The thing that's freaking everybody out is the fact that this is the best player in the country in his class and as such, he has all the leverage - a position we all wish we were in. We also know he doesn't have an academic track record yet - either good or bad. So, with that in mind, why not shoot for the moon academically? You know any of the top IVY's would love to have a talent like this. It would be one thing if he had a mediocre high school transcript full of B's and C's. If that were the case then PSU would be a great academic outcome. But, since he has no idea what his high school academic potential will be, why not go for the best possible academic outcome until proven that he can't get in? Otherwise, it just appears to everybody that he's settling before even giving himself a chance to leverage his God given athletic gifts at an IVY or similar caliber school.
Penn State does not take kids with BS and Cs. They don't have too. Unless of course you are an athelte. In 8th grade, you do know if you are a high academic achiever because the better 8th graders are taking Regents exams in math and science. If they are not running averages by this time in the year in the high to mid nineties, they are not likely Ivy, Duke or ND material. As for Penn State, you should be in the A- range. After all, it is a top 50 school, and is still quite competitive to get into.
