<p>fogfog: Yes your DS can start the process without test scores. I highly recommend it. My son started in his Junior year and it made a big difference. I think the recruits gain insight and valuable experience while moving through the process. Depending on the sport or level, your DS will be emailing, writing, calling, and meeting with coaches, your DS will also be invited to overnights during his Senior year. Based on experience it can be an overwhelming experience for some parents and students, preperation and organization can keep the stress to a minimum.</p>
<p>My experience is that every recruit who wants to play a sport in college needs to start the overall process in their Junior year. Start by going on college websites that you feel are a good match for both academics and athletics and complete their recruiting form. It is pretty much the standard, it let’s college coaches know who you are and that you are interested in thier school and program. You should receive a follow-up email or standard reply letter based on their preliminary interest from review of the information supplied on the recruiting form. If both parties stay interested the process of communications, meetings, and visits, takes place during your Junior and Senior year (depending on the school and division). </p>
<p>Great advice - thank you. My D, a junior, is filling out those recruiting forms now with no academic stats to fill in (SAT,SAT IIs, Junior GPA) - she is taking the SAT early so she can add that to the forms sooner rather than later, and we will see if interest is maintained…! At least the student is on the radar, even before relevant academic info comes into play, right?</p>
<p>mayhew: Yes, it is critical to start the process early. It is a process, so if coaches are interested academic information will transpire as it becomes available. My son is a Senior and he went through the exact same situation. The key is to keep the line of communication open with all coaches and make sure they know your D is interested in thier program. The process is pretty fluid with new opportunities created by participating in recruiting events through-out the summer between her Junior and Senior year (if she plays a team sport.).</p>
<p>For the sake of new parents coming onto this forum and to not scare them into thinking they’ve already missed the boat, I would suggest that we hedge on such blanket statements. I agree that for many high profile sports/recruits this is very true. But as I’ve detailed elsewhere, it is not true for many in smaller programs/lower profile sports. And while these latter group will not result in Likely Letters or public LOI signings, some of these coaches can provide significant admissions boost to top schools. </p>
<p>One coach at a T10 school told us he’d had 19 contacts from prospies and that was a lot more than he had gotten in the past. Our first contact with him was in sept of Sr year and he is supporting DS’s EA app. He certainly led us to believe that he has fair amount of pull with admissions.</p>
<p>It was the Muhlenberg XC/Track coach who told me he’d gotten almost 800 online questionnaires from prospective athletes filled out this year. That school has fewer than 2,000 students.</p>
<p>MP2558, Thanks - it does sound as if you were in this similar situation. D has registered with NCAA, etc. and will just fill in information as it comes available for academics, scores and sport accomplishments. Sounds as if she was right to get the ball rolling in October of her junior year (for a visible but non-revenue D1 sport). I imagine her giving all interested coaches updates when there is anything worth passing on to them will show her continued interest in their program. How did everything progress for your son (now that he is no longer a junior)?</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn - Wow - it is good to keep those kind of numbers in mind to just be reminded of just how highly competitive this process is - helps to keep everything in perspective - !</p>
<p>mayhew: My son completed his initial visits to the lower tier D1 and high end D2 schools in August and September. Based on the academic profiles of the schools and their athletic programs he decided that D1 and or D2 was not for him. His sport Lacrosse is typically not a big revenue sport at most D1 and D2 schools if you do your research. So scholarship money is tight and only a chosen few get a full ride, most get a small portion of the 12.5 scholarships available per team. They try to make up the difference with academic merrit, and or financial aide packages. My son also felt that the year round commitment was a little much as well as the 4 year graduation rate at the schools he was recruited by. He has opted to apply and play at a very well known D3 LAC, the program will allow him to study abroad and persue other interests that college has to offer while still playing his sport. If academically qualified most of the competitive D3 programs are very excited to get a high calibur athlete that can become an impact player as a fresman. Remember D3 schools do not give athletic scholarships, but I can attest that if the coach wants you son or duaghter at their school the merit usually can meets or exceed D1 or D2 scholarship money.</p>
<p>CC Users: Sorry for the typos in my last post, I was trying to respond during work (do not worry I work for myself) while trying to do three things at once.</p>