I don’t think there’s any need for your D to apologize/justify/explain her questions. Processes are different from school to school and it’s reasonable to seek clarification.
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I’m guessing that odds are the google form goes directly to the coach, but some of the questions on it made it unclear. On the off chance it doesn’t go directly to coach, D doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. If the form said, or the coach’s email when she sent the link to the form, said something like “This form goes directly to me, so if there’s a question about whether to include something, just send it and I’ll decide to pass it along” or something along those lines, of course D wouldn’t have to ask anything. She is not going to apologize/justify her questions to the coach, but she just wishes she didn’t need to ask for clarification because now she has to wait for the coach to respond back and she doesn’t want to sound she doesn’t understand the recruiting process or is holding things up.
I think you are over-thinking this. The reason why it is on a Google form probably is so that there is a consistent format for all recruits that the coach, maybe eventually the AO can compare. That is why they don’t want just uploaded resumes.
Coaches understand there could be questions. I would have all your questions ready in 1 call/email. What might be annoying is multiple questions at different times.
Also remember whatever is decided in a pre-read is not binding in any way. Eventually the AO will be reviewing the official application as the only authoritative source of information on which they will base their decision. The process now is to weed out any that the AO’s will not accept and those that are marginal unless they can improve certain aspects of their app.
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You’re probably right about over-thinking. D emailed her questions about it in 1 email. Will not email any other questions about it. If she doesn’t hear back by tomorrow, will just submit with what she feels seems best.
Ok, last question- how would all of you handle the situation I described above? D is wondering if she doesn’t hear back by tomorrow on the questions she emailed the coach regarding the pre-read google form link, should she just submit it in the way she is assuming is needed (but not completely clear on google form, and not 100% it goes to coach and not a liaison) and then follow up with email to coach that she submitted it and didn’t want to hold up the process, so just let her know if they need anything else? D is SO afraid of misstepping here. She feels very good about where she stands with this coach, and this is her #1 choice, so doesn’t want to handle it the wrong way, or delay in submitting her materials.
I don’t really understand what her questions are (which could change what I’ll say next)…but would lean towards getting the doc submitted.
If it’s uncertainty about whether to include other activities, etc from the resume per your post above, I would add this to the doc and get it submitted.
Thank you! So, in call last week they had general conversation around process with coach saying to submit her ACT score (which is below college standard, probably at their 25%ile). D didn’t tell her at the time she should have the results of most recent ACT next Tuesday. On the google form it said “Our school is test optional for your class, so only submit ACT score if you would like to”- this caused D pause and she wondered if she A- should in fact submit it, or B- wait until Tuesday (though she doesn’t feel she should wait that long to submit).
There was also a place to upload full junior year transcript but a note that said “If you don’t have it yet, email me when you get it.” D doesn’t have it yet, but is wondering if she should (in the meantime until she sends full one) upload her high school transcript through 1st semester junior year.
The resume question is less urgent in that D can just email her resume and list out key job, ECs, sports, volunteer, etc.
She is feeling like maybe she shouldn’t have emailed and just submitted the form right away, but she felt like clarifying was the way to go, to be sure to get it right.
If it were your kid, would you have them submit it today or tomorrow and then just let coach know by saying she submitted it because she didn’t want to delay the process and she’ll forward her new ACT score (if it goes up) and her full transcript when she has it? She she upload the current transcript she has through 1st semester junior year, or not submit anything? I really don’t know why this is bothering me so much…
So she emailed the coach to clarify if she should wait on the new ACT score and the full transcript?
I would give the coach a chance to respond.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with recruit clarifying with coach if she has questions. I do think there’s a problem with parsing every little detail to the point where it seems like a parent is over-involved. It doesn’t sound like the latter is what’s happening.
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Yes, she emailed the coach (once) to ask if she should in fact submit current score, or wait to submit new (hopefully higher) score and the form said to submit FULL transcript but if student didn’t have it, to email it when they did, so she also clarified if, in meantime, she should upload the most current transcript she has (through 1st semester of junior year). That’s it. The email from the coach sending the google form link yesterday said “Let me know if you have any questions on this.” Coach is fantastic, but a notorious inconsistent emailer. How long would you give it to hear back before just submitting? And if she goes this route, should she send another (brief) email saying she submitted it because she didn’t want to hold up coach’s process? I just wish this process was cut and dry. Just wondering what the standard turn around time to do this is…With her other schools, it’s very cut and dry- just email coach transcript when you have it, along with school profile and test score.
Unless the coach asked for the document by 7/17, and unless the coach responds differently, I would wait until Tuesday when she gets her ACT score. 2 business days is not a make-or-break
As far as the transcript, the instructions looked self explanatory to me. They want the official transcript through junior year and if unavailable, to send the requested doc when available. So the requested doc is not available, which means she can’t send what does not exist.
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Thanks! Coach JUST emailed, so we can breathe a bit easier and she said exactly what you suggested! She confirmed that the form goes right back to them and they won’t submit it to AO until they have full transcript anyways, so wait until next Tuesday, submit new ACT score and hopefully she’ll have FULL transcript by then. SO, it ends up, we are glad D asked!! Also, coach added no need to list out activities since they have her resume. WHEW!! Thanks everyone for your input!
