<p>My post #55 was related to the Ivies. I just reread the post and realized I did not specify. </p>
<p>At many/most NCAA D1 (non-elite/scholarship/public) institutions, usually if the recruit has the stats (GPA and SAT) that are listed in the table published by the NCAA, they are automatically admitted by signing their NLI and may not have to fill out an application. Policies and procedures vary by school.</p>
<p>Many elite schools, such as Stanford, have a whole other set of criteria relating to academic statistics of their recruits.</p>
<p>With regard to Karp4170's comment on scholarship dollars being given away, the experience we had is that the offers are generally not going to to improve over time - and are not terribly negotiable. At least in baseball, if you don't accept the offer in a timely manner, they will simply move on to the next player on their list. I know of multiple players who held out trying to improve the offer - only to find the offer no longer existed.</p>
<p>karp4170 - that is really good advice about the scholarship $$$'s being awarded early in the process. those waiting till later may find that at some schools, the merit aid $$$'s have already been awarded. </p>
<p>a gc at our h.s had suggested that scholarship applications be completed and turned into the colleges by the end of November. that seems like a good rule of thumb. it's a good idea for those researching colleges now to start a spreadsheet and list the scholarships at each particular school of interest and also note the application deadline date. </p>
<p>since this thread has been bumped........another thing to mention is to give a heads up........incoming freshman are recruited but there may also be junior college transfers and d1 transfers who show up in the fall. just another thing for those interested in the recruiting process to be aware of........they may want to be taking a look at the current rosters for the schools that are of interest. how many freshman? how many transfers?</p>
<p>In our case there were always deadlines attached to athletic scholarship offers. Most timelines were more than adequate and as long as Ds were in touch with the coaches it was fine with us. The coaches have a list and they need to have answers or know whether to contact the next person on the list. We knew we would not receive any need based FA. D1 wanted a small LAC and her package included merit aid and a combination of various other scholarships that rewarded her involvement in community, church and volunteerism. Many of these scholarships are not ones that you knew about or could apply for. They are granted at the discretion of the school. D1 will have an athletic scholarship although she also qualifies for academic
monies. If you receive a FULL athletic scholarship you can not accept any other dollars...nothing local, state or national. You can not make money on the deal.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the replies. We're starting our research early, which has already been very hepful to D, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed. The bare bones aspects of the process don't seem too terribly difficult to grasp, but the innuendo and gamemanship is a weak point for me in general and I worry about not being able to assess a coach's honesty, etc.</p>
<p>Also, I really hate certain questions on the recruiting forms D is already getting. For example, "list your top 5 schools and why you are interested in them." So, I'm intelligent enough to consider various possibilities of what information they might want to gain from that and maybe we can avoid gross judgment errors filling it out, but do I really know what clues they're looking for or how they will think? Suppose they are trying to ascertain what D is looking for in a school and how their school stacks up to her criteria. Suppose we list proximity as a selling point of a school on the list, and their school happens to be clear across the country from that other school. Might they assume that if given the choice, D would go to the closer school and not theirs? </p>
<p>I hear you TheGFG: That was the worst part-not knowing the dance.
It was so hard as our son was being recruited for soccer and football-so many different recruiting rules.</p>
<p>The one advice we did get from friends is that when you get home visits the schools are serious-especially if the visits are from the head coaches. We found this to be absolutely true vs the endless telephone calls and all of the official visits. ( Be careful on the official visits depending on your sport.
Maybe someone else can address that, but there are very specific rules and some schools can declare that you had an official visit even if they just feed you a hotdog and soda :) )</p>
<p>But then the stress of the in home visits! Do you serve dinner, appetizers, where do you sit? I was so neurotic. My daughter still mocks me how I was always in a pure panic everytime "the coaches are coming!" One time she had her hair in a poney tail and I made her pull it down bcs the coaches were coming! So out of hand on my part, but you get so caught up in a frenzy.</p>
<p>Good luck, I hope that you do relax and enjoy the process even though it is so overwhelming.</p>
<p>Goodness! I would also have been a mess for home visits! Thankfully we've always been done with the process before official visits take place. The coach where D2 is going has no official visits until after all his recruits have committed and signed and then he has them all there together as a bonding experience.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am wondering now when the appropriate time is for my S to ask where he stands on a coach's list. At the end of an official visit?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Many times a student-athlete will have some indication before an official visit even takes place. This is where it is nice to take 'unofficial' visits to top choice schools during the summer before senior year. The unofficial visit gives the recruit (and the coach) an opportunity to meet and get a feel for each other. On these unofficial visits the coach may offer an official visit. This is a clear indication that the coach IS interested. It allows both students and parents to tour the school, sit in on admissions sessions, etc. It also provides an opportunity to eliminate schools that the student 'thought' were top choices but then realizes are not for one reason or another. That way, an official visit is not wasted (since only five are allowed and even taking five during the school year can become quite burdensome). Coaches also appreciate this since, for many sports, there is only a limited recruiting budget. They would like to bring in students for official visits that are truly interested in attending.</p>
