Our third student spotlight is Jona M. (‘26), who is going to Pacific University to continue his academic and athletic careers. Similar to Kiran C. (‘26), Jona also got recruited, but instead to play baseball. Jona has worked tirelessly to extend his playing career, and even though he still has to maintain the GPA requirement, his goal is accomplished.

I had several questions about Jona’s process, and he had great advice while also showing the intensity of the recruiting process and what it entails.
Note: Answers were edited for clarity.

1. The Process
My experience in the application was based on baseball, with a few safety nets in case of emergency. This was still very stressful because talking to coaches is never easy, and it’s hard to understand what they want from you.

In the beginning, I started with no offers, so applying to schools like USC wasn’t an option. Once I got offers, I applied to 4 small schools just for baseball. Once Pacific offered me a spot, I went on a tour and really enjoyed the visit. Having that offer took a little pressure off me. I still applied to USC via early action and to a few Cal State schools, just as a backup plan or as an option for transfer in the future.

2. Regrets
The only thing I semi-regret is touring one of the small schools for baseball because, in retrospect, it seems like a waste of time, as I didn’t end up there. However, it’s important to visit a school because if you never go look at it, you can’t know if you fit in or not. I toured and didn’t like it, but it was still worth seeing my options, because at the time, that was my only offer. Overall, I do not regret how I approached the process.

3. Finished
I feel very free. Now, I can refine my skills and still have time to maintain the required GPA. There is still some stress with maintaining good grades, but less than before.

4. The Decision
I chose Pacific because they took the time to come watch me play, and they were impressed with my skills. I had countless calls with them discussing my future and where they saw me fitting in. Luckily, it was exactly how I saw myself fitting in. The coaches are relatable, and the campus is beautiful, especially for being a smaller community with around 2,000 undergraduate students. The facilities are great, it isn’t far from home, the campus is a good size, and there are a bunch of sports and entertainment on campus to keep you busy. Overall, it is a great fit for someone who wants to pursue baseball and still get a great education.

5. Advice
Get on top of your essays and applications as soon as possible. You will not realize how fast time flies until it’s too late. Get everything done way before the deadlines, so it takes stress off your shoulders. Also, make sure to email the schools, research your intended majors, and consider how students fit in. This research will help you make your final decision. Do not procrastinate, because I guarantee that if you do, you will be adding unnecessary stress that you could have prevented if you were being proactive.