<p>I am interested in learning how former D3 recruits managed the application process. My D has narrowed her list to a half dozen schools that are recruiting her and are good fits academically, geographically, and socially. She will go on 3-4 overnights in the fall to figure out which one(s) she loves best. We will let her apply ED to one (ED2 to another if needed) and RD to the rest (and also one true safety). I wonder if she should prepare all her applications before thanksgiving to be on the safe side. What did others do?</p>
<p>Pathways,</p>
<p>My two cents…Good question. Son had interest from D1, D1-Ivy and D3s and many coaches suggested Early Decision but for different reasons. Here is what we did. It worked for a couple reasons. First, my son likes numbers and it served as a discussion point for pros and cons. Everything is very fluid when your son or daughter is being recruited. This process let us step back from that and try to objectively evaluate the good, the bad for each school. Our assumption was that no school is perfect, but using his weighting system it was the most perfect for him. </p>
<p>1) Sit down with D to review her goals and draft a stack rank matirix of features she wants to see in a college including major, coach, campus, athletic facilities, location, prestige, alumnni network, job prospects, etc…You do the same from a parents perspective including FA. Put a weight to each feature in the matrix that adds up to 100%.</p>
<p>2) D goes to the Ovs and non-ovs</p>
<p>3) Fill in the matrix as she returns from each Ov or non-ov.</p>
<p>4) Discuss the numbers and results when she is done witht OVs and non-OVs. Ask her if it makes sense, and if she wants to change anything. </p>
<p>5) Apply ED to the school she most wants to go to by the Nov 1 deadline. Typically you’ll hear back in 4-6 weeks depending on the school. We heard back in 5 weeks. Coach would call every week to check in on him. That was a nice touch. On one call, the coach asked my son what his shoe/cleat and hat size was. ;-)</p>
<p>6) If she is accepted, no need to fill any thing more out. Son only filled out one application!</p>
<p>7) If she is not accepted, review school again. Apply EA or RD to the rest of the schools. Go EA where it makes most sense, either based on her preference, or the timetable involved.</p>
<p>8) BTW, many of the schools we looked at use the Common Application. So, it is actually easier than it was years ago.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>D1 (non-athlete) applied early decision but actually ended up submitting 5 applications. </p>
<ol>
<li>Her ED school
2&3 safeties that had non-binding EA
4&5 2 schools that had 12/1 deadlines for scholarship consideration. She had to have the materials submitted to her school two weeks prior to that deadline. </li>
</ol>
<p>She got in to both the 2 safeties and her ED school and then withdrew the others. If she had not gotten into her first choice, she would have quickly completed the other applications.</p>
<p>D2 (athlete) did not apply early decision. I think your strategy may depend on the kinds of schools your child is looking at. D2 applied to mostly small liberal arts colleges, all of which required several supplemental essays, which were time consuming. If you’re not going to have those essays done up front, I would at least make sure your D knows what the topics are and is thinking about them. You may find that your Ds opinion of the schools changes after the overnights. Schools that my D visited early on and thought she really liked went down the list after seeing other places later on.</p>
<p>Our experience was very similar to fenwaysouth but mainly because I’m a numbers person. I designed a spreadsheet that listed the important characteristics of each school including school statistics (SAT range) and D2s decision points (team dynamics, demeanor of the school). Each decision question was also weighted by importance on a 1-5 scale and then the answer to the question was on a 1-5 scale. Each school ended up getting a ranking. </p>
<p>We both went on “unofficial” visits (D2 was only considering D3 schools). We both filled out the form on each school because my impressions would be different from hers and in some cases were just as important (FA, parent relations). </p>
<p>However, D2 applied early action (or just OK to apply early) to many schools as a just in case scenario. There were probably 3-4 of these applications that were done and sent in. There were also about another 5 regular decision applications that were in the works. </p>
<p>She committed to her D3 school in October and got the EA application in there immediately. So she never had to send out the regular decision applications. Though she did have to write “dear coach” letters to those schools as well as the other 3-4 early action schools (she had only been deferred from one of those as an early action candidate).</p>
<p>So my take away is go about the application process as if the EA decision would fall through. Then be grateful that your student-athlete is done early with a positive outcome from your college of choice and never has to send in the RD applications.</p>
<p>In all, a good, organized assault on the whole process is the best strategy.</p>
<p>I completely agree with spread sheet analysis for this decision. We’ve done it, too. However, for those of you who’ve read Malcolm Gladwell’s “Blink”, I’m just gonna say, no matter what the numbers say, don’t be surprised if your kid picks one of the schools that doesn’t have the top score. It’s such an important decision, but sometimes the best critical evaluation in the world can’t trump the gut feel of a 17 year old.</p>
<p>No stranger to spreadsheets here! Helpful to D in casting an initial net and narrowing the field after campus visits. Now that the list of prospective schools is down to about six, I agree with the sentiment above that D’s gut response will become a major factor, particularly after the OVs. The other main factor (from my perspective) is level of coach support offered for admissions, as most colleges on her list are very selective (and just one shot with ED). Easier to meaure with the NESCAC colleges (as they are doing pre-reads) but harder to figure for the others.</p>
<p>I can see that September &,October will be nuts for her (4 ap classes, XC in full swing, an SAT retake and based on the advice above, she really ought to work on back-up applications too (the colleges have different supplements). Perhaps I can convince her, as suggested above, to com plete the common app this summer and at least look over each supplement too.</p>
<p>As you can see I am worried for her about overload. Perhaps the fall will be a little preview of the life of a collegiate athlete-scholar?</p>
<p>pathways, in retrospect I think Sept and Oct of senior year were more stressfull than any period before or since (and we have two in college now.) </p>
<p>If you can get her to do some of the work this summer, like taking a look at the supplemental essay topics and finishing the common app, that would help. Even writing an outline of “why college X”, since that’s a common supplement essay, for the top six will save time later.</p>
<p>In some ways I think college life is simpler than senior year of high school: fewer classes, the campus bubble effect of everyone moving in the same little orbit with similar goals and timelines, and fewer distractions from the things you mention- the recruiting process and testing. </p>
<p>Once she’s matched with a college, the effort and stress will seem worth it, and you’ll all be able to relax and celebrate the outcome.</p>
<p>The coach and athletes you like the most. And the coach and school who wants you the most. Assuming the academic quality of the schools are what you want, then location has an influence as well.</p>
<p>Coach
Team
Location</p>
<p>(Assuming school academics and team ranking is high)</p>