Question about timing - did the coach make the offer with the feedback about the pre-read? My son’s experience was that the offers came later in the summer which seemed strange to delay since he had been “a top recruit”. He worried that he had slipped down the list or that the coaches wanted to see who might fall from the Ivy scramble. He was in the Ivy mix but the interest wasn’t nearly as strong and he had already decided the D1 time commitment wasn’t for him.
For my D20, coaches seemed to only do the pre-read after they made a decision that she was a fit. The offers came with the positive pre-read.
In one case, Coach was really slow on pre read - which we interpreted as stalling before making commitment.
In D19’s case, NESCAC coaches (and other D3s) seemed to cast a wide net with regard to pre-reads…meaning they did more pre-reads than the number of slots they would have. In some cases it was many more pre-reads, say 10ish for 2 slots.
Of course, the gals getting pre-reads were vetted somewhat because the coaches had spoken with all beforehand and knew not only where they were athletically, but also knew GPAs, rigor, test scores and whether they were applying for financial aid.
The winnowing down of the lists took several months in some cases, and D19 is at a school where the coach called offering a slot the last week of October.
Just to share more info…
My D offers/commitments were resolved by end of August. D plays soccer and our guess was that coaches were looking to figure it out before college teams start training for the season. She had received either yes or no by this timeframe - and nothing changed afterward (yes stayed yes, and no stayed no).
With pre-read was commitment and an invitation for an overnight recruiting visit. She did a couple and it really helped her decision. All “yes opportunities” asked for her ED1 decision by mid October.
Question: do high academic NESCACs make offers before prereads? I thought they didn’t, but someone very involved in college recruiting said we should be pressing a NESCAC coach who has expressed strong interest in my son . He said at this point (junior year) we should be asking the coach where the coach was in his process. Am I naive in thinking it is a little early for the coach to know where he is? I expect this is a school where one aspect is that the coach will be waiting for Ivy prospects to fall out of the Ivy process and into the NESCAC one. (My son’s sport is soccer fyi)
I haven’t heard of many NESCAC offers happening before pre-reads…and right now they can’t do pre-reads until July 1 after junior year (conference rules).
With that said, I do know that NESCAC, as a conference, has discussed accelerating the recruiting timeline (pre-reads in particular), because the NCAA DI/II calendar has accelerated with contact and OVs allowed in junior year now as well. So, the NESCACs feel like they are at a disadvantage to Ivies, Patriot League and other schools where there is typically athletic/academic overlap…even though NESCACs could always have had earlier OVs and contact, offers still haven’t been happening until after pre-reads in the summer before senior year (although I am sure there have been exceptions to that).
No harm in asking the soccer coach what his timeline is.
My kid had an offer 4 months before the official pre-read. The coach knew that kid had exploding offers from D1 schools, so that may account for the early offer.
To clarify for those reading this thread, @shuttlebus’s student may have had an offer of full support from the coach, but it wasn’t an offer of admission. Only the admissions office can do that at a NESCAC school, and they don’t make offers before ED.
Only the admissions office can do that a ANY school. Sure, some coaches have more pull and can get almost any student in, but the admissions office always has the final word.
An applicant for my daughter’s school/team didn’t get admitted. Nothing the coach could do about it.
My answer was addressing the recruiting timeline and whether offers are made by coaches before the start of the official preread season.
The coach offered one of the limited number of slots 4 months before the start of the official pre-read season. An offer of a slot is the best any coach in the NESCAC can do as no-one receives official notice until ED results are released.
Once my kid accepted the offer of a slot, the coach said it was “safe” to notify the other coaches and decline their offers. The coach said that family and friends could be told, but to hold off on announcing on social media until decisions had officially been released in December.
@shuttlebus Did your kid have super strong academics?
Maybe the coach knew that every kid he had at that level of academic stat had been admitted in the past?
Yes, SAT in top 1%, National Merit, plus rigorous transcript with high gpa. Coach has years of experience and looked at all academic material unofficially before making offer.
The coach assured us that every single kid with similar academic stats that had received a slot and applied ED had been admitted in past years.
I think the takeaway is that the coach has a limited number of slots, and as a recruit, you don’t want to begin the recruiting process too late and risk that the coach will not have any more slots to give. My impression is that the vast majority of slots are offered after an official pre-read, but obviously, some slots are gone before then.
@shuttlebus
The coach may tell you that he will use a slot four months early, but it’s definitely not safe to tell other coaches that you aren’t interested. No nescac coach can tell you with certainty - or even know themselves - that you will get in prior to the pre read. That coach should absolutely not be doing that. It’s fine to say I’m giving you a slot/tip etc and I’m confident you will pass pre read but that’s as far as they should go. I’d be very angry with the coach for what he/she said, as they risked your child’s options at other schools in the (however small) chance you got rejected in pre read. Indeed, it’s not unknown for getting rejected after a positive pre read, though at the top nescac’s that’s very rare.
“ Once my kid accepted the offer of a slot, the coach said it was “safe” to notify the other coaches and decline their offers. ”
@arbitrary99 My kid was also being recruited by D1 schools, which operate on an earlier time line.
At some point, every athlete has to trust the process and let all the other coaches know that they are no longer interested.
All the coaches have are their words. They know how the process works at their schools. They also know that if recruits discover that they can’t trust their words, word will travel quickly and their programs will suffer.
This coach has an excellent reputation (we also made sure we asked all of the “hard questions” before committing) and we had every reason to believe what we were told.
That doesn’t change my mind at all. It was irresponsible at best for that coach to say tell other coaches you’ve accepted an offer. That coach, despite their reputation, has only their view of how the admissions will react to pre read. Even after that you rely on the coaches reputation and track record, but before that it’s wrong for them to say stop your recruiting process. However, that’s when you tell other coaches. If the school knew they would be upset too. It doesn’t matter how great of an athlete your child is either. Or how great of a student. For D1’s you get the likely letter or letter of intent.
My child passed pre reads etc at every school but one … and that was a shock with a 1580 SAT for example. (Other athletes historically from his school had passed pre read with lesser gpa and sat’s so it shocked everyone but it happened). He ended up with a likely letter going to a top 5 school but if he had chosen that nescac and relied on the coaches view of the pre read shutting down other pre reads and overnights, that would have been a disaster.
Statistically you were getting in based on the coaches representations, but frankly you took a risk not knowing for certain how admissions would react. It wasn’t a necessary risk. I would make the commitment if you desires, but said I won’t tell other coaches until after pre read (which was July 1 anyway).
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything. I was simply answering the question posed earlier in the thread of whether offers occur before a pre-read.
@arbitrary99 and @shuttlebus I appreciate your posts. Although you guys are making me nervous!! (didn’t pass preread with a 1580???!! Offers way before prereads??!!)
I clearly have to remind myself of my new mantra: “Enjoy the process!”
I understand and didn’t mean to sound as strident as I did.
I’m only reacting to the coach saying shut down your other recruiting process before pre reads come back.
The coach is offering something he/she can’t really control. Statistically yes. But odd things happen like in my son’s case.
For others though, I’d be more cautious.
I’d be happy to tell the Coach I’ll commit pre read but i won’t tell other coaches until after pre read when I know admissions agrees with the coach. That’s why they have a summer pre read process and don’t wait until ED1.
Some team sports did ask for a soft commitment before pre reads but not to shut down a process until after.
I’m glad it worked out for you and your daughter!
@cinnamon1212 i think my sons situation was unique. And reflecting back on it, that was his first pre read and they had his 1530 as his 1580 came out a few days after the rejection. The other schools had the higher score. Nonetheless his high school was surprised having sent many athletes there before. his GPA wasn’t as good but part was being from a well known private school and my guess is for conference reasons they go only by gpa not the quality of the gpa. Nonetheless, it was the only school to reject him in pre read, and as mentioned he’s going to a more selective university.
Just a caution to make sure to understand there is no certainty and odd things happen.
Also be proud if your child for being so accomplished.
My son also goes to a boarding school in Massachusetts but not as prestigious as the ones you mentioned. My son’s SATs are not that great. He is an athlete and was talking to a coach from one of the NESCAC schools. This school was a reach school. We did the first visit to the school in summer. My son decided to submit his transcript without his test scores for a preread. We did not hear from the coach for a while. In the meantime, he visited another NESCAC school which was his second choice. He got great feedback from the second school. He got in touch with the coach from his number one choice to find out if there was an update on the preread. The coach apologized for having taken too long. My son was told that his preread was very favorable. He was invited for an overnight visit and was offered a slot and full support with his application. My son applied ED1 and was admitted to his number one choice. Your SAT and GPA look okay for an athlete. If the coach is really interested in what you have to offer to their team you will get full support when you apply. One thing the coach said was even though they will give you full support it is up to admissions who have the final say.