Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
This system needs to be fixed, there is NO way any 8th, 9th or even 10th grader knows what they want in college. I know lots of people will jump on here and say "my kid knows, and always wanted to go to ____". And, maybe that is true, but I really don't think they have ANY idea what they are actually signing up for. I don't get it, the kids/parents have all of the power, if people started saying "I'm not ready" this crazy process would slow down. IMO if you haven't had some AP courses, taken your SATs and played a year or two of varsity, you cannot realistically make a decision on a college. I just don't get it. But I am assuming, when you see 8th and 9th graders "committing" it is so the can brag about it, not because it is actually a decision that they feel good about.


Well, there is the financial benefit as well. Securing a spot at a good school. Knowing what you have to do to get into the school that the young man committed to. So, yes I agree it's crazy, but if Duke came calling, I'm not saying no.


Of course some of you jealous people out there couldn't bring yourselves to think that maybe Mom and Dad know their son better than anyone else... Some us know our kids capabilities and limitations on the field and in the classroom. We're not asleep at the switch!!! There are kids that work real hard and barely break 90 in regular classes. Others are lucky enough to be able to cruise through AP classes. That being said, picking a school early that is the right fit in the parents eyes might seem like an odd choice to some on the outside. I can tell you from our experience, that was definitely the case. However, we're confident we found a good match for our son, he's excited about the opportunity. Moral of the story: You worry about yours if and when the time comes, and we'll worry about ours.


The reality is that most kids in 8th or 9th grade "like" a particular school based upon:

1) name recognition
2) uniform colors
3) company that sponsors the athletic gear


They don't give much thought to the school being a good fit based upon other more important factors. If anyone thinks this they are fooling themselves.

What's the harm in letting kids be kids for a little longer and have a level playing field for recruiting that starts Sept 1 of their junior year. If anything this will help late bloomers or those going through puberty a little later. Oh, and the kid might be a bit more mature emotionally.