Nine Tips For The College-Bound Ballplayer

[TonyK]

Here is some advice handy as a stocking stuffer for your high school ballplayer from diycollegerankings.com:

1. Read the NCAA Student Guide
2. Take the SAT or ACT no later than the fall of your Junior Year
3. Calculate your Expected Family Contribution so you and your family will know what colleges are affordable.
4. Visit sites such as hsbaseballweb.org and College Confidential's Athletics Forum to gain information
5. Read books on recruiting
6. Videotape yourself and edit the tape to submit to college coaches
7. Hit off the tee daily
8. Run
9. Learn how to keep a scorebook.


I would add two more to this list:

10. Study all of the information on the Men's Baseball Site at each school you are considering. Look at the team roster to see where your potential teammates/roommates for the next one to four years are from. How many are seniors and will be graduating? How many competitors will you have at your position? Is the team very competitive, or is it floundering and may soon have a different head coach.

If you are a lefty pitcher and a school already has seven lefties on it's roster (true story), then maybe you might want to look at a different school. If their roster is only 20 players and everybody played last season, then chances are you can make the team and also get some playing time too.

And, last but not least:

11. Take a school tour, and look at the workout facilities in the athletic department and see the baseball field. Catch a game or two if you can. I can't believe this very important one was omitted.

[tg643]

Here is some advice handy as a stocking stuffer for your high school ballplayer from diycollegerankings.com:

1. Read the NCAA Student Guide
2. Take the SAT or ACT no later than the fall of your Junior Year
3. Calculate your Expected Family Contribution so you and your family will know what colleges are affordable.
4. Visit sites such as hsbaseballweb.org and College Confidential's Athletics Forum to gain information
5. Read books on recruiting
6. Videotape yourself and edit the tape to submit to college coaches
7. Hit off the tee daily
8. Run
9. Learn how to keep a scorebook.


I would add two more to this list:

10. Study all of the information on the Men's Baseball Site at each school you are considering. Look at the team roster to see where your potential teammates/roommates for the next one to four years are from. How many are seniors and will be graduating? How many competitors will you have at your position? Is the team very competitive, or is it floundering and may soon have a different head coach.

If you are a lefty pitcher and a school already has seven lefties on it's roster (true story), then maybe you might want to look at a different school. If their roster is only 20 players and everybody played last season, then chances are you can make the team and also get some playing time too.

And, last but not least:

11. Take a school tour, and look at the workout facilities in the athletic department and see the baseball field. Catch a game or two if you can. I can't believe this very important one was omitted.

#4, #4, #4. The site is loaded with parents who have been through the journey. Some now have sons playing pro ball. There are also high school coaches, travel coaches, college coaches, showcase owners and pro scouts.

Re #1: Don't just read the guide. Join the NCAA Clearinghouse. It's a requirement to receive athletic aid.

Re #2: Take the SATs before summer after junior year. It's the big showcasing summer. It's better to already have the numbers the college requires.

Re #3: A college education is like buying a car. You won't pay sticker price.

Re #6: It can't hurt. But less than half will actually look at it and even less will respond to the email it's sent in. DO NOT use background music. The coaches aren't looking to dance. They're looking for talent. DO NOT make it a highlight film. It's a fundamental skills film ... five solid swings, movement in each direction fielding from your position, throws from third to first (infielders) or from right to third (outfielders) with gunned velocity overlay image, proper rounding of a base with sixty time overlayed image. For pitchers show various angles of mechanics with gunned velocity overlayed on screen. At the end have your name, high school, travel team, coach contact, unweighted gpa, SAT scores, throwing velocity and sixty time.

Re #8: Get training to optimize sixty time.

Re #9: Eh!

Re #10: Absolutely. It's not just about your ability. It's about the need for your ability.

Re #11: Absolutely. I took my son to major D3 to major conference D1 games. I asked him if he honestly could see himself competing at each level. Attending D1 games was an eye opener for a lot of parents. I spent a lot of time attending games and talking to parents. I asked which player was their son. I asked about how his college baseball experience has been. I asked about their recruiting process. Parents love to talk about their kids. I never had one not answer the questions.

[tradosaurus]

I would add 1.5 and say practice the ACT starting your freshman year. Scoring a 27 or higher can get you a lot of money.

[tg643]

Spend as much as you can afford on SAT/ACT tutoring. My son raised his Math/English total about 200 points after tutoring.

[HYP]

Spend as much as you can afford on SAT/ACT tutoring. My son raised his Math/English total about 200 points after tutoring.

I agree with this 100%. Higher score can equate into more money. I offer SAT/ACT training for all of my high school players as part of playing for us. It is crazy that a lot of players do not prepare for this test. Like you stated about your son. If you go through a good study course, you can raise your score.

[lancers]

I agree with this 100%. Higher score can equate into more money. I offer SAT/ACT training for all of my high school players as part of playing for us. It is crazy that a lot of players do not prepare for this test. Like you stated about your son. If you go through a good study course, you can raise your score.

