Is enthusiastic coach call = "likely letter"?

Parent Cafe
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<p>I have to jump in on this because my D has heard anew from several coaches in the last 10 days... curious timing with ED decisions simultaneously going out.... </p>

<p>She did not make it in to her ED school (where coach was encouraging, and said "you're on my list," but never offered anything more definite than that.) D has recently been wheedled to apply ED2 by two coaches who have been more explicit in their support. </p>

<p>I discussed this with my D's college counselor and she told me that the reason ED2 was first created was that coaches wanted one more chance to grab those kids who were not selected ED1 elsewhere.</p>

<p>Some coaches pre-screen an applicant's transcript and stats with the admission office. In this case, the coach would already know whether the recruit's stats & grades are considered "acceptable" to adcom or not. If the stats were already deemed acceptable, & if the coach knew he had the power to select a given number of "picks," and if coach had decided to definitely use a "pick" on that kid if it was needed, then the coach <em>could</em> say "you're in" with a high degree of certainty. </p>

<p>If the coach was not <em>certain</em> about using a "pick" on a kid, the coach would probably say some version of "you have my strong support and your chances are excellent, but I cannot guarantee it." </p>

<p>As interesteddad mentioned pages ago, different sports have different # of picks, football being the highest. Again, a "pick" can't get someone without basic academic qualifications admitted, but it could take a borderline case from questionable to "in."</p>

<p>A coach with a limited number of picks would obviously rather "spend" them on ED candidates who were certain to matriculate than RD candidates who are not certain to come. Thus the coach would request "impact" kids to apply ED or ED2. </p>

<p>We are too paranoid to consider this latest recruitment push a definite "in." D is still applying to 5 more schools this round (one safety, two matches & two reaches) in addition to the 3 EA matches & 3 UC apps already in.) </p>

<p>But she is applying ED2 to her <em>new</em> #1 school in part due to very explicit coach support. I am very happy to report that it was her "new #1 school" even before the explicit support call came, though the coach's earlier enthusiasm was a part of this.</p>

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<p>Strange things are happening now. He was deferred this week. We sent e-mails to all the coaches who were interested in him last summer. We have had a different coach call him every night. Some great guys are coming through. It almost seems like this is a second recruiting process with the same intensity as the first. This time we are playing it differently. With multiple choices, we can better assess the program, school and oportunities available. We have been educated and now know how to play this game better.</p>

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<p>SBMom, please keep us posted on how this whole process plays out. I have a year to prepare! Karen</p>

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<p>And Speedcoach (my post crossed with yours). Karen</p>

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<p>Karen,</p>

<p>That is OK. I hope you did not trip on my feet. I also hope that all this information will be helpful to you as you prepare yourself and your child for the onslaught. Knowledge is power and you are getting some good insights.</p>

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<p>Speedcoach --</p>

<p>Just wanted to tell you how happy I am to hear that you and your S are re-energized with all the new options!!!! Please continue to update here!</p>

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<p>Yes! It has been a tumultuous week to say the least. I do not drink but this week would give me cause to start. My son is taking all this amazingly well considering the emotional ups and downs. Thank God that my younger son is just a freshman in HS and I get a break for two years before I deal with this again.</p>

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<p>My DD just got denied from a top 10 university. The coach had been extremely encouraging, even called just before the decisions went out, with hopeful encouragement. DD has stats in the middle of the 25-50 area, 4.0 UW, toughest schedule, top 5% ranking (that's all our school does,) I saw some of the recs & letters and she had "top in my careeer" in a some areas, and her essays really nailed who she was and what is special about her. She also has national exposure in her sport, but it is club at this school, varsity at only a few, as it is an emerging sport. So, she was a realistic candidate with a coach's tip, and had no luck :(-</p>

<p>An important note, the coach NEVER said he could get her in, jsut that she had a real shot and he would do what he could; I do not believe he has actual guaranteed spots, just a 2nd look request.</p>

<p>Our attitude is that if they don't want the kid who wrote that essay, she would not have been a good fit at their school. I am more thankful than ever for the rolling admit with merit $ safety, it just feels good to know it is there, though it is not even ranked in her sport.</p>

<p>A new coach crossed our path a few weeks ago, varsity D3 team ranked in the top 10 in the nation in her sport, so we will see if he has any pull, though not until March/April decisions and the application is due January 1! State applications are in, no deicsions until March. DD is at Team USA training camp this week and I hope may come back with one or two more options from talking to the others there. Since it is an NCAA emerging sport, teh info is much more difficult to locate than if it were an established sport.</p>

