I am looking at several of the Philadelphia area schools, including:

St. Joseph's
Temple
Villanova
Lafayette
LaSalle
Rider

I know, some are not in Philadelphia, but they are near enough for me to look at and compare.

I have scanned the website of each, including the admissions, tuition, academic, and baseball information. However, can anyone share the "down and dirty" information on the schools, including information on student life, campus quality, and baseball program quality?

Thanks.

Lafayette and Villanova would both be good choices based on their locations and academics.

To begin with Rider is headed to the Final 64 this season

Villanova is a middle of the pack team in the Big East. They annually get their record over .500 beating up on the other teams you listed. Nova only funds six rides.

Temple, Saint Josephs and Lasalle are in the A10. In 2007 they finished last, next to last and two positions from last. Temple appears to be rebounding. Saint Josephs has what I'll guess is the worst facility in D1 baseball. They are supposed to have a new field in two or three years (land has been acquired/tenant hasn't moved yet). Saint Joseph's also doesn't have a coach. The interim is rumored to be the front runner for the position. LaSalle I don't know about.

Villanova is far and away the best of them academically. It has the best campus. Temple is in the ghetto. Athletes I know at Temple say it's OK as long as staying near the campus. I wouldn't wander two blocks from the campus even if armed. Everyone else might be. Saint Josephs and LaSalle are in mediocre areas with nice campuses. I'm not sure what campus life is like. But I believe Temple, LaSalle and Saint Josephs have a lot of commuters. I don't know anything about Rider except it's in one of the lowest ranked D1 conferences who might not be able to beat the top ranked D3 teams. Are you Penn material academically?

Also in the area (sixty miles), Lafayette, Lehigh, Rutgers and Delaware.

You might want to send a PM to Jmepop who's son plays at Lafayette.

Temple also just got whacked (scholarships reduced) by the NCAA for academic (APR) problems. I concur with RJM's assessment.

Wow. This is not encouraging at all. Academics probably preclude Villanova and definitely Penn. Other city schools are all questionable. Suburban schools (Lehigh) also out of range academically. I will maybe look at Lafayette.

Going back to LaSalle and St. Joseph's--are the areas they are in good or just okay? Is there an off-campus life in those places or are you stuck on campus because of the neighborhoods?

I think you will find that Lafayette's academics are just as tough if not tougher than Lehigh and Villanova. Lafayette being in the Patriot League doesn't offer baseball scholarships although they will get you academic money if you qualify and provide need based aid if that is the case.

Baseball program is pretty good although this was a bit of a down year. Last year we went to the NCAA"s as the Conference Champs. School and Campus are very nice and facilities are top notch. Next year there will be a lot of returning seniors so positions may be open by the time you are ready to go.

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I think you will find that Lafayette's academics are just as tough if not tougher than Lehigh and Villanova.

Agreed

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Going back to LaSalle and St. Joseph's--are the areas they are in good or just okay? Is there an off-campus life in those places or are you stuck on campus because of the neighborhoods?

They're good schools in areas you wouldn't want to wander too far. If I wanted to get off campus I would get in the car. I wouldn't take public transporation in those areas. Have you looked at their recent baseball success (or lack of)?

Are you definitely committed to looking at just DI schools? There are some DIII schools in the area you are discussing where you can get a good education and play some good baseball, and maybe get some academic money if your grades/scores are high enough. If interested, take a look at the Centennial conference schools for example, and see how your academics stack up to some of those schools.

Please don't fall into the all the hype about the area Temple, St. Joes or LaSalle is in. I don't care were you go there is always a risk. Temple plays in Ambler which is a beautiful area, St. Joes is getting a new field directly across from campus (which is great) and LaSalle plays right on campus. These are great schools and baseball programs if you are looking to stay local, please don't let anyone tell you diffrently!

Thanks to everyone for this information. It is very helpful. I will have to spend time at each school, on each campus, thus summer and fall also see how the academics stack up. Thanks.

