How Big Is Your DDs List

[jonriv]

My DD has committed and will be playing next year in college- Her initial lists of schools was about 35- total number looked at was closer to 50- list was narrowed down by my DD or the school- Visited 15 schools/coaches Had multiple interviews etc.. She got real good at it


Started during her sophomore year- got strong fall of junior year

Contacted ALL coaches at least once a week by e-mail- more often during season

[Fastpitch4Life]

My DD has committed and will be playing next year in college- Her initial lists of schools was about 35- total number looked at was closer to 50- list was narrowed down by my DD or the school- Visited 15 schools/coaches Had multiple interviews etc.. She got real good at it


Started during her sophomore year- got strong fall of junior year

Contacted ALL coaches at least once a week by e-mail- more often during season

Was the school she selected on her original list of 35?

[jonriv]

Great question! Yes it was, but she did not receive any correspondence from them at first-despite several e-mails from her. Her guidance counselor had suggested the school at a meeting with my DD March of her junior year- she then contacted the coach via e-mail and requested a meeting- the coach agreed. We both went to see him and it turned out this coach(whom we had heard nothing from) had a huge file on her and had seen her play a number of times- so I guess you never know

Starting during her sophomore season she sent out e-mails, newsclipping etc religiously to her list- several coaches had commented how much they began to look forward to them

[watchtonsofsoftball]

Can I ask where she ended up? Im late to the party

[hit4power]

Sounds similar - we had an inital list (summer before soph yr) of about 50 and have whittled it down to about 15-18 right now, including some schools that don't have softball. Over that 18 month period, I would guess 10 schools not on the initial list have come on to it at one point or another, and the current top 5 consists of two schools not on the original list. We try to review it at least once a month as a way to force DD to think about it and do some research. Sending regular emails has been a pain to get done - she just doesn't like doing them but I guess she's done OK at that overall. We've probably visited more than 15 schools in the last 15 months and met with 5 coaches that I can think of, off the top of my head. I think we will visit 2-3 more this spring and summer. We'll get SAT scores in a couple of weeks and I think that will provide a final cut to the list down to about 10-12 schools that we will start working very hard through the spring and summer. Come next fall, I don't think she will be applying to more than 10 schools including non-softball schools.

[fasterpitch92701]

We started off with a list of 30, emailing regularly. Typically, we heard back from 5-6. The mailings went out about every two weeks. The list eventually was trimmed to 15 then 10, however, we had nothing concrete. With all the visits to about 10 schools and based upon feedback, emails, talking, phone calls, circumstances and a partridge in a pear tree it came down to 2 and that... eventually to 1. DD applied ED to #1. Since we needed a "plan b", she applied to 6 other schools consisting of the #2 plus 5 more. We were flying blind and figured that while there were application costs, not having a "plan b" was a bad thing. As it turned out she was accepted ED at #1. I have no regrets about the app costs (aka insurance) on the other schools. DD sent application retraction letters to the 6 other schools. Overall, the initial number of 30 was good for us - a wide range, different attributes, large enough to have a reasonable chance of success but small enough to manage effectively. She starts August 29...

enjoy !

[AM Softball]

I have about 40 for my daughter but she has a top 10 already. I say get a top 10 of where you would totally love to play. Then get another 20-30 that you would also like to play at if you couldn't play at any of your top 10. You have to reach for your dreams yet still protect yourself by having the most opportunities as possible. College coaches have multiple players they look at too so you need to look at multiple schools.

Always look at "in-state" likes first because if you were not offered a full scholarship, as most aren't, you want to know if the costs left are something you could handle or if you would consider your kid walking on and earning money the following seasons. Scholarships are signed year to year and coaches know if they would have any money available in the future.

Look at the schools as if zero money were given and then work from there. If a top ten offered you 60% but a top 20 offered you a full, would you take that? What is most important to your family? Education? Softball? Scholarship amount? Location? Playing time? Be honest with yourself! Then you can narrow it down. You might also end up adding to it if college coaches not on your list show interest.

[CheckWriter]

One DD a sophomore in college on a partial. Younger a HS senior committed.

Both started with about a million on the list. We have an excel spreadsheet for each that track schools and every email or call made with date and recipient - big files.

Older DD established her dream school early on and made herself a fixture at the softball camps and although we "made her" keep emailing plan B though R, she got in to her dream school and loves it.

Younger DD had first choice and it looked very promising up until the coaching staff "ran out" of, how shall I say, "expedited applications". Holy crap. Again, before that "mile stone" we made her keep emailing quite a few schools that were solid academically. At the independence Day Tourney in Boulder last summer, multiple schools that had previously only replied with the generic: "fill out the questionnaire" (in spite of 20 - 30 -40 emails over 2 years) came out of the woodwork thanking her for her "excellent communication", "we've watched you play here, there and everywhere" and "we're really impressed" and "you'd be a great fit" and , well you get the idea. One of those is where she will be attending in the fall.

In retrospect, she is so glad her first choice didn't work out. She is already planning her Halloween costume to coordinate with the other girls that will be Freshman with her this fall. I think there needs to be some serious thought given to the "list" but don't stop sending emails to a significant number of schools until it's a "done deal" - NLI or likely letter, as the case may be. You never know. I think you can be relatively honest, in that you can tell the others that you are leaning toward xyz, but it's not certain.

She still proclaims pretty much daily: "I can't believe I'm going to ..."

Just one experience, your results may vary.

[fasterpitch92701]

spazdad... you comment is 100% on target: would you go there and be joyous not playing softball? That is what I asked DD when she made her choice. As I noted to DD, suppose you blew out both knees in the first game of your freshman year (knock on wood) what would you do? If softball is all you have in your life, different story, happy for you, hope it all works out well. If you realize this is segment 5 of 63... maybe... maybe a different story. (most on HB would NOT agree with me but a few do) DD picked her school based education being the prime focus.

As it turns out we have an obtuse "twist". She will play softball. That we knew going in. And... she will play a second varsity sport in the opposing season. You just can't predict how the hand will be dealt. Regardless, your comment should be the header on every post as (I believe) it is the smartest, most rational, level headed and forward looking perspective.

[jonriv]

Younger DD had first choice and it looked very promising up until the coaching staff "ran out" of, how shall I say, "expedited applications". Holy crap. Again, before that "mile stone" we made her keep emailing quite a few schools that were solid academically. At the independence Day Tourney in Boulder last summer, multiple schools that had previously only replied with the generic: "fill out the questionnaire" (in spite of 20 - 30 -40 emails over 2 years) came out of the woodwork thanking her for her "excellent communication", "we've watched you play here, there and everywhere" and "we're really impressed" and "you'd be a great fit" and , well you get the idea. One of those is where she will be attending in the fall.

A great argument to cast a wide net and to comunicate- you never know who might be reading and watching