<p>Hola, simple question: I'm being recruited by a NESCAC school to play baseball. The coach has sent my test scores and transcript into admissions and the read was good. My scores are below their 25% however. The coach has said I am their top recruit and that it's a 99.9% chance I'll get in unless I do something illegal or start bombing classes. </p>
<p>Is it fair to assume that the coach is not overstating and my chances are actually 99.9%? Coach has been there for a long time and definitely would not lie about something like this. </p>
<p>If the Coach has specifically stated you are their top recruit then your chances are pretty good. Did he overstate with the 99.9%…I think so because he is not making the final decision…Admissions is making the final decision.</p>
<p>What it means in general terms is the Coach is supporting your ED application through Admission…nothing more nothing less. You agree to commit, and he agrees to help you get through Admissions. </p>
<p>Based on his tenure, he has experience doing this with recruits like yourself. Your chances are very good. I’d follow everything the coach suggests including writing a stellar essay on your app. You want to make the Coach look good thereby helping your already good chances.</p>
<p>Fenwaysouth, there are multiple levels of support correct? It sounds like their 1 and 2 guys will get a lot but their lesser recruits won’t get nearly as much and must rely more heavily on grades. </p>
<p>I agree with Fenway (btw, how’s S liking his work), the coach is using his influence to bring you in. But, the influence only goes so far; and the black box which is NESCAC (and many D3’s) admissions is pretty opaque. On the one hand, someone needs to be in the lowest 25%; on the other hand, you need a back up plan.</p>
<p>I assume that you have had other offers (if you are the top recruit at one school, you are desirable for other schools). If one of those offers is fine with you, when you tell that school about applying to NESCAC ED, also tell the coach you are very very interested in the event NESCAC falls through. Because D3 coaches usually don’t know the exact number of players attending until the players matriculate, there is always room for one more player in the fall (as opposed to D1 where coaches will actually stop recruiting once the squad is full ( more or less).</p>
<p>If you are deferred (or, obviously rejected) ED move on to the backup plan immediately. In fact, work on the RD application until you get that acceptance in hand.</p>
<p>In this way, while you have removed your foot from the recruiting gas pedal, you haven’t parked the car and strolled off into the wild. Always plan and prepare for the worst result.</p>
<p>Yes, we were told by NESCAC baseball coach that they have only so many slots per year. Son was told (5 years ago) that a particular offering NESCAC had 3 slots at that time . NESCAC Coach also told my son that he would be a weekend starter (as a freshmen) and he had the grades to get in on his own thereby freeing up slots for recruits that needed help. At the time I scratched my head why a NESCAC coach would let a top recruit (RHP throwing 90mph) go unprotected through Admissions. As it turned out, we had the same recruiting experience with the Ivy that he eventually went to. The Ivy coach told him he had the grades to get in on his own, and that is what we did. We kept the NESCAC as a backup as well as another Ivy just in case he was not accepted ED. Looking back, it was not an optimal strategy with more risk than was necessary, but it worked as we were a little late to high academic recruiting.</p>
<p>So, what you should take away from this…(caution) you may get some late commits to NESCAC and Ivy recruiting that may bump you from top recruit status. There is no doubt in my mind that my son upset the apple cart a few years with his late recruiting efforts. Nothing (I repeat) , nothing is 100% with this process until you get accepted.</p>
<p>I will definitely have a backup plan. My choice is coming down to a certain NESCAC school that is fairly competitive vs Villanova or University of Pittsburgh (both D1). So in case NESCAC fails… my most preferable backup would be one of these D1 schools but from what you said, that might not be an option… However I do have a lot of other D3 schools that are interested. </p>
<p>Fenway, I pitched in front of this coach in June and he said he wanted me then and then I pitched again this last week and after it he offered me a spot and asked me to commit. So while there is always a chance they might get someone better, I don’t think it’s terribly likely. The coach said that by asking me to commit and go ED, the team is promising me one year and I’m promising it one. From talking with all of their coaches about this, it doesn’t seem like the kind of place to screw someone over. But I have less experience with this kind of thing than many people on this board it would seem, which is why I’m asking. According to one of their assistant coaches, the head coach has been there too long to “risk his reputation with something like that.” I asked about this sort of event because of a student I knew at my high school who was told by that same school’s lacrosse coach that he would get in, but then was rejected. But I doubt he was their number 1 or 2 recruit. The coaches have assured both my parents and me that “that sort of thing doesn’t” happen. But who knows. </p>
<p>I totally understand. Been there, done that. Coaches say a lot of things and most of them are true, especially when it comes to something as serious as this. If the coach has told you that you are the top recruit then you should believe him…I would believe him too. You should be confident that he is going to do everything in his power to follow through to get you admitted. However, every year on this board something happens to somebody that they did not expect. There are some things that are out of the coaches hands, and you need to have a contingency…you sound like you have your bases covered. Excellent job.</p>
<p>This process can be a leap of faith. You are right there on the edge, and it will get even more nerve wracking after you apply ED and are waiting…waiting…waiting for final confirmation from Admissions. Again, you should be confident that the coach will deliver on his promise. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.</p>
<p>Alright thank you. Probably the most reassuring thing is that they don’t think I need to retake any standardized tests. I’m retaking both the SAT and ACT but the head coach implied it would not really matter. </p>
<p>Having just gone through this with my son last year, I would believe the coach. When offered a spot at a NESCAC for baseball last year in return for an ED1 application after a green light preread, my question to the coach who has been there for 30 years was “how many ED1 applications with a positive preread and your support have been deferred or rejected?” His answer was ZERO - in 30 years. My son will moving in there next week.</p>
<p>Do a little research on the coach and his credibility with admissions, but I think you are fine. However, he only has so many spots for support and the longer you wait…</p>