LaGrange vs Randolph: Softball Program Comparison

Two D3 programs. Randolph runs $6,484 less per year; Randolph graduates 9 points more of its students.

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean LaGrange if…

  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at LaGrange is $1,220 lower than at Randolph.
  • You need an evaluation this summer: we track 2 camps at LaGrange against none listed at Randolph.
  • Your transcript is a strength: LaGrange admits 62% of applicants, so strong grades count for more here.

Lean Randolph if…

  • The number on the bill matters: Randolph lists $6,484 less per year in tuition and housing than LaGrange, and neither charges by residency.
  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Randolph graduates 9 percentage points more of its students than LaGrange.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Randolph graduates earn about $1,664 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • Admissions is the part you are least sure about: Randolph admits 94% of applicants.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: LaGrange compared with Randolph
MeasureLaGrangeRandolph
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.$34,540$29,010 Randolph leads on this measure: lower published tuition
Room & board$12,844$11,890 Randolph leads on this measure: lower room & board
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$47,384$40,900 Randolph leads on this measure: lower total cost per year

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: LaGrange compared with Randolph
MeasureLaGrangeRandolph
Graduation rate42%51% Randolph leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$51,745/yr$53,409/yr Randolph leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out
Median debt at graduation$25,730 LaGrange leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door$26,950
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.50%50%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: LaGrange compared with Randolph
MeasureLaGrangeRandolph
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.62%94%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.671634
Where it isLagrange, GALynchburg, VA

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: LaGrange compared with Randolph
MeasureLaGrangeRandolph
ConferenceCCSODAC
Head coachMelanie RushingTracey Lynch

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: LaGrange compared with Randolph
MeasureLaGrangeRandolph
Camps we track2 listed (2 with dates)
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
Program on X / InstagramYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division III, so the scholarship rules are identical: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.

How D3 softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.

LaGrange

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Randolph

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

LaGrange vs Randolph: common questions

Is LaGrange or Randolph cheaper?
On published price, Randolph is cheaper — about $40,900 a year in tuition and housing, against $47,384 at LaGrange. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
Which school graduates more of its students, LaGrange or Randolph?
Randolph, at 51% against 42% at LaGrange (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do LaGrange and Randolph offer softball scholarships?
Both play at NCAA Division III: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
Do LaGrange and Randolph run softball camps?
We track 2 camps at LaGrange and none currently listed at Randolph. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
How do I contact the coaches at LaGrange and Randolph?
Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for LaGrange and Randolph accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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