<p>In one elite prep school six kids already got admission likely letter from elite colleges based on athletics recruitments for the 2011 college graduating class.</p>
<p>One from Harvard
One from Stanford
One from Yale
One from Princeton
One from Brown
One from Dartmouth</p>
<p>Most of these kids are very good athelete but not academically super bright. They are okay in academic areas. </p>
<p>Are these practices of taking what colleges needs in terms of sports common in other high schools too?</p>
<p>Stanford and the Ivies would have different timelines/processes. With Stanford, the recruited athletes, if they have submitted applications, may already have their admissions letter--not a likely letter. The recruited athletes there who have given a verbal commitment to the coach will be urged to submit their application ASAP so that the coach knows whether the student is admitted, and the admissions letters are given early. With the Ivies, I don't know.</p>
<p>I heard this weekend about some kid at my son's school, who I thought was a junior?! this year, who had heard that they were going to an Ivy school for athletics. I didn't want to argue with the source because I thought I might have the child's class year wrong - doesn't the NCAA have rules against that???</p>
<p>if these athletes are at an "elite prep school," it's highly unlikely that they're dummies (well, GWB got into Andover, but that was an anomaly). Point being, even if they're in the bottom 50%, the fact that they were admitted in the first place suggests high SSAT scores and overall ability.</p>
<p>I find it strange that an Ivy would give a "likely letter" to any athlete at this early stage. Coaches are still having official visits, recruiting weekends, etc., and I thought the big push is for students to apply ED/SCEA. I also always thought the "likely letter" game in the Ivy League and NESCAC schools was played after RD applications went in (this is from reading Chris Lincoln's "Playing the Game"), not in connection with ED. What is everyone else's understanding? (This post does not concern Stanford)</p>
<p>cangel--I understand anecdotally that commitments are being made earlier and earlier. There are already lots of D1 commitments to schools that were made during kids' junior years--maybe before as well. </p>
<p>The NCAA rules are about when coaches are allowed to initiate contact with athletes--but the lines of communication can go the other way--i.e., the athlete can call the coach--before the recruiting timeline of the particular sport kicks in. An example would be that an elite athlete can get a letter from a coach, I believe starting at the beginning of junior year, and the athlete can then call the coach, and if the coach is reached directly, they can then have discussions. The athlete can also, I think, make an unofficial, unpaid visit to the school and have discussions. Thus, athletes who already know where they want to go, can make a commitment to a particular program quite early on. </p>
<p>It's controversial because I believe that the commitment is a 1-way commitment. I.e., the kid can make a verbal commitment to a school, but the letter of intent isn't signed until the signing period and therefore the coach, in theory anyway, can withdraw the offer (the kid can too). I don't know that much about it as it wasn't a factor for S, I'm just repeating the grapevine stuff I've heard.</p>
<p>Ivy League schools do issue 'likely letters' before the early decision deadline and they encourage athletes to apply as early as possible for Early Decision/Action. Also, Ivy League schools do not issue National Letters of Intent, since they offer no athletic scholarships.</p>
<p>I am aware of a likely letter being sent before the ED deadlines, although I believe it was after the student had applied. I assume that the schools would not issue a likely letter without having a transcript and a set of scores in hand. </p>
<p>Given that, I wonder if what is being noted here is that the students have recieved correspondence from coaches. I know the OP says differently, but at our school, they wouldn't have been able to send a transcript yet. Maybe the prep schools are somewhat more on the ball.</p>
<p>OF course, for truly great athletes being recruited by non Ivy schools, the reason for early "likely" letters is to keep the athlete from commiting to a NLOI school during the early signing period, which occurs in the fall before the ED periods. If you think about it, it does the other Division I schools a favor because it allows the kid to commit to the Ivy with certainly that he'll be admitted, rather than make a commitment to another school that he then breaks when the Ivy finally admits him.</p>
<p>karp--I would guess then that those likely letters are going to the top few recruits in the sport--not the ones who might be more borderline for the coach--and that those recruits have also made some kind of verbal commitment to the program?</p>
<p>My had a classmate who received a likely letter from an Ivy in late October. He was an athlete, NMSF, minority and, according to my S, very very bright. The Ivy must have wanted to grab him as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>The first set of Div. I athletic announcements are on November 15th, though I have no idea whether the Ivies conform. I expect whether they are public about it or not, they have to make athletic commitments by then for fear that their recruited athletes will go elsewhere.</p>
<p>When Ivy League coaches begin contacting prospective student-athletes on or after July 1st, they will ask for a copy of the students transcripts and test scores. (These must be submitted before a student-athlete can take an official visit.) However, it is possible for the student-athlete to make an unofficial trip to visit the coach during the summer prior to senior year. By this time, admissions may have already reviewed the transcripts and test scores and give the coach an idea if the athlete can/will be admitted. The likely letter might, in fact, be issued before an official recruiting trip is taken.</p>
<p>In ice hockey, players "commit" to Div 1 programs as early as 3 years prior to
matriculation. This is a verbal committment as there can be nothing in writing until the summer after the junior year so it is not binding. I don't know how they get around the NCAA rules, but they do. A friend of my son's has been "comiitted" to Boston College since his sophomore year of HS. He will enter BC in 2008</p>
<p>Recently a young player who had comitted to Brown about 2 years ago and has been playing in the USHL, just "decommitted"---hoping to make Hockey East</p>
<p>
[quote]
Recently a young player who had comitted to Brown about 2 years ago and has been playing in the USHL, just "decommitted"---hoping to make Hockey East
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Also, I think that the school could "decommit" from a verbal offer--if there were an injury, or a fall-off in performance. It's a risky business on both sides, but still there is a mutual attempt to shore up recruiting to the extent possible, ahead of other competing schools/athletes, I guess.</p>
<p>This is all very interesting. My S has been in contact with several Ivy and NESCAC coaches in his "non-revenue" sport, all of whom asked for and received his scores and grades. He will be a NMSF and has an excellent AI. But he hasn't receive a letter that says "if you apply" ED or RD you will get in. I know of no one who applies RD NOW; the dance still seems to be about where one applies ED. S receiving official visit invites to half a dozen schools isn't a bad thing, but now I'm thinking that he may be on the "let's invite him too" list. It makes sense that the top propsects (e.g., a future starting QB or basketball center) may get special handling. </p>
<p>But what of the typical tennis, track, crew, volleyball, etc. athlete who the coaches might actually want? Is the process really different than 1) contact the coach or be contacted; 2) have your stats/tapes and academics reviewed; 3) do an unoffical visit in the Spring/Summer; 4) do an Official Visit in the Fall; 5) get some level of commitment from the coaches; 6) Decide on an ED school based on the heady mix of factors that keeps this site in business (with sports a factor for the kids of those on this thread); 7) If the kid gets in ED, great, if not; 8) Apply RD and get (hopefully) at least one "likely letter" based upon the inevitable negotiation that plagues Admission Offices concerned about yield, etc.; and, 9) Make a commitment to a "likely letter" school (or not) and go to college. </p>