Multiple NESCAC schools have been recruiting my son (a current high school junior). While I am rather familiar with the “normal” recruiting process, the NESCAC situation seems to be a little more complex. Prior to the spring, we knew little to nothing about the NESCAC schools, but it seems my son has taken a liking to them. That being said, we are trying to navigate whether or not it will be a viable option. My son currently has a 3.2 UW GPA and will graduate with 7 honors Courses and 3 AP Courses (6 is the max allowed to take). He goes to a decently rigorous private school and is a pretty involved kid in the community. While he plans on taking the SAT, we are not planning on submitting scores. The question I guess we’re having is whether or not it is likely for him to be admitted into a NESCAC school. He really likes 3 of the schools in the conference but doesn’t want to get his hopes up as he knows how difficult it is to get admitted. 2 of these schools have told him that he is a top 3 recruit currently and one has said that he is their number one recruit. I’ve heard of some sort of banding system that categorizes players by their academic strength? Just hoping for some clarification on how lenient admissions are with “helmet sports”.
Being a recruited athlete is a big boost to admissions. The coaches are pretty good at assessing a transcript and may ask for test scores. He may not have to submit them, but often the coach wants them.
With respect to selectivity within the NESCAC, note that admission rates vary. The Connecticut schools, in particular Connecticut College (with an overall acceptance rate of 40%) and Trinity (38%), may be significantly more accommodating in admission than some of the other conference members. Additionally, even some conference members with very low acceptance rates seem to indicate that they are academically flexible for some applicants. At Bates, for example, 45% of students for whom high school class standing was available placed outside the top tenth and 11% placed outside the top quarter.
We’re a family of a junior looking at NESCAC schools as well (a runner). I have no real knowledge of how far a particular school is willing to drop below unhooked-student-academic-standard, but getting the coaches to submit your child’s stats for a preread is the first step. That will give you all the info you need, including perhaps a SAT score that must be achieved. Other threads on here have confirmed that NESCAC coