<p>Does being "recruited" (I'm not sure of the technical term for it, but the coach told me that he wants me on the team) to play a sport with Pomona (individual sport, not a revenue maker) help at all with the admissions process? If so, how much? Thanks!</p>
<p>Although I am not on any athletic teams, I roomed with a football player freshman year, and have friends on several of PP’s teams. It seems to me as if being on a team is a slight advantage (especially if you are on the lower end of Pomona’s academic spectrum), but nothing close to something of a guarantee that will push you through.</p>
<p>I suggest that you ask the coach that question directly. I’m a big believer in transparency. You may get a straight answer and you may not. But I think it’s worth asking the Pomona coach, and any other coach that you have contact with.
Good Luck.</p>
<p>Will do, thanks!</p>
<p>If you look at other posts, you’ll find that having a coach tell you s/he wants you on the team is not a guarantee of admission. It can help if (1) the coach informs the admissions office and makes the case on your behalf, and (2) you already have a strong enough app to qualify you as a viable candidate for admission.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I’ve heard different answers to this question posted about students in different sports. The track coach told one girl (who now runs at Yale) that there was no admissions boost for that sport. Nobody can say for sure whether that’s because he didn’t need that particular runner, or because he really has no influence. In my daughter’s case, the coach in her sport told her she was a top recruit, and was very enthusiastic about having her apply ED to Pomona. The coach never claimed that being recruited would increase D’s admission chances to a great degree, but did seem able to predict that a student with her excellent academic and extracurricular profile would be very likely to get in - as long as she applied ED and got a strong evaluation from the coach. For RD, it becomes less predictable.</p>
<p>So my theory is that if a team needs to be strengthened, the coach’s recommendation will be considered as a plus factor in the application process. Maybe it’s not a plus factor that seals the deal, but it sure can’t hurt. I’ve had 2 kids apply to Pomona, both with equally stunning test scores, a strong academic program, and interesting EC’s. Only one is a committed athlete. Guess which one got in?</p>
<p>I am an incoming freshman at Pomona this year and I will be playing women’s basketball.</p>
<p>I first came to the pomona-pitzer bball coach in december (after i emailed her in november about my interest) around the time when I was having my interview. I talked to her one on one and she said that the athletic programs don’t really have much of a push in admissions; all they do is put your name on a list, and it gives admissions another factor to consider. She also said that applying early decision (I or II) would also help a lot in admissions especially when considering playing a varsity sport. We talked about other things, and I gave her a video of a good game that I played that season. Two weeks after our meeting she emailed me and said that she watched the video, liked what she saw, and put me on a list of players she wanted and gave it to admissions. </p>
<p>I knew that Pomona was my first choice in December so I applied early decision II. I was deferred in februrary - which was disheartening because I hadnt heard about people at pomona getting accepted after a deferral. Nevertheless I sent in an additional rec letter from my basketball coach and a list of a few athletic awards I had won after I submitted my application, and come March 27th, i was accepted!! I’ll never forget that day! :)</p>
<p>Anyways that’s my story with recruitment at Pomona. It can’t hurt to contact a coach and get on that list…there is just NO guarantee that being on that list will get you into the college. You must get into the college (or maybe even be on the fence) before they will look at that list. Well that’s what I think, I’m not sure what they do exactly but that’s the feeling I got during my application process. </p>
<p>I hope that helps, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask!</p>
<p>My short answer is yes, if you have excellent grades and scores, it can be the frosting on the cake. My longer explanation is that my son was a recruited athlete who will be playing for Pomona next year. He was definitely recruited and spent the weekend with other recruits over a long weekend at Pomona. He went on many recruiting trips back east and based on his experience and the experiences of many other kids I know, I would say that every school, every sport and every coach is different. How they “do” things varies greatly. Some kids are committing early, others late. Some coaches promise things, others don’t. Some admit they have no influence with admissions, some don’t. Some schools give “likely letters” other give verbal committments and still others say, “we’ll hope for the best”. In my son’s case, the coach took his scores and transcript to admissions and asked if he needed to apply early in order to ensure he would get in. Admissions has a very honest and healthy relationship with this coach and he was told my son had an “A” chance of getting in if he applied early and his chances dropped to a “B+” if he applied regular decision. He applied EDII and was accepted. I would encourage you to be as direct as possible with the coach. Ask the hard question, “Where am I on your list?”. It isn’t always fun to hear the answer, but it is better to know the truth. For my son’s sport, the coach told him he had influence to get in 3 players and that was it, and that my son would be one of his top recruits. The coaches may have a longer list, which they can dip into if their top guys/gals don’t get in, but usually their significant influence is only for their top choices. Sometimes they also have to make a less desirable player their top choice if their academic record isn’t as strong, in order to get that player in. It is more of an art than a science and is sort of complicated.</p>