<p>My son verbally committed to an Ivy League college coach ("Coach X"), and applied early decision at that college. The admissions office did not issue a likely letter, saying that since it's an early decision application, they will provide an official written reply on December 15. If my son is accepted, the acceptance will be binding to both parties.
Shortly after my son had submitted his early decision application to College X, another Ivy League coach ("Coach Y") contacted him and offered to support his application provided he has not verbally committed to any other coach. When my son said he had already verbally committed to Coach X, Coach Y said he could not support my son's application.
My son really wants to go to College Y instead. College Y has always been his first choice. But because Coach Y took too long to make his decision, my son had to commit to Coach X.
My son has the right to withdraw his early decision application at College X before December 15, and there would not be any legally binding agreement between him and College X. However he feels he has a moral commitment to Coach X.
How can he get out of this verbal commitment to Coach X, so that Coach Y will support his application?
Thank you for your advice and counselling.</p>
<p>At this point, since he already told Coach Y that he had committed to Coach X, I would think that it wouldn’t make a difference even if he could “get out of” it, because Coach Y would still not support the application for ethical reasons. I suppose your son could call Coach Y and ask if he would still support him if he withdrew his application and commitment to Coach X, but I would imagine that Coach Y would not want to be a party to that because of the unwritten ethical agreements between coaches.</p>
<p>You might want to try and cut/paste and ask this question under Admissions and Athletic Recruits…there are several knowledgable parents who might be able to help.
Good luck.</p>
<p>Suggest posting on the Athletics forum under College Admissions. Lots of parents there with experience with recruiting and may be able to sort this through.</p>
<p>cross posted with fogfog</p>
<p>Would he be happy at the first school?
Does he feel like he would have a good relationship with the first coach?</p>
<p>I think Ready to Roll has it right. He verballed and the coaches take that seriously. OTOH, as we know, only admissions can admit, and if he is not accepted ten days from now, he should call the other coach immediately upon telling the first coach that he didn’t get in.</p>
<p>Legally, he can get out of his verbal commitment. But even if he could do that and get into College Y, it would be wrong. Period. This comes under the Super Chicken rule. He knew the job was dangerous when he took it.</p>
<p>Questions like those of Siliconvalleymom should have been asked before he made the commitment.</p>
<p>The second coach will not support the application even if your child pulls the first one. They will respect the verbal even if you do not. So, you don’t actually have a choice in the matter, anymore. This is why he asked if he had verballed and not if he had “applied.”</p>
<p>Anyway, why would he support someone he couldn’t trust.</p>
<p>Tough break, though. I’m sure he’ll be happy at school 1.</p>
<p>The athletic board that others have referenced is here: [Athletic</a> Recruits - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/athletic-recruits/]Athletic”>Athletic Recruits - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>if your son preferred college Y over college X, he should’ve made this clear to coach Y earlier.</p>
<p>The advantages of ED are that you can find out where you are going earlier, and don’t have to deal with other apps. The disadvantages are you do not have options later in the year.</p>