<p>I'm a high school athlete and have been talking to a number of schools the past few months. It's basically down to three, which I will call College A, College B, and College C. All three are Ivy League schools.
College A is my dream school and I met the coach and team on an unofficial visit recently. I loved the school and the team is very, very good. The coach and I talked about applying early and a likely letter when I visited, but they weren't ready to take any verbal commitments.
College B's team isn't quite as good...I went on an official visit recently and really liked it, but I like College A more.
College C wants me to go on an official visit Nov. 6th, and says I can still apply and get in ED if I want to following the visit.
Well, I've been talking to Coach A and he says they're deciding the recruiting class by the end of the month, asked where I'm at in my application, and said we'd be in touch. I really want to go there, but I know he is talking to other recruits who might be a better athlete than me but don't have the academics I do.
College B is pressuring me to apply ED, but I want to wait and see what happens with College A. I don't know what to believe about College C saying they can still get me in ED after Nov. 1st.
What should I do? I really appreciate any advice or insight!</p>
<p>HSathlete,</p>
<p>This is a spot a lot of kids find themselves in, it seems … do you take the bird in hand or hold out for the dream school? Seems like there is no answer. My daughter has a friend in a similar situation and I am hoping she will go with the bird in hand, as the other is far from a sure thing. Have you told College C you have other colleges in play? Anyway, I would hope that by November 6 you will have your answer from College A, so that shoudl at least be removed from the equation or else you will have committed, if they remain your #1 choice.</p>
<p>These are the roughest couple of weeks, leading up to the deadline weeks in November. How honest can the coach at College A be with you? Do you feel you’re being strung along, or is there really a good chance?</p>
<p>those are just my thoughts. It seems to me that you should have a good feel for where you stand with A, B, and C … can you ask the coaches if you’re unsure?</p>
<p>Good luck with it, at any rate!</p>
<p>I’d like to help you, but I’m afraid I have more questions than answers at this point.</p>
<p>College C has ED. Do A and B have ED, too?</p>
<p>How good are your academic stats? Let’s start with your Academic Index (AI). You can compute it here:[Academic</a> Index3 - College Confidential](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/academic_index3.htm]Academic”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/academic_index3.htm)</p>
<p>How close to ready are your college applications?</p>
<p>You prefer A to B. Is your preference based just on the athletics, or on academics and everything else, too? Do you know enough about C to rank it relative to A and B in your order of preference?</p>
<p>My general advice is to choose a first choice school, focus your efforts there and , if it seems you can’t make it work, then move down the list to #2, etc. </p>
<p>Sorrry for all the questions, but there are too many unknowns here for me to give much advice. If you can answer the questions I’ve laid out above, I’ll try to help you devise a strategy.</p>
<p>The folks on this subforum are amazingly experienced and helpful. Welcome to our world. We’re here to help. Congratulation on putting yourself in this great position. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks, guys. </p>
<p>I have very strong academics…a 229 on the Academic Index. I finished the common app and could finish whichever supplement necessary in a couple days if necessary. </p>
<p>College A does not have ED, but the coach has said they want to decide their recruiting class early. B and C both have ED, and between them, I would probably choose B as a better fit for me. I like College A most because of academics, athletics, and the overall feel I have there. </p>
<p>Hope that helps…I guess maybe I should tell Coach B that I have to think about things for a bit, then wait on Coach A and see what happens in the next couple weeks…</p>
<p>I’d treat this like a business negotiation. I’d tell Coach A that College A is your first choice and that you’ll commit to him if he’s ready to commit to you, but if he isn’t ready then you’ll have to move on to your second choice school, whose coach is ready and willing to offer ED support. Coach A will understand your dilemma, he’s dealt with it before, and he’ll either support you or risk losing you. If he agrees to support you, be prepared to get your app in right away in hopes of a quick turnaround and a LL before the 11/1 ED deadline.</p>
<p>If he won’t commit to you, then go to Plan B, ED at College B.</p>
<p>Edit: Even if you don’t get the LL by 11/1, you can be confident that your AI is sufficient so long as he is supporting you.</p>
<p>sherpa gives great advice as always. I have another question: how likely are you to get into any of these schools without the support of the coaches? </p>
<p>My daughter has the same sort of thing going on, although slightly different. She visited her College A this weekend and fell in love. The coach told her he will have an answer in two weeks re: financial aid, and I assume even just if he will support her; and she has her visit with College B next weekend, which was her #1 choice before she met College A.</p>
<p>College B has early action, so she has already applied. College A has ED, so she’d have to forego B if she applied to A and was accepted. </p>
<p>But within a couple of weeks, she will have a clearer picture and so will you. Do you know the holdup with College A? Are they waiting for other recruits above you to commit or walk away?</p>