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You want to apply to the schools with coaches who are very helpful, responsive, and don’t mind the questions even at many different times. You want your kids to be coached by coaches who respect your kids. My son was talking to several coaches from different schools last year. It was obvious that some coaches were not responsive, and even lost the pre-read. No matter how prestigious schools your kids are applying to, you don’t want this type of coaches, because this is what your kids will be treated if he/ she goes there.
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It would make no sense for documents to go directly to the AO. The coach might care about a letter of rec from a hs/club coach but the AO may not. Same with an SAT score.
The coaches or department secretary or the AD know the system and will want to polish the file.
Agreed. When this coach responded, she seemed almost happy for the questions, thanking D for asking them. In contrast, D was going through the recruiting process with a high academic D1 last year and the coach asked the same questions repeatedly, lost or misplaced items, communicated poorly, etc. All red flags and totally turned off D to the school.
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Recruiting is a lot on the coaches side and may not play to their strengths. I’ve had several conversations with coaches and they all said is ranks at the bottom of their job responsibilities - made even more difficult after the “Varsity Blues” scandal.
When possible, it can be handed off to an assistant coach. One coach for our child’s sport told us he received 100’s of inquires from very qualified athletes to “I’ve never done this sport (or my child), but I think I will be good” and knows he misses out on some qualified athletes due to the huge volume of emails.
This time of year, they are wrapping up the previous season, welcoming new recruits for the Class of 2026, figuring out what they want/need for Class of 2027, maybe running camps to make money for their program and hearing from younger classes too plus don’t forget a vacation and time with their family. All this and trying to get their pre-reads done timely by the AO times all the other sports/coaches for their school too.
I am presuming, clear communication and follow up by qualified athletes is appreciated.
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It’s nice for recruits if coaches are responsive and good communicators. But I haven’t seen any correlation between good coaching and being good at the organizing or communicating parts of recruiting. Some of the best, most supportive coaches are also very spotty with replying to recruits. I’d judge them more by what current athletes say and how the coaches act at the official visit. Once on the team the relationship is totally different.
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Those coaches are representing their schools. Non-responsiveness is simply not professional. If this behavior is presented in the regular commercial business sector, he/she will be fired. For me it’s simply unacceptable to do especially to 18 year old kids.
As a parent, I want my kids to be taught by a person of sold character than good coaching skill.
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And you have the right to make that decision and take your business elsewhere, but if your kid really wants to go to Yale or Williams or Haverford, then you have to deal with the coaches those schools picked.
Some of the coaches won’t get along with admissions, and your athlete may be caught in the scuffle. Not much you can do as they aren’t getting a slot without the coach’s okay, and they aren’t getting in without the AO’s nod.
Understand. Everyone has a different approach and feeling to the recruitment process.
It sounds like things have been pretty much resolved, but I will put a couple thoughts out there for future readers.
First, unless we are talking about SEC football, the coaching office is understaffed. Things fall through the cracks. It shouldn’t happen, but it does. Just because the coach hasn’t replied in a day or even a week doesn’t mean they aren’t still extremely interested. It may be a loss of interest, but more likely means one of the other 50 hats they are wearing is where their attention is at the moment. Some coaches are really good at balancing everything, but not very many. Even well staffed programs may have an assistant who isn’t managing their job well. That happened to my son, he thought his #1 school was losing interest, because contract really dropped for a couple months, then the head coach called and essentially said that one of his assistants had dropped the ball on maintaining contact and made my son an offer the next day.
Second, when it comes to high academic pre-reads, the coach is definitely on your side of the table, not the AO side. They will gather info and help you present it in the best light. If they didn’t want you at least as a possible recruit, they wouldn’t present you to the AO in the first place.
Third, my usual first line of advice is to ask the coach, on this as well as 95% of all other issues. MAYBE I had an annoying question sometime, but I doubt it. I didn’t talk to most of the coaches who recruited my son, but I did at a few of his top choices. I asked some pretty blunt questions and they usually seemed to genuinely appreciate when I brought up negatives about their program or school because it gave them a chance to address it directly. My son and I both I’m sure asked some “dumb” questions, especially about logistical things.
Most coaches are very understanding of the fact that while they do this dozens of times a year, all of the HS kids (and many of the parents and coaches) do this once in a lifetime. As was mentioned earlier they don’t want to answer questions in 20 different emails. But if they get a few with some good questions, even if some of those questions are things that may seem obvious to someone who understands the system, they know your kid is really interested and trying really hard not to screw it up. That’s what they want.
Fourth, for some kids the pre-read really is just a formality. I don’t remember exactly when but my son’s got done later than what you would think normally happens based on what you read on cc. He had already verbally committed at that point, and while he is below the median numbers at his school, he was well above what was needed with coach support.
The coach told me they prioritized sending other kids in first because they knew my son would pass anyway so they weren’t worried about it. Plus they already had a handshake agreement and told him he would easily pass so they didn’t realize we would be worried (they didn’t know me well obviously 
). They just wanted to make sure they did it before the summer was over to check the box and not step on the AO’s toes by assuming he was OK without giving the AO their chance to chime in during the formal pre-read process.
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