cost is ZERO! If your income is over this you pay only 10% of the overage in tuition... thats it. The income threshold goes down from there at other Ivies who have less of an endowment.

There are no athletic schollies in the Ivy League. Each coach has slots. They balance their on the field needs with the requirements that the admission office gives of a somewhat lower threshold for recruited athletes... being a recuited athlete is called a "hook" in the highly competative world of Ivy admissions. The softball recruiting class must, as a group, meet a certain GPA/test score threshold which is compared to 1) all recruiting all classes across all sports at that institution and 2) the incoming freshman class as a whole. Each coach will run a completed transcript and test scores by the admission office for a "pre-approval"... if this hasnt been done there is no "offer".

I can put you in contact with people who can give you the "inside" scoop on programs up there... make an INFORMED decision. Send me a PM if you wish.

The athletic intensity level is quite a bit less at the Ivies than you would find at other D1 schools who are competing to get into the dance. However, dont kid yourself, these coaches want the CALI kids too and there is a significant west coast bias at some of the programs. I had one coach tell me she recuited the same athletes as Stanford (top 5 softball program). Doubt she convinced anyone to come to her school over Stanford but that was her mindset.