<p>Please keep us posted, I hope things work out the way you want them to!</p>
<p>Wilberry asks a great question, and the honest answer brings the stark reality of athletics admits into clear focus.</p>
<p>Ivy without ED means H or P, whose overall acceptance rates are around 7-9%. Some claim that 40% of every class is hooked, meaning the rate for the unhooked is less, maybe 4-6%. Throw out the fundamentally unqualified apps, and the acceptance rate for strongly qualified unhooked applicants is probably back to the 7-9% range, at best.</p>
<p>Contrast that to the acceptance rate for academically qualified applicants with coach’s support. No published figures are available, but it’s got to be in the 90-100% range.</p>
<p>So while in my post above I refered to this as a business negotiation, it might be more accurate to think of it as a game of poker. Does the OP want H/P badly enough that he’s willing to forego the chance by EDing at Ivy B? When he lays it on the line to Coach A, is he bluffing? Does Coach A call his bluff?</p>
<p>And what about FA?</p>
<p>For the answers to these and other intriguing questions, be sure to tune in tomorrow for the next episode of “As the Athletic Recruiting World Turns”.</p>
<p>Good luck to all. Manage the stress. Enjoy the ride. Savor the recruiting advantage.</p>
<p>I really wish CC would add a ‘like’ button, so we can like posts as on Facebook. I’d click it on the above ^^</p>
<p>HSathlete2011,</p>
<p>Sherpa and Wilberry are right on the mark. I also look at it like a poker game, but you are in more control than you think. At some point, you have to “call” the hand you’ve been dealt. It would appear that College A is trying to delay you, because they have other athletes they prefer. Sorry, but that is the way this works. </p>
<p>In this situation, it comes down to risk/reward and what you want to get out of your 4 years of college. You said College A was your dream school. What you didn’t say is how much MORE you like College A over College B or C, AND would you be willing to forego athletics to go to College A. I think those are huge questions that need to be thought through being totally honest with yourself. No one else can answer them. Depending on those answers, I think you can more appropriately play your hand.</p>
<p>“be sure to tune in tomorrow for the next episode of “As the Athletic Recruiting World Turns”” made me laugh - truer words were never spoken for this part of the game!! Indeed, “As the Athletic Recruiting World Turns” should be the name of this whole athletic forum.</p>
<p>HSAthlete2011, you are being given great advice. We have found ourselves in a very similar situation regarding School A (non ED) being a first choice, surprisingly over School B (non ED), but in waiting for School A to hear decisions from higher choice recruits, there is lots of risk of losing School B. Fortunately, the other schools also recruiting my daughter are ones she can easily see herself being happy at too (which may be like your School C). Then, out of nowhere, we have a new first choice - from her fifth OV taken this weekend. Now School A and School B are no longer ones she is thinking about primarily. </p>
<p>Everything changes daily in the world of roster choices, it would seem. School A expressly said they wanted to support my daughter through admissions, but couldn’t commit to that until after they hosted their 2 remaining OV weekends…now, she is just another recruit waiting in the wings for them - but now maybe even that has changed from her perspective since she just fell fully, totally and absolutely in love with OV #5 - the school and coaches least known to us. </p>
<p>This month into early November seems to be in a state of constant flux for all non-committed (and by that, I mean non-LL holding) ivy recruits, and others waiting for the autumn NLI signing dates. </p>
<p>Good luck - and it seems as if all of your choices would have you going to a strong school with a strong sports program - so maybe you can’t really go wrong anyway :)</p>
<p>All great advice above. In my experience, candor begets candor. In other words, telling coach A honestly where you are - A is your first choice, you would absolutely commit to attend if a LL is offered but you can’t afford to drag it out too long and be left out in the cold if other opportunities evaporate - will probably produce a very straightforward response on his part. Hopefully one in which he decides an enthusiastic, committed athlete is what he wants, even if there may be recruits with slight better stats.</p>
<p>Thank you all…that was very helpful.</p>
<p>I’m sure I would be happy at School B, but it’s just not my first choice and seeing as ED is binding, it makes me nervous to commit to a school that isn’t my dream one. </p>
<p>I have strong academics and would certainly stand a shot in regular admissions, but it’s such a game of chance nowadays that I don’t want to do that. </p>
<p>I think you are right in saying they are waiting for higher recruits at School A…I believe the coach told my parents that they’re having a few higher recruits retake the SAT in Oct and how they do will probably have an impact on my fate. My parents are nervous about me losing an opportunity at School B, as it’s a strong academic and athletic school as well and they don’t want me to be left behind by all schools when the dust settles. </p>
<p>Perhaps in the next week I will talk to Coach A, be honest and straightforward, and see what he says.</p>
<p>Good luck HSathlete</p>
