As a college freshman, Michael Wright made an immediate impact on the football team. He became a starter after only one game before getting hurt and missing most of the season. In his second year, he picked up right where he left off. Not only is he starting as a redshirt freshman, he’s far and away the team’s best receiver. No one else is even close.

Most would say this is great and that in deciding on his current university he made the right choice. After all, he’s having the kind of success that every athlete and parent hopes for, but few ever find. He’s a star who’s going to have a great career. Everyone’s happy and excited. On the surface, it’s hard to argue with that. Let’s take a closer look.

Despite seemingly obvious talent, Michael had few options coming out of HS. Playing in a small town with limited exposure and support, not many colleges showed interest. At that point, prep school was an option. In the spring of his senior year, he finally received a partial offer from one of the lowest D1 FCS teams. Ready to take it, he then received a full offer from a decent FCS program. Once he got those offers, his interest in prep school ended. He took the second scholarship offer, saying it was a great opportunity. On the surface, it was hard to argue with that. This kid from a difficult background was going to play D1 ball while getting a free education. Isn’t that the goal?

Prep school would have been a dramatically better choice. Here’s why:

1. Better Education   (This is supposed to be most important, right?)
   1. He would have gotten two much better, life-changing educations
      1. Prep School
         1. He would have attended one of the top five academic prep schools in the world
            1. He would have learned to be a better student
               1. He would have been better prepared to get higher grades in college.
      2. College
         1. The prep school education would have propelled him to a much better academic college
            1. He would be at an Ivy or Patriot League school, or a place like Rice, Boston College, or similar
               1. The college he’s attending now provides an average education
2. Incredible Connections
   1. Prep school and college
      1. He would have made incredible contacts that would last a lifetime
         1. His friends would have been the kids who will be running this country twenty years from now
            1. He’s not getting anything close to that at his college
3. Higher level of college ball
   1. This was a given after a year of prep school
      1. His immediate success at his current school likely proves that he could play at a much higher level
         1. Instead of playing for a non-noteworthy school, he could be playing at a big-time school like Vanderbilt, Boston College, Northwestern, etc.
4. Better life preparation and perspective
   1. The extra year of maturity at prep school is an invaluable one-time opportunity

This is not second-guessing. This has nothing to do with the success he’s found at college. These were the options, and this was all discussed, from the start. The success he’s had only reinforces the point.

Some families would have taken the prep school option. Why didn’t Michael’s? Perhaps they didn’t listen to the right people. Or maybe, contrary to what he said, he just didn’t believe enough in himself and his talent.

It’s not that they made a bad decision, it’s that there was a much better one. He and his family could have had so much more. They had an asset, an investment, that they failed to get the most out of. All parents want their child to develop as fully as possible. The Wrights missed an opportunity to do this. They also missed out on tangible benefits. It’s pretty easy to make the case that Michael’s lifetime earnings will be dramatically lower than they would have been if he’d opted for prep school.