To what degree do the LACS recruit and what form does it take?
Am especially interested in the Little Ivies and women’s crew.
Does anyone have experience out there with getting accepted when GPA is lower than average admitted student and yet the prospective student athlete is desired by coach and admitted?
Any help on how to negotiate this and what questions to ask would be appreciated.
What do you consider “little ivies”?
Little ivies are Williams, Amherst etc.
The nescac schools use a “band” system similar to the ivy academic index. But they aren’t as generous as ivy in letting low numbers in. And it depends on the sport. Accommodations are made for some Hickey and football players. Outside of that, you should count on needing numbers that meet those of the average admitted student.
The way to handle it is to ask the coach to get a pre read from admissions.
Athletics can help you get picked out of the pile for top academic Division III schools like Amherst, Williams, Chicago, MIT, Johns Hopkins - but only if you are reasonably academically qualified. The athletes at these schools have grades and SATs that are close to the average student that goes there. Athletics will not get you past admission if you are not reasonably close to the average student profile.
It’s actually easier to get into an Ivy if you are a top athlete, because the Ivys will bend their admissions standards much further for you if you are good enough at your sport. But, of course, you have to be better at your sport for the Ivies to be interested in recruiting you at all, because Ivy sports are a higher level of competition than Division III sports. I know someone who is going to an Ivy with an SAT score that was three hundred points lower than the school’s average. But he’s really, really good at his sport. Williams and Amherst simply wouldn’t do that.
By Little Ivies I was thinking of Wesleyan, Williams and Amherst.
Thanks Thankyouforhelp for what you described with the Ivies vs Little Ivies admissions standards for atheletes. Although it is counter-intuitive to me, and although this is not how the Ivies portray themselves, I can see the logic as they want to compete against other Div I schools (who can be quite flexible on their GPAs and get very good atheletes).
The whole process is both fascinating and wildly variable: one day my D is concerned about rowing standards (ie wanting Div I), the next concerned about class size (more towards Div III). I just try to remember that I’m along for the ride and there to support her as she chooses the direction!