<p>Like I said earlier - you’re in a common situation at this point in the game! Don’t stall School B too long, or let School A stall YOU for too long. I don’t think there would be a problem calling up the A coach if you’re worried about losing B, and just asking how things are going, because he’s your first choice and you want to make sure you’re still in the running. I think if you don’t, you run the risk of losing both. But good luck. I hope you get good news from A. When’s the ED deadline for School B? when do October SAT scores come out?</p>
<p>ED is Nov. 1st, and I think Oct SAT scores come out the 28th.</p>
<p>What do you think about School C saying if I visit Nov. 6th and love it and decide it’s where I want to be, they can still get me in ED? Truth, or is the coach lying?</p>
<p>I don’t believe the coach is lying. Since ED applications are due Nov. 1, they would still be in the beginning stage of reading them by Nov.6 or so. And the adcoms would likely just move yours to the top of the pile when/if you commit on the Nov.6 weekend.</p>
<p>That said, be sure to have a back-up plan if School C’s admissions somehow disappoints you.</p>
<p>HSathlete - in our experience, it was possible to change a RD application to ED application (with the coach’s support) by faxing or emailing the admissions office before they began reading the ED applications (though it was after the ED deadline), so I think the coach of School C is probably telling you the truth. </p>
<p>In addition to having an open, honest conversation with Coach A, I’d do the same with Coach B - i.e. something like, “I’m still very interested in your program, but if it’s possible I’d rather wait a little longer to see what all my options are before I make a final decision. However, I don’t want to jeopardize my possible position at your school by waiting too long. Do you think this position will still be available if I wait a few more weeks?” </p>
<p>As someone else said, I think most coaches will be honest with you if you ask straightforward, honest questions. Of course there is no guarantee - coach B may get a terrific recruit this week who has just been cut loose from his preferred program and who bumps you out of a spot - but I think most coaches will give you the best information they have at the time. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>HSathlete wrote:
"College A is my dream school and I met the coach and team on an unofficial visit recently. "</p>
<p>"I loved the school and the team is very, very good. The coach and I talked about applying early and a likely letter when I visited, but they weren’t ready to take any verbal commitments</p>
<p>College A does not have ED, but the coach has said they want to decide their recruiting class early."</p>
<p>Correct me, because I maybe reading those parts of your post wrong.Was there an official visit earlier? before this UNOFFICIAL visit at school A?
Where The coach gave non commitmental definition of the recruiting process:
- apply
2.a likely letter is needed…
then adds - chooses his class early
- unwilling to accept a commitment
- test takers will most likely beat you out</p>
<p>I think your parents gave the best advice.</p>
<p>I was a little confused because on my unofficial visit (never went on an OV) the coach made it sound like if I decided the school was for me come Oct, I could send in my app and get my likely letter. When I called to let him know it was my top choice, he said they weren’t ready to take any commitments, but called me recently and asked where I am in my app and said they wanted to decide the class by late Oct.</p>
<p>HSAthlete2011,</p>
<p>You appear to be a very smart young person. 229 AI is pretty strong. If I could give you two pieces of advice after having been through the recruiting process last year…I would tell you to be “assertive”, and do your best to remove emotion in the decision in College A. I know College A is your “dream school” but there are many other factors at play here. As Sherpa posted earlier, the acceptance rates at these schools is very small. It is unbelievably competitive overall and could be even more competive with your (unknown) intended major. Being a recruited athlete complicates things. You should never give up on your dream, however look at your dream school situation with clear vision & perspective.</p>
<p>You have a couple things working against you; College A has put you on hold and your timeline for College B and C is getting very short. You will need to act, and act very soon to figure where you stand and your next move. The other thing about College B and College C is most of the recruited athletes will be probably be ED if they are Ivys or Ivy-like. I don’t know what kind of athlete you are or what your intended major is, so that adds to the unknowns in my mind. Regular Decision for a Ivy athlete (at schools that offer ED) is a much tougher road. You could tryout as a walk-on, but that is no slam dunk and there are absolutely no guarantees there.</p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck with College A. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have those applications in “stand by” so you don’t miss an opportunity at College B or College C.</p>
<p>As “author” above noted, I am a little concerned that you did not do an official visit to school A. Even if you had an unofficial visit, if a coach were really interested, it would seem that they would invite you back for an OV to spend a weekend with the team etc. How do you know that you really fit in with the team and would be happy there? I would keep your options open with schools B and C, because I am not sure you really know where you stand yet with school A until a likely letter is in hand. As others said , I think the coach is waiting for the other recruits to play out. Check out the roster, would you rather have a lower role on the team athletically at school A for 4 years, or would you rather have a larger role possibly on the teams of school B or C? Is A really your “dream” school for all the right reasons?</p>