<p>Other indicators of a coach's interest would be a comment such as 'You are one of my top recruits' and the number of contacts a coach makes to a recruit (mailings, emails, phone calls, etc.) Please refer to The Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete issued by the NCAA for the types and number of contacts a coach can make to a recruit during the various stages of the recruiting process.</p>
<p>From our experience, the coach will pretty much lay out where the athlete stands at the exit meeting at the end of the official visit. In many cases, the parents are included in this meeting. It is appropriate to ask at this time where the student-athlete stands if it is not broached by the coach. If it is a scholarship school, many times the coach will give some indication of any scholarship he will be able to offer. Some schools will offer full tuition or X% tuition, while others will offer X% of full (in-state/out-of-state) grant in aid, etc. Some D 1 schools that have scholarships in some sports may not have them in others, so this is a point to verify.</p>
<p>Maybe some others can offer more input on the subject of 'in home' visits. From what I have seen, it seems that they are more prevalent in women's sports than men's non-revenue sports.</p>
<p>The reason athletic recruiting is so difficult is that you and the coach are both moving targets. Both are looking at numerous outcomes and personal favorites are often pie in the sky. If your child is a true hot prospect, the process is pretty easy. But the vast majority of athletic recruits are minor cogs in the sports machine and easily replaced. Most of us posting here are in that category. It has become somewhat easier now since forums on the subject are now rampant and you can see who is verbally promised where and get more national talk.<br>
Ironic, that these kids really need an "agent" to get through the college process!</p>
<p>In our situation coaches wanted the girls on campus for unofficial visits during their junior year. All scholarship offers were made at that time, well before coaches could make phone calls or girls could have an official visit. It probably varies by sport but it seems they are pushing to fill their spots earlier and earlier. We personally know about 30 local 2009 athletes who have already verballed for DI and DII soccer, basketball and football well before their senior year and official visits. D1 had no interest in the bigger schools so waited until her senior year and decided on the DIII school. You can find some wonderful and competitive sports programs at smaller schools. If your child is a good athlete and good student it makes the process that much easier. The kids seem to have a "gut" feeling for where they belong. Listen to them, don't get caught up in the hoopla/prestige game and look at the big picture. Enjoy!</p>
<p>You are so right NorthMinnesota, when they finally find the right fit the kids know. I was so amazed after so many visits/time, when my son said this is it this is where I want to be-and luckily it was an Ivy school :)</p>
<p>I don't know how it works in other sports, but in soccer, the official visit comes so late in the process, it is long after the verbal commitment is made. My daughter, a rising senior, already has made her verbal commitment, done on the basis of </p>
<ul>
<li>Emailing coaches at schools she was interested in</li>
<li>Being seen by coaches at major tournaments and showcases</li>
<li>Unofficial visits</li>
<li>Attending college camps</li>
</ul>
<p>Of these, I would say that the camps are the most important, and, in her case, got her the offers she was looking for.</p>
<p>Of course, in a sport like crew or track, where it is more about stats than seeing someone play, it might work very differently. We never had home visits, and none of my D's recruited friends did, either. I would say the majority of 2009s we know who are really good players are verbally committed by now.</p>
<p>^^^Ha, karp! In a way you're right! D2 started out only looking at small private LACs. She will be attending a small OOS public. It was a good growing experience for her. Still surprises me but she had the immediate smile on her face as soon as she stepped foot on campus even before an offer was made. Then when she found out all dorm rooms had their own bathrooms that sealed the deal! ;)</p>
<p>Another interesting topic for discussion is what constitutes an athletic scholarship. Some sports are an all or nothing like basketball and some allow partials like soccer(equivlency). You may hear some people say they are on athletic scholarship and it may be full tuition/room & board or it may be $250. Be aware of what your individual sport can offer.</p>
<p>Was wondering whether any one could share their experiences as a tennis recruit? Tennis seems to be a much lower priority for most schools and I wonder how much pull tennis coaches have with admissions My daughter (rising junior) is primarily interested in the Ivy League schools or DIII LACs. Thanks for any advice.</p>
<p>northminnesota - athletic scholarships...........that's a good point to mention......</p>
<p>d3 - no athletic scholarships. </p>
<p>d1 - depends on the sport. some revenue sports like basketball........ give full rides only and no partial $$$'s. </p>
<p>d2 - depends on the sport. w/revenue sport.....fewer full rides given. may likely see partial $$$'s given. they'll sometimes combine athletic $$$'s and merid aid $$$'s in the f/a package.</p>
<p>also check out naia and junior colleges/community colleges. d received a nice full tuition offer from a local naia school (private). also received a combo offer from a d2 (merit aid and athletic $$$'s).</p>
<p>at levels other than d1, $$$'s really can vary and i think it sometimes even depends upon the conference and/or division. you have to find out if they can give $$$'s for tuition AND room/board or can they only give tuition $$$'s? partial or full $$$'s ?</p>
<p>you have to ask lots of questions. at one school, the naia, because they offered the full tuition athletic $$$'s they were not allowed to give any academic merit aid towards anything else (room and board)............said it was a conference rule or something along those lines.</p>
<p>imo, this is why you see so many kids applying to multiple schools so that they can compare the financial aid packages once they arrive. sometimes these is no clear answer until the f/a package arrives in the mail unless there is a pre-read on f/a.</p>
<p>remember that a Financial Aid package can contain loans as a part of the Financial Aid package. read more on this in other cc threads, parents forum, and financial aid forum.</p>