I’m 15 years old, 6’3″, and I’ve been offered a partial scholarship (50–70%) to play basketball at a well-known private school in Bacolod City. They take their basketball program seriously — real coaching, proper athlete care, and a strong shot at getting noticed for future college scholarships.
The issue is, my mom can only afford to send me there for 2 years. After that, there’s no guarantee I can go to college unless I earn a full scholarship or some other support comes through.
My other option is to stay in my current school for senior high (Grades 11 and 12), where we can afford everything and I’m sure I can go to college later. But the problem is, the sports program is weak — no real support for athletes, no proper training, and I know my basketball growth would slow down big time.
I really want to take the chance and go to Bacolod. I feel like not going would waste both my height and the opportunity I’ve been given. But I also understand that it’s a risky move for my future if things don’t work out.
Comments
You can always go to college, can’t always play basketball at a high level. I played basketball with a guy in high school who was offered a partial scholarship to CSU. His parents bribed him to go to a D3 school where he led the league in scoring, now he’s a high school math teacher.
Is there a downside to going in, doing whatever you have to do to wow them — some balls, some gumption, whatever– then making a play for a full ride as a hardship case?
Worst case, they’re not going to lessen their current offer.
Best case, you have a second chance to show them something they didn’t see, or didn’t recognize, when they made it.
If you don’t chase your dreams, even if you fail, you’ll always wonder what could have been. You’ll resent yourself for not trying. You can always get financial aid later and go to college if you don’t end up making the big time. What are we here for if not to live our lives to the fullest potential? YOU CAN DO IT YOU TALL ASS MOFO!!!!
So are you going into your junior year? You mention your mom can only afford to send you there for two years so I wasn’t sure why it would be more than two years?
If you’re going into your sophomore year, would you have the option of two years at the private school and then completing your studies at your current school?
Just a story. I had a coworker whose son was a killer hockey player and they all knew his destiny was somewhere in the NHL. Nice kid but his grades were shit because he cared about nothing but hockey and his dad, my co-worker was OK with it. Nothing else mattered because this kid was going to the NHL. Terrible things happen to good people and he was in a serious car accident while on a date one evening. He partially recovered but the NHL or hockey in general was not going to happen . He was no longer capable of playing hockey. He survived but he was never able to support himself or just have a normal life. My old coworker is now in his 80’s and still paying for his son.
Celebrate your talent and ability but always have a backup plan. Take the scholarship but take classes that will transfer elsewhere. Always know what you do are going to do if the scholarship and the money goes away. Know what you will do if basketball is no longer your future. Put yourself first, not the game. And BTW in the professional basketball arena, 6’3” is a short guy. Best of luck to you. I know at 15 you are still bulletproof. My friend’s son thought he was too.
If you were my son, I’d say go for it! When he started college, I didn’t have enough saved to get near what he would need, but we just did it because it was his dream to go to Michigan. He got his electives out of the way for a year at community college for cheap, and then transferred to Michigan and we just crossed our fingers. Now he’s a junior with a full ride!
Things have a way of working out when we work hard and go for our dreams. And going to college is very important, don’t listen to people who say it isn’t. Congratulations on your scholarship and go show em what you can do!
Go to the place where you can only afford for 2yrs. You might be able to do something in two years.
You won’t have regrets. Do it. Go to Bacolod!!
At your age, you may gain another inch or 2 in height. I say chase your dream.