<p>I was incredibly blessed by her attitude about the rejection, she views it as just like making a team to National Championship competition, many deserving people were not chosen for varied silly reasons, this app would be the same, so she doesn't take it personally.</p>

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<p>Somemom,
What a marvelous attitude she has. Resilience is one of the key features of a happy life.</p>

<p>Good luck with the next round.</p>

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<p>I just read through most of this thread as my son's friend was rejected EA from Yale several days ago but received a letter from Yale today stating that he was being actively recruited for a sport (football). We were all suprised at the rejection as he has great "stats", high 1400s, lots of leadership activities and is in the top 10 students and is a football player. Is it possible that admissions and the coach do not share information? Or, is it possible that the rejection was a mistake?(!).</p>

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<p>Admissions is the final word. Coaches are ancillatory to this process. That is the point of this discussion.</p>

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<p>D wants to swim for an Ivy. All American in her stroke, 33 ACT, legacy, top 10% grades captain of her team. One of the Ivy coaches computed her academic index, smiled at her and said "welcome to ________, if I want you, you are in." We thought that was pretty straight forward.</p>

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<p>getting in writing</p>

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<p>I read your post about a friend who applied to a top private (Ivy?) and didn't get admitted despite the coach's assurances. I was interested in the stats you provided for the recruit. My daughter is a soccer player on a nationally ranked team and is a good student, but not a superstar in either category. I was curious if your friend's daughter was a soccer player or a similar team sport player (like field hockey). I am trying to get sort of a read on how good a soccer player has to be and/or how good a student has to be academically to be considered by the Ivy League schools. If my daughter was the next Mia Hamm I wouldn't be that concerned about her academic qualifications, but she's not. And if she had a 4.0 average and 1600 SAT's I wouldn't be concerned that she's not an All-American. </p>

<p>I know that some may not want to post information about individual situations, but if you would be willing to reply in confidence I would appreciate any information anyone could provide about the relative weight given academica and athletic talent. And if anyone has experience in being recruited for women's soccer at an Ivy League school, I would be very interested in talking to them. Thanks</p>

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<p>soccergirl, a friend of my D was the Ivy League rookie of the year in soccer this year. If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me.</p>

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<p>Hi Soccergirl:</p>

<p>My daughter plays a sport that is NCAA-emerging, varsity with some schools, club with others, though they all play each other and compete for championships. She just returned from the National Team Elite Camp trials in her age group. Of the 60-80 players there, a special team is selected , my daughter was chosen for that team and given one of the three MVP awards....it seems like she may have a pretty good opportunity to make the natiolnal team when it is chosen in a few months, though there are returning players who did not attend the camp. 1400+ SAT, 4.0 UW, hardest course load, I saw her recs & forms and she got "one of the highest in my career" in several spots on sincere & non-inflated recommendations, leadership in sport and school, private school where all go on to university. The coach of a top 10 non-Ivy has been calling for months, but she just got turned down. So, it is really impossible to tell until you have a likely letter or admissions letter in your hands.</p>

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<p>It is very interesting to follow the thread on this "enthusiatic coach" thing. There are so many kids who have great board scores and grades who without a "hook" don't have a chance of in getting into the ivy of their dreams. The "hook" our kids have is their sport that they have worked at probably since they were 8 years old: baseball, track, swim, soccer. bb etc. One of the things a great school looks for is kids who have a real passion and excelling at a sports qualifies. </p>

<p>The question to ask the coach is "where is my d/s on your list?" First, second third...............If they cannot answer that, I would worry</p>

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<p>The answer is meaningless, Bulldog111, because it changes as prospects enter the scene. And coaches do not call to apprise you of the changes. It also changes when the athletic director goes over the list with the coach and again as the AD negotiates admissions for the entire athletic program with the adcom. Now some sports and some coaches do have more clout at some colleges than others, but that too can change. The coach that you work with can announce the next week that he is leaving or he is fired. The program can be discontinued, the athletic policy can be changed, the adcoms can change, the AD replaced. All of these things can affect the decision. </p>

<p>All of this should not cause a perpetual concern. Athletes still make out overall better than the rest of the applicant pool.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
The coach that you work with can announce the next week that he is fired

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This is what happened to me with the Wake Forest coach; I had been on great terms with him for almost 6 months, throughout my whole junior year and into the summer, and he got fired or left the school over the summer and the new coach wasn't at all interested. I'm still applying to the school, just in case the Davidson deal falls through, and I assume I'll walk on if I get in (my academics should be fine for them), but the fact that the coach left really hurt my (athletic) chances with them.</p>

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<p>Sort of happened to S too. But that coach well knew he was likely not to be back the following year but did not let us know. We found out that he was going to another college via the internet.</p>