How many scholastic tournaments should my child play?

Scholastic tournaments have done a great service for all of us. They are convenient, low-budget, and fun. You can find a scholastic tournament in NJ/NY almost every weekend. Students are getting trophies and plaques, and gaining experience. Parents and coaches are happy. So should my child stay with scholastic tournaments, excel at them and try to conquer everyone of them?

For a serious student, serious means he/she wants to be a state champion or nationally ranked, the answer is NO. You have to phase out after you reach 1000. When you get to 1500, you won't have many same level opponents outside nationals or state tournaments, because most of them have been moving out to adult tournaments. Playing in adult tournaments will be inevitable.

My daughter started in Columbus, Ohio. We didn't have that many tournaments, scholastic or not. So she "unfortunately" began to play adults on her second tournament. Looking back, she only played in 4 "no-name" local scholastic tournaments, a few states, and a few nationals. Maybe too few, because her trophy collection is small, comparing to many other scholastic players. Nevertheless, she has been nationally ranked since age 9. 

You have to decide how to phase out. Phasing out or not, when your child graduates from high school, he/she will be forced out anyway.