Yeah....appreciate the insight on this some of y'all have shared. As mentioned a while back, we've worked with the refugee kiddo over who we have some partial guardianship (long story, only a partial legal relationship, mostly to help him out where his natural mother can't be helpful). He's something of a talented soccer player -- he ain't Messi, but he's good enough to get some college looks.
It looks like he's down to Huston Tillotson, which has offered him a spot on the team, and a full ride, and UIW, which has offered him a "preferred walk-on" roll and....not a full ride.
He's almost certainly not going to play pro soccer anywhere, but he likely does want to focus on training/kinesiology as a career. SO, we very much want him to get a degree. ANY degree, would be the first ever for his family. Challenge: he REALLY wants UIW, but there's a price tag. And while we are willing to help...we didn't plan to put a third kid through college. We will be talking to a friend of ours in admin at UIW to see if there's any path to defraying costs more, but....any thoughts on those paths, and soccer options? Academically and life-choice wise, we think UIW might be better too (it would be good for him to go to a new city, have a small bit of distance from his mom and brother, but on the other hand, not too far and not too much separation). But....a full ride to HT is nothing to sneeze at. And I have great respect for HT as an institution, they are sound and well-funded (just got a huge new gift). So, things to think about.