I am a sophomore in high school, a varsity basketball standout(on varsity squad freshman and sophomore year, started every game this year, started 2 last year), and a scholar. Looking to go to a NESCAC school, such as Middlebury, Bowdoin, Bates (my top 3, respectively. Visiting Bowdoin though, so we’ll see.). The Bowdoin coach has invited me to the Bowdoin women’s basketball “Junior Day” even though I’m a sophomore, she said that I am a “top recruit” for the class of 2018. I’ll be attending more showcases and prospect days like the Bowdoin “Junior Day” in the future. I’ll have the opportunity to see the campus, meet the team/coaches, eat in the Bowdoin dining hall, etc.
I know I am getting far ahead of myself, but with recent interest from the Bowdoin coach, I can’t help but be curious. I’m going to create a hypothetical situation to make this easier to perceive.
So, let’s say the Bowdoin coach expresses a lot of interest in me after seeing my film (she already has seen my film), meeting me, and seeing me play in person. If she makes it clear that she wants me, will I make some kind of commitment (like all of my friends are doing for division 1 lacrosse)? Will a coach express real, serious interest in me at the end of my sophomore year or some time during my junior year? Or, will the coach have admissions utilize a “preread” for me in the summer before senior year? (Can someone further explain exactly what a preread is?) Would I just apply ED 1 senior year and would the coach tell me prior that I would be guaranteed admission because they would have pull in admissions?
I’m certainly qualified for Midd, Bowdoin, and Bates in terms of grades and ECs, but I’m a white female from the Northeast (“the toughest Middlebury demographic”, someone told me on a previous thread). Being a recruited athlete for basketball could really open up some doors for me.
I’ve read into it a bit, but clearly I need more of a rundown. Thank you!
Here is the NESCAC Policy from the website.
“All admissions decisions are rendered and delivered in writing by the admissions office only. Any communication regarding the status of admissions decisions conveyed by non-admissions personnel should be considered preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change.”
“No admissions decision, including an Early Decision, will be made until the candidate’s application is complete and all necessary supporting documentation has been received.”
Assuming you are recruited (I can’t tell if the communications from the coach are personal or just an invite to attend a camp), your commitment to the Bowdoin coach will be to apply early decision in exchange for coach support in admissions. Since the decision is made by the adcom and not by the coach, you will want some comfort that your commitment to apply ED will have some traction. The pre-read has this function. You will need to provide an a copy of your high school transcript (unofficial is fine) to the coach, who will then send it to admissions with your board scores. Since Bowdoin is SAT/ACT optional, the coach may (after getting advice from the adcom) suggest that you do not send your scores.
The commitment (as reflected by the NESCAC’s policy) is different than your D1 friends who may sign a letter of intent. Although I have heard tell of a few D3 schools that use letters of intent, I have never heard of a NESCAC school doing it. You may, however, get an email from the coach saying that the results of the pre-read “look good,” with an additional comment that it is not a guarantee of admission.
So, when you go to visit and sit down to chat with the coach, do yourself a favor, ask the following: 1) Am I on your list of recruited athletes? 2) where am I on that list (no. 8 of 10 is different than no. 2 of 10)? 3) will you submit my transcript for a pre-read? 4) what are my chances for admission? 5) Do you hold open tryouts? 6) Do you cut recruited athletes? Remember, the coach asks you if you have any questions for a reason. The only way to get any sense of where you stand is by asking these questions.
You are a shade early for a coach to commit to support your application, although I have heard of NESCAC recruits in their sophomore year. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to get going.
For almost all nescac and ivy, you really have to have an SAT or ACT score before you can take any expressed interest very seriously.
Depending on the school, you’re going to need to beat 95-98% of test takers.
@gointhruaphase
Thank you! I am happy you cleared that up for me, your response was very elaborate and helpful.
macd,
I would add that I am not sure that I agree with 8bagels that you will need to beat 95-98% of test takers, or maybe I am not sure what is meant by that comment. You absolutely want to do well on your SAT/ACT tests. Doing well can open or alternatively close doors at given schools. However, if you are an “impact” player (and I have no idea whether you are or are not), there is some “give” on the scores.