Tough area I wouldn't let my son attend and we are familar with city line ave etc

Man gunned down near St. Joe’s
By Inquirer staff

Police this morning identified a 38-year-old man shot to death near St. Joseph's University in the city's Overbrook section last night.
***x ***xx, of the 2200 block of North 59th Street, was shot in the face and back of the head in the 5600 block of Wynnefield Avenue shortly before 10 p.m., police said.

He was found lying on a path between two houses and pronounced dead at 10:14 p.m. at the scene, police said.

No arrests were reported.

Isaac:

Spent some time around Rider athletics a few years ago and still try to keep up. My impression, though not funded fully basbeall is important to the administration compared to other sports (except basketball) A good source tells me they are funded at 6 scholarships and most others in their league are similarly funded. Rider coach has some ties to your home state of Va, I believe he attended or coached at Bridgewater U. As TRhit noted they are in the tourney this year and it appears new coach has it going in right direction. Campus was mostly constructed in the 60's so lacks the architectural charm of many college campuses, but it's ok(and safe). Good academic reputation in the local area particularly for business related majors.

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I don't care were you go there is always a risk.

The risk is just a little higher on North Broad. I'd say a kid is a lot less likely to get shot crossing the street near the Villanova campus on the Main Line than Temple. And LaSalle isn't that far from Temple.

Check their statistical archives over the past few years if you want to believe they are great programs. One was mediocre this year. One is absolutely pathetic. Hopefully getting a facility will aid recruiting. Historically they're losing programs.

I wish these programs were better. It would be an opportunity to watch better college ball.

Villanova would be the only serious choice. They just finished in 3rd place in the Big East Playoffs. They get 1 or 2 guys drafted a year and I believe won 30 games 3 of the last 4 seasons...

Thanks again for all of this candid insight. I really need to get up there and take a look around.

rw6--yes, I like what the Rider program is doing. It seems to be up-and-coming.

Of course, when these schools fail to fund the program at even 11.7 scholarships, they will struggle because most winning programs will fund all 11.7. If you cannot help a kid pay for the $40K per year program, and a state school gives him 25% so his cost is all of $15K, he will choose the state school every time.

Isaacv,

Just another two-cents worth.

My son is a player at LaSalle and he loves the place. Same with his teammates. Me? I really don't love the place --- I prefer bigger schools in small towns. But for the most part, the kids really do like the school very much and they tolerate its location in northeast Philly. It's a very nice campus in the middle of a less-than-beautiful part of the city.

He lives off campus a couple of blocks from the school. Needless to say, my son hasn't been murdered, mugged, mayhemed, assaulted, beaten, slugged, kicked, stabbed, shot, whacked, spat upon or even looked at cross-eyed since he's been there. Nor has anyone else he knows or plays ball with. He has experienmced absolutely nothing untoward. So, common sense and due caution about where you go and when you go there usually is sufficient to avoid any serious problems.

As for the quality of the baseball program, well, there may not be a CWS trophy in the display case anytime soon, but the kids and the team are not the Little Sisters of the Poor, either. They play a good non-conference schedule --- last year including Miami and Oklahoma State and this year Elon, Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside --- and they have generally, not always, but generally, been competitive. Last year they had three kids drafted and they have a prospective candidate for the draft this year. Sure, they have some improvements to make --- pitching depth, mostly --- but they can certainly compete in their league (this year tied for 9th in a 14-team Conference). Again, not stellar, but not dismal either.

The field is good. It has a new synthetic turf and a new scoreboard. Still needs new bleachers and lights --- they're working on those.

So, all in all, it's not a bad place, albeit not an area where you want to stroll down the street late at night with your girl friend.

Don't rule it out solely because it's in the inner city. Sometimes, Philly Cheesesteaks are worth a little risk, huh?

Good luck.

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Don't rule it out solely because it's in the inner city. Sometimes, Philly Cheesesteaks are worth a little risk, huh?

If walking down North Broad isn't enough risk, try high cholesterol.