<p>Last week I had an meeting with a coach about swimming for their team, we talked about GPA and my times, he was in a bit of a hurry but if he says to keep him updated on my progress and when I apply- is that good?</p>
<p>yes!</p>
<p>and you had an in person meeting, that’s very good!</p>
<p>Depends, are you a senior, is it a D1 school? Where do your times fit in? Are you looking for a scholarship or just a spot on the team? And do you need the coach to help you get into the school? Lots of D1 schools (in any sport) are moving along with recruits because of the November signing week that’s fast approaching! </p>
<p>Good luck with it, hope it works out for you!</p>
<p>Yeah it’s D1, I’m around the middle of their team, but I’m young and thats with my times now. I will get faster and be up there. I don’t need a scholarship but it would be cool to get one. Thanks</p>
<p>woops just noticed what I titled the thread. Meant to say Did this interview go well lol, I was in a hurry this morning and I don’t want anybody to think I’m dumb.</p>
<p>Thanks Jared, glad you cleared that up. We were all really hoping you were a fast swimmer because we were worried about how you’d get in otherwise! 
(just kidding!!)</p>
<p>Are you in a swim season now? What I mean is, when do you have another chance to show the coach that you can improve your times? Also did you ask if he has a lot of potential November signers? Maybe he doesn’t, in which case you’re good till April and have the time to keep your grades and scores in their range and bring your times down as well.</p>
<p>Have you gotten offered an official visit to this school?</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>First I should probably clarify where I stand amongst their team. I’m roughly in the middle of their team for all my events, and for my best ones I’m about 4th. Don’t forget though that I have a year to improve before you can really compare times!</p>
<p>And yeah I just started another season, and my first meet is in a few weeks. He said to keep him informed about how I do and when I apply. He has a lot of fast seniors now that will be leaving, and he only mentioned one fast recruit. </p>
<p>As far as official visits go, at least in the swimming world coaches aren’t allowed to ask you out of nowhere to go on one- you have to sort of suggest it so they can follow up. At least that’s how it was for my brother who is a fast sophmore now. I’m not really sure I have the time right now to go on one though, maybe over a break though?</p>
<p>Jared, you have a misunderstanding of the recruiting process. Swim coaches are allowed to and do offer official visits to athletes that fit their athletic profile. I know lots of swimmers who have been asked on official visits by coaches, many who they have had little previous contact with. My daughter’s friend has been on three already this year. You say you had a meeting with the coach, did you visit campus on your own? If so, that is considered an unofficial visit. If the coach is interested in you, he would most likely have you out for an official visit. While I do know of a few swimmers who were recruited in the spring and never went on an official visit, the vast majority of DI scholarship school recruits do go on official visits.</p>
<p>it may be ok that it wasn’t ov. my d visited 2 of her three top picks several times, and met with the coach, although they weren’t even “un-officials”. she asked one coach if she could come on an OV, she wanted the wine and dine experience. Her response was sure, you can come anytime you want. my d had to make sure it was an ov weekend with other recruited athletes, so she could have the experience:)</p>
<p>she ended up signing with this school, the whole process was very casual and unstructured. and I remember she too thought she needed an OV invite to be seriously considered, turns out the coach had decided back in her junior year and assumed my d knew since she had an open invitation to the school starting july 1st.</p>
<p>After a certain date they are allowed offer official visits, we call them recruiting trips in swimming. I have been randomly asked by several coaches to go on one, I’ve already been on two but I really went for the experience. I didn’t like the schools that I went to very much. A reason why he didn’t offer a trip than is because we literally made contact week before and he knew only knew a few of my times (and he asked me to come out to meet him based on that)- and nothing academic related. You can’t offer a trip based on that. The important thing is that he asked we keep in touch.</p>
<p>Are you indeed a senior Jared?</p>
<p>Recruiting trips can either be official visits or unofficial, depending on who is paying, and how old the recruit is, whether it is swimming or any other sport. They are all regulated by the NCAA rules. And there is a limit of five official visits allowed for any one recruit, starting senior year. So be careful not to accept OVs from too many from schools you are not serious about.</p>
<p>Jared,</p>
<p>did he ask for your academic info? Before they can offer the recruiting trip, they have to have copies of your test scores and transcripts - if he didn’t ask for those, you might want to use that as an excuse to make more contact; such as, I’m really interested in swimming for you, is there any more info I can send you right now to see if I am a good fit?</p>
<p>I second the beware of ‘wasting’ visits on teams you’re not that interested in. Of course, your backup school could become your #1 if it surprises you on your visit, or #1 could fall off the radar, but be sure to save a couple, one for this dream school and maybe another just in case!</p>
<p>Yeah I agree about wasting visits, but my friends really convinced me to go on the first for the experience. The second was primarily because one of my good friends went their.</p>
<p>As far as academic discussion went it was very informal, he fortunately took the time to meet with me only an hour before his first meet of the season, so we used the time wisely and talked mostly about swimming and the school. We got to academics towards the end, but than the other team arrived and he had to accomodate them for a bit. We talked a bit during the meet, but because he was actively coaching and it was mostly small talk. Their wasn’t any official exhance of academic info, but I could fairly easily get into the school.</p>
<p>I think wilberry is correct here regarding the test scores and transcripts. You should get a copy of your transcript to date and scan it, and also the copy of your test scores. It would be useful if you’re looking D1 to register with the NCAA eligibility center. There is a lot of odd red tape regarding these processes. </p>
<p>The NCAA publishes some guides for athletes that would be worth your while to read.</p>
<p>I’m registered with the NCAA clearing house or whatever they call it, but I don’t know much about it.</p>
<p>^^ As an athlete / swimmer that wants to be recruited–you need to do some of your own research.
Talking to a coach poolside is not recruiting…
It is a process…you need great stats (how are your times compared to those on the team now), your transcript and test scores should be excellent…
You haven’t said whether you are a Jr/ Sr etc…
Having $ does not get you in–though not needing FinAid will help if you get into a school thats pricey.
Search this forum for more info and definitely get registered with the clearing house. You have to submit transcript release forms to your schools registrar etc…and send your test scores…that takes a bit of time…
Try talking with your swim coach–since they will be talking with any college coach who seriously looks at you…</p>
<p>Jared- You might want to take a few minutes to download and print the student-athlete guidelines to recruiting at the NCAA website. It will be easier to reference if you have the hard copy readily available.</p>
<p>To start of fogfog I’m a senior, my times on the team right now are in the upper middle section. That’s very good though considering every single one of the members on the team are older than me, and coaches know that you will only get better every year. As far as my transcript and test scores, I am well above the schools average for GPA and am in the top range of their ACT and SAT. I would have no problem getting into the school based on academics alone. I am already registered with NCAA clearing house and my coach has talked with him. </p>
<p>I’m not a complete stranger to recruiting by the way, I’ve already been on two official visits or “recruiting trips” and have recieved about 50 letters from coaches from around the country who would like to have them swim for me.</p>
<p>Glad you have it under control. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Good news, the coach contacted me this evening and requested my NCAA ID number. I have one but am curious what that will tell them, because I registered a long time ago and honestly I had my mom do most of it (at the time college wasn’t really on my mind lol).</p>