<p>Hi all:
My S is a recruited athlete and hoping to get a "likely letter" from his first choice school. We are newcomers to the recruiting game and I wondered if any of you pros, whose children received likely letters, would mind sharing how the process played itself out. S is going on official visits now - two down, three to go - and we would love some advice on how to best maximize his chances of getting a likely letter. Feel free to PM me if you would rather keep things private. Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi 3X,
I figured you'd be starting into the final part of the process about now! Does your S have a first choice yet, or is he waiting to finish all his visits? Being able to put the schools in order of his preference will dictate what you do next. </p>
<p>If he hasn't chosen a "favorite" yet, try and hang loose until he's done visiting. Things happen fast after that, assuming he's a decisive person!</p>
<p>I remember feeling like D had won the lottery one minute, to feeling somewhat nauseated and overwhelmed that I wasn't really understanding things. Take deep breaths!</p>
<p>No advice on likely letters as D2 wouldn't go very far from home but a little experience with the recruiting process as she was recruited for DI schools. My biggest tip is enjoy the process! Make sure he loves the school and the academics first and the sport/coach second. Our girls "knew" where they fit best after visiting campus' and it really helped clarify things for them. Good Luck!!!</p>
<p>Thanks riverrunner and North Minnesota. We are deep in the strategizing phase at this point...He has found what he thinks will be his eventual first choice though he has another visit scheduled at what should/could be a top contender. </p>
<p>The advice to take deep breaths is very good but I don't see how one can enjoy the process - it's too nerve wracking!</p>
<p>Try and stay open-minded, and when coaches ask where else he's looking, and where they stand with him, coach him to be honest but not to give away too much yet. Telling a coach, "you're my first choice" may not be a great strategy right now. "I'm considering three schools, and you're one of them" may be better. At some point, if a likely letter from his first choice isn't offered, he will probably need to say, "you're my first choice, but the others are right there, too. I need some reassurance from admissions that if I apply EASC or ED (to the schools this applies to) or or wait to apply RD (for the ones that only offer that option) that I will be admitted. I'm giving up my EA/ED option to wait for you so do you think admissions will issue me a likely letter so I can be assured that I'll be admitted in January?" </p>
<p>Other athlete families may have handled this differently or been sent likely letters from more than one school, allowing more time to decide. This wasn't our experience. Any one of D's choices would have given her a likely letter, but she could not accept more than one. At least that was the way I read things. I've always wondered if some top athletes get more than one likely letter. This would change things significantly. Maybe someone will share!</p>
<p>We are also finding the process nerve wracking - so much so that even CC feels a little intimidating, though it's great to hear bits of others' experiences. My D has had 2 visits, with 3 to go. Wondering about ED vs likely letter. Envisioning a rush in October to complete one or more applications to first choice college - whatever that ends up being. All while trying to juggle academic, sports, and other commitments. Even if the athlete has a first choice, it doesn't mean they are the coach's first choice!!</p>
<p>riverrunner, thanks so much! </p>
<p>Peonies, I agree that CC feels a little intimidating right now! On the other hand, it is the greatest source of solidinformation on the topic that I have ever seen and so many of the experienced parents, like riverrunner, are so generous with their knowledge. One reason I hope my S goes the likely letter route is that it means things with calm down!</p>
<p>Good luck to your son, 3xboys! Yes, we are so grateful to riverrunner, NorthMinnesota, and so many others for sharing their knowledge and experiences. Thank you all!</p>
<p>I can only tell you that several parents who had been through this two years ago wrote me pages of advice through CC, and it was all correct, helpful and comforting. I'm passing the torch!</p>
<p>Going through this now with D2. Three schools this weekend -- all sports visits. Two more in October. I just want this over. D2 is having trouble deciding --- all good options. Now we are up to the financial part. I don't want her to commit without knowing the finances. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Congrats! It's an exciting time, enjoy the ride. Riverrunner covered it, keep an open mind. Ask, ask, ask questions, have him talk to other athletes on the team and like NM said, make sure he loves the school first. Doesn't matter how much money the school gives you, it doesn't pay if he's miserable. Explore the options. In our daughter's case she held out making a decision (yeah, it was nerve-wracking)till the bitter end and then one of her top-choice schools came back with a better offer. We helped her along with the process, but ultimately it was her decision. Make sure your son knows what he's getting into, too. Depending on the sport, he may not play that much the first year. He'll come from being a superstar at high school to starting at the bottom rung again. And there's the travel and academics. Life for a student athlete at a D1 school is not easy.<br>
But I'll say this, the first time you see your kid go out on the field at college, you'll remember that moment the rest of your life. </p>
<p>If you haven't already check out NCAA.org and read the link on eligibility and recruiting. A recruited athlete is governed by NCAA rules & regs. All the best to you and family during this time. Good luck.</p>
<p>Good advice from riverrunner, as always! I always try to make everyone aware that college fit is soooo important!
D1 just had a coaching change this year and isn't loving the change but loves her school/academics so not a big problem! So nice to know that she made the right choice by taking the charismatic coach out of the equation when she made her college choice! We knew she would not receive any FA unless it was merit based so the push from the coach was really great.</p>
<p>I have to write and backup what Zfam said about making sure your child knows what they are getting into. Make sure their chosen sport is really in their heart. Being a D1 athlete is a very hard adjusment for freshman. Practices are 10x tougher than the hard high school practices and the first 2 weeks --even without classes they are usually exhausted and overwhelmed. I know several athletes in several sports and they all have had the same experience. But if the sport is really in their heart, it is well worth it for them-and you. Nothing like being able to follow your dream.
Also, from experience, if you child will play a fall sport make sure they are registered with the NCAA Clearing House now! Once April arrives be sure to stay on your high school to get those transcripts out ASAP and recheck with the school to make sure they sent them by mid June.
Recruited athletes receiving money or not are only allowed a small number of practice sessions without being cleared by the NCAA. It is extremely important for fall athletes to get all the documents in as soon after graduation as possible. Many high schools don't get this for some reason.
And enjoy this time with your child--it may be stressful now but in the future looking back at this time will always bring a smile to your heart!</p>
<p>I think this depends on the sport and school to some degree. However, D got a likely to her first choice. It was not clear that is how it would play out, other than he had said apply early as possible (i.e., basically first week in Sept). A phone call from admin came prior to the letter saying the letter was coming and that grades were the most important thing (senior grades). The letter came about a week before Nov 1 when ED apps were due. The other likely letters for her sport went to the students who would be no brainers for the most part for Admin (basically met the profile for the school or were very close) as the coach has to in some sense put his/her rep on the line. Her coach used them to preempt other schools. The actual admit letter came in March or when ever the regular date for admission is. However, a bit later tow likely letters from a different school came, but it was too late.</p>
<p>Thanks zfam, S knows exactly what he is getting into and is very excited about it. Re: picking his top choice. He knows what he likes so I feel pretty confident that he will make his decision quickly. Then it really becomes a matter of how much they like him!</p>
<p>NorthMinnesota, I agree that fit is key. Bottom line is that he would be happy at any of the schools that he is looking at via official visits - some might be more dreamy for him than others but they are all great schools with terrific things to offer.</p>
<p>nikkistar, thanks for the reminder about making sure all docs are in to the NCAA in spring. That seems sooooo far away right now but am sure will be here in the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>hikids, did your D get a communication from the coach saying they would ask admissions for a likely letter before she applied? </p>
<p>Thanks again and as always to you amazing CC pros.</p>