There are a lot of those training schools. My elder son started out with a PSAT 2000 from his soph year before taking a summer enhancement program and scored 2300 in the following SAT.

[Francoeurstein]

That helped, thank you!

[tg643]

I agree with this 100%. Higher score can equate into more money. I offer SAT/ACT training for all of my high school players as part of playing for us. It is crazy that a lot of players do not prepare for this test. Like you stated about your son. If you go through a good study course, you can raise your score.

His first round of SAT scores didn't match his academic ability. Some kids have trouble with these tests. He had six weeks of private one on one tutoring plus homework before the second round. My daughter is not as intellectually gifted but aced the SATs the first shot. She also aced the LSAT on the first shot.

[Jake Patterson]

I am still involved in education...

There is a great debate going on with regards to the legitimacy of SAT's as an admission tool, and many colleges have already gone test-optional. Many who oppose SAT's are opposed, mainly for the reason you list above, kids can be coached - usually the wealthy ones. The debate is not likely to be resolved over the next year, but there are colleges and universities who have opted out... You may want to speak with your guidance counselor about the schools you are interested in before spending too much money.

I agree with others that grades are very important.

[tg643]

I am still involved in education...

There is a great debate going on with regards to the legitimacy of SAT's as an admission tool, and many colleges have already gone test-optional. Many who oppose SAT's are opposed, mainly for the reason you list above, kids can be coached - usually the wealthy ones. The debate is not likely to be resolved over the next year, but there are colleges and universities who have opted out... You may want to speak with your guidance counselor about the schools you are interested in before spending too much money.

I agree with others that grades are very important.

The debate has been on going for forty years. The change of discussion in the debate is what Jake mentions. When I took the SATs we were told not to prep. Then it turned into, ssshhh don't tell anyone but you can beat the test with prep. Now it's beat the test with prep. Availability of preparation can range from classroom in high school and JuCos to private tutoring. The private tutor we hired guaranteed a 200 point improvement with anyone who scored less than 1200 on the Math/English number or a total refund.

[tradosaurus]

The debate has been on going for forty years. The change of discussion in the debate is what Jake mentions. When I took the SATs we were told not to prep. Then it turned into, ssshhh don't tell anyone but you can beat the test with prep. Now it's beat the test with prep. Availability of preparation can range from classroom in high school and JuCos to private tutoring. The private tutor we hired guaranteed a 200 point improvement with anyone who scored less than 1200 on the Math/English number or a total refund.

We have always used ACT study guides and practice tests. I think you could get by without paying a tutor if money is tight.

[tradosaurus]

I am still involved in education...

There is a great debate going on with regards to the legitimacy of SAT's as an admission tool, and many colleges have already gone test-optional. Many who oppose SAT's are opposed, mainly for the reason you list above, kids can be coached - usually the wealthy ones. The debate is not likely to be resolved over the next year, but there are colleges and universities who have opted out... You may want to speak with your guidance counselor about the schools you are interested in before spending too much money.

I agree with others that grades are very important.

My second oldest son was valedictorian in 2010 at his Texas high school with a 4.52X unweighted GPA.

His ACT score of 35 was what helped qualify for a full ride at University of Arkansas.

ACT (and SAT) scores are still important.

The Texas schools totally sucked with what they would give him.

[JJA]

We have always used ACT study guides and practice tests. I think you could get by without paying a tutor if money is tight.

The study guides are excellent and inexpensive (at least compared to a tutor). I'm a fan of the Princeton review series of books for both the SAT/ACT as well as the AP exams, and they're typically only about $15 on Amazon. They're well written, have the same tips as the tutors, have lots of vocabulary words that if memorized will absolutely raise the English scores substantially. The biggest upside to tutors in my opinion is that it forces the kids to study and learn as most don't exactly dive right into an SAT study guide. If they are the type to actually study hard on their own, chances are they don't need help on the SAT/ACT to begin with.

[tg643]

The study guides are excellent and inexpensive (at least compared to a tutor). I'm a fan of the Princeton review series of books for both the SAT/ACT as well as the AP exams, and they're typically only about $15 on Amazon. They're well written, have the same tips as the tutors, have lots of vocabulary words that if memorized will absolutely raise the English scores substantially. The biggest upside to tutors in my opinion is that it forces the kids to study and learn as most don't exactly dive right into an SAT study guide. If they are the type to actually study hard on their own, chances are they don't need help on the SAT/ACT to begin with.

My son was so busy we figured a private tutor provided a structured schedule with no excuses and no falling behind. It wasn't cheap. There are also online practice SAT and ACT practice tests.

[tg643]

My second oldest son was valedictorian in 2010 at his Texas high school with a 4.52X unweighted GPA.

His ACT score of 35 was what helped qualify for a full ride at University of Arkansas.

ACT (and SAT) scores are still important.

The Texas schools totally sucked with what they would give him.

How does a student get an unweighted gpa above 4.0? I've never heard of a school grading above 4.0. Our high school doesn't provide weighted gpas since they aren't standard from school district to school district. They weight internally for class rank.