If what was meant was that you need to score at the 95-98% of the test scores for a specific college, I disagree. I think (depending on athletic ability) you could dip to around the 25% level. If that percentile was intended to cover all test takers, I take only minor exception. By way of example, a 29-30 ACT can get a recruit into some, but likely not all, NESCAC schools. A 30 ACT is right around the 95th percentile.
I meant all test takers. So, yea, you should shoot for at least a 30 for the higher level nescacs and ivies.
Depending on the sport and school, you might squeak in with lower than that, but not much.
And at many sports at many of those schools (Williams, Amherst, Ivies), an ACT of less than 30 will cause a coach to move on.
I was told by one Ivy coach, for example, that he never submits a recruit with less than a 222 (I haven’t run the cal for a while, but I don’t think you can get to a 222 with a 30 ACT). I was told by some NESCAC coaches that they couldn’t support a recruit with a 30.
Again, there’s probably some variance at certain schools with certain sports. But in general, I wouldn’t get hopes up if you are sub 30, and in reality you should try to be in the 32/33 range.
I know it seems insane.
I’ve seen a lot of kids get very excited by interest from NESCAC coaches.
But when the kid or their parents say “The coach really wants him/her, but said he/she needs to get the ACT score up a bit,” it’s invariably the kiss of death.
@8bagels and @gointhruaphase
I scored a 1300/1600 on the SAT without any test prep. I have been studying intensely and am taking it again in June. With prep, my guidance counselor expects me to score in the 1400-1500 range. My guidance counselor predicts that I will score somewhere in the 31/34 range on the ACT with test prep, I will be taking the ACT in the fall. Hope that helps. Thanks for all of your help 
!
Remember, the NESCAC schools vary a lot. The academic credentials that are required to gain admittance to Amherst or Williams are very different than the academic credentials needed for Trinity or Connecticut College.
Interestingly, it actually is easier for a great athlete to get admitted to the Ivies than to the top NESCAC schools. If an Ivy League coach really wants you, you can get in as long as you make it to the minimum of the academic index. However, you need to be even better at your sport, because the Ivies compete in division 1. Which also means that they expect your sports activities to take top priority in your life and the time demands are huge.
Division 3 seems much healthier to me.
@ThankYouforHelp
I agree. The NESCAC schools I am particularly interested in are: Middlebury, Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby.
@ThankYouforHelp - when I read your posts, they sometimes startle me a bit because it feels like I wrote it.
Ivy coaches have way more flexibility than the top academic nescacs. They do things like count averages (like when they have 2 recruits, and one has a very high AI the other can have a below average AI), count subject tests but only if they help, and just seem to have more ability to get in athletes they really want.
And I totally agree with the high academic NESCAC’s being healthier with sports/school balance than Ivies. I think a lot of Ivy athletes end up agreeing at the end of the day. Because ultimately whether it’s Ivy or high academic NESCAC, 99.9% of the athletes end up in the same place - done with their sport at the end of college,
A good discussion here. And I largely agree with ThankYouforHelp and 8bagels. I would just add one twist for the ACT. Most if not all of the NESCAC schools superscore the ACT whIle few if any of the Ivies do. So, while it’s true that the Ivies have more flexibility on test scores than the top NESCACs, you may find yourself with a 30 composite (Ivy) and a 32 superscore (NESCAC). In that case, it’s pretty much a wash. Thst’s not really an issue for the SAT since I think all of these colleges superscore it.
And I was taken back a bit by 8bagels’ report on a 222 AI floor for one Ivy (and, presumably, one sport). Wow. I’d be surprised if that coach could be consistently competitive in his sport with that number. Maybe that sport is crew where many are walk-ons anyway? Certainly not basketball or any of the helmet sports.
Yes, one coach at one school (that I personally know of).
And, not surprisingly, they are consistently NOT competitive.
I don’t know why he does it, but he’s been there a while and must have his reasons.