<p>There have been a few posters in the last month who have had some concerns about the strength of 'coach support' in the admissions process. The CC consensus has been to ask the coach for a Likely Letter. Just wondering how the conversations went - did the coach put you up for a LL? Did you have a parent make the call?</p>
<p>Grandson explicitly asked for a LL at the time he verbally committed to his chosen school in mid-October and inquired of the coach about the process by which the LL would be issued. GS also made clear that he would not apply ED without an LL. </p>
<p>GS was told he’d get the LL about 7 days after submission of a complete ED application and that the LL would come from the Admissions office, first by e-mail. Within days his application was submitted, including test scores, school report and teacher recs. </p>
<p>The following w/e after application was sent, GS met socially with coaches and team at the Head of the Charles Regatta where he was reassured by Freshmen coach that he’d get a LL – “not to worry”. On Tuesday following HOCR, GS sent e-mail to coach to inquire of status of LL and was told to make sure his application was complete. GS called Admissions and was given e-mail address of the Admission liaison to the team who replied back to him confirming his application was, in fact, complete. </p>
<p>Concerned about the slowness of the process and with the ED deadline rapidly approaching (GS had other opportunities), father of GS called coach and had an extensive, very positive chat. Dad learned the LL had been requested and that a formal decision was pending a pro forma meeting of the Admissions committee. </p>
<p>Coach told Dad, in his school’s case, they ONLY take candidates to the Adcom for LLs whom they are assured, through extensive pre-reads, will be admitted to the school. He said some Ivies do it differently. Some tell the recruits that they’ll support them with admissions and a LL but then, as an example, will go to Admissions with 20 recruits and have Admissions make the final cut on the 10 they’ll admit. He said this is a very dificult process for a coach to manage with the recruits and their parents. GS said he’d heard from some guys at his OVs at other schools of the disappointments that arise from this approach.</p>
<p>LL arrived the next day by e-mail.</p>
<p>There are individuals in the community, as Varska notes, who’ve been given assurances that they’ll get some level of support from coaches with admissions. Some have been told that they will get LLs. </p>
<p>Given that the ED/EA deadlines have passed, the following steps seem prudent:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If an individual has been told that he/she will get a LL for early admission and has hasn’t yet received it, a parent should call the coach to determine whether, in fact, this is true and when the letter will be received. Remember though that the letter can only come from admissions and so all a coach can tell you is that he/she has requested it and what his/her school’s process is. Also know you have little leverage at this point. </p></li>
<li><p>If an individual has been told that a coach will support him/her with admissions, but has not mentioned an LL, a parent should call the coach to find out exactly what this means.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>It is important to do this so that folks, in the event of disappointing news, can chart their next steps.</p>
<p>OS thank you for these helpful details!</p>
<p>I’m a junior female lwt rower and won’t be going through this process until next year, but I want to thank several posters whose words I’ve read these past 6 months for all their fantastic insights – you, varska, fogfog, elilio, fishymom, riverunner, etc.</p>
<p>In this latest go round, all coaches offered LLs to S without being asked. The key thing is to listen to exactly what the coaches are saying. There is a difference between “we can get you a LL in 48 hours” and “we really want you and will fight to get you a LL.” If coaches are not offering a LL without being asked, my guess is that the athlete is probably not at the very top of the coach’s athletic talent list and will probably need very solid academics to bump them into the LL position.</p>
<p>You seem to know the Ivies well so here is a question: If you have a LL, how much of a guarantee is it? Is it school specific? Can you comment on Dartmouth? Yale?
GPA and ACT scores are solid. Subject tests could be a red-flag.
Thanks for offering your input here.</p>
<p>Was the LL issued before the subject test scores arrived? Are they below 650?</p>
<p>Collective CC wisdom is that LLs are a guarantee unless you do something egregious - academically or personally - after getting it. Subject test issue may be school specific. At some schools, coaches can discard bad SAT2s and just double the SAT1s for purposes of AI. At others, that’s not possible. Be very forthright with coach and just ask. Can’t emphasize enough how much the degree to which they want you influences the amount of flexibility they can get from Admissions. The thing that will most make up for those SAT2s will be an erg score in the vicinity of 6:30 (assuming you’re a LW).</p>
<p>The school had the scores before the application. The LL came 1 day later. Not sure if they were able to match them up. Scores are bad but with an explanation.</p>
<p>What makes you think they wouldn’t have matched them up?</p>
<p>A LL is only issued once an application is complete, so don’t worry.</p>
<p>rowkid, I say go order a sweatshirt. Congratulations.</p>