Our DD has a sports hook. Last week we got an email from a coach at one school, talking up his program, and saying he hoped she chose his school. Then today, we got an email from a coach at a different school, talking up his program, and saying that he really hoped to have DD join his team next year.
Would these guys be sending these emails at this point if they thought DD was in the reject or WL pile? Would they know by March 2 whether DD is “in” or not?
I suspect the answer is “it depends” and that no one can know for sure, but I figured I would ask the questions anyway.
Yup.
I didn’t have a sports hook but I got emails from the heads of some of my EC’s advertising their programs last year.
I was waitlisted at all the BS.
At the same time, there was some mailing problem and the decision letter from a prep school didn’t arrive by M11 (it had different decision date). A day later I emailed my interviewer who told me to expect good news (I was accepted)…
Suffice to say there probably is some contact but we don’t know enough to distinguish what is just a school advertising their program or a sincere reach out…
Hi @Korab1. We spent an hour with one coach last summer on the phone learning about his program, and then another hour with him when we went to the school for our interview in the fall.
We have met with the other coach twice in person (we made more than one trip to his campus).
Both of these coaches also know our DD’s current and past coaches, and we know they have all talked to each other as well.
I take it from your question that you think this might matter.
It is an individual sport. The coaches have told us she would be competitive at a varsity level in her freshman year. Thanks for sharing your thoughts offline @Korab1!
I would absolutely read this as a good sign. I am pretty that most coaches are fully aware by now who from their “list” will be offered admission and some will try to reach out in advance especially since school’s are going on break now. Sounds to me like you will have choices come M10.
My son is in a club sport and one of his coaches also coaches at a private school. He has become a friend to my son and what he has relayed to us is that at his school, each coach and teacher has the ability to speak on behalf of a student. Given that schools want to have a respectable team, coaches feedback must carry a fair amount of weight.
FWIW, several coaches who maintained contact with my DD all the way up to M10 were blindsided by her being waitlisted (e.g., Taft, Choate). In our experience, coaches didn’t know the admission results prior to M10.
Ack! I was getting all excited until I got to your response @GoatMama. I guess you just can’t really know until M10. This is our first time through this process and everyone’s responses are really, really helpful. Thank you.
^Or the process itself. Or how much FA you need. If we’re going to speculate, the sport/couch clout would be last on my list. BTW, the two schools I just mentioned were #1 and #2 seed in said sport last season, with one of them winning the NEPSAC championship. Can we just accept that no school official, not even a coach, will hint at potential acceptances prior to M10 unless that’s part of the process (e.g., clarifying FA needs, interview for specific scholarships, etc).
“It depends” is probably the right answer, unsatisfactory though it may be. The Deerfield coach my kid was in contact with said he was surprised when my kid emailed him with news of the waitlist decision, and the Exeter coach asked the kid in mid-February to let him know on M10 if the kid was admitted. This would lead you to believe they didn’t know in advance, but who knows if they really did know and had other reasons to say what they did.
@GoatMama – I agree that 99% of the coaches will never hint at the result. And if the communication is back and forth then obviously if they do know, they will not let on. Kind of like parents and Santa Claus.
