Never, did I ever expect a swimming scholarship...

[LisaKinVA]

But, I have the email right in front of me (the coach cc'd me).  A school has offered LEGOManiac $6,000 a year to swim, with a chance at $10,000 a year -- if he makes the next time standard by April of next year.  He also received a $12,000/year academic scholarship.  This is at a school that I didn't know about until Wednesday.  He also qualifies for one additional departmental scholarship.  And, they have a stellar mechanical engineering program, will take all of his APs/CLEPs, with a choice of starting his Master's or earning a communication minor.  

 

He really likes this coach, too.  He's set his sights at the required time cut. It's not out of the realm of possibility. But, it means a bit more physical work. 

 

DD wasn't that impressed with this school (I was surprised, because I chose this school for DD, as it ticked off her boxes), and actually likes the school DS didn't care for at all (and they didn't get to meet that coach).

 

So far we've visited:

 

USMMA, King's College, Messiah College, and Oklahoma Christian University.

 

Still to see:

 

Texas Christian University

UT- Austin (meeting with NROTC, and then the coach, and then admin)

Texas A & M

UA - meeting the swim coach (DS already meets the time standard as a walk-on). 

Liberty U (for DD, this is her top choice school right now, she's in love with the swim program there)

USNA

William & Mary

 

I'm coaching DS on what questions to ask the coaches -- especially at the D-1 schools.  How their program would work with a mechanical engineering degree, the likelihood of his actually being considered to swim for the program, what he needs to do to be considered for the program, and of course, if all scholarships are for recruited athletes vs. walk-ons.

 

We now no longer need to visit 2 colleges (they were financial safeties for LEGOManiac), but he no longer needs them. Woot!

 

 

 

 

[plansrme]

 

Liberty U (for DD, this is her top choice school right now, she's in love with the swim program there)

 

 

All good news--congratulations!  I just wanted to chime in here about Liberty and swim:  if you have a chance to go to their conference meet, which is usually at U.Ga., you might want to try to arrange to be in the neighborhood next year.  We know several kids who swim for another school in their conference, so my daughter and I have been to several sessions over the last couple of years.  The conference spirit at this meet is just so much fun.  It is a little bit of a weird conference because the schools are scattered (FGCU up to Old Dominion and some school in NJ) and kind of random, but I was really touched by the spirit when we were there.  One of their schools was eliminating their swim program, so this was every one of their swimmers' last meet, and the announcer choked up while she was recognizing the team.  The Liberty swimmers kind of conspicuously do not join in the dancing and similar shenanigans, but I am sure they are still fun.

[LisaKinVA]

All good news--congratulations!  I just wanted to chime in here about Liberty and swim:  if you have a chance to go to their conference meet, which is usually at U.Ga., you might want to try to arrange to be in the neighborhood next year.  We know several kids who swim for another school in their conference, so my daughter and I have been to several sessions over the last couple of years.  The conference spirit at this meet is just so much fun.  It is a little bit of a weird conference because the schools are scattered (FGCU up to Old Dominion and some school in NJ) and kind of random, but I was really touched by the spirit when we were there.  One of their schools was eliminating their swim program, so this was every one of their swimmers' last meet, and the announcer choked up while she was recognizing the team.  The Liberty swimmers kind of conspicuously do not join in the dancing and similar shenanigans, but I am sure they are still fun.

 

If only that were a possibility (would be, if we were going to be in VA...but we'll still be in Italy, competing at our own championship meet during the conference meet).  LU students to usually adhere to a standard of behavior in public, but cut up with the best of them.  I competed for LU (not in swimming, obviously), and we had a lot of fun with our fellow competitors (we were not at the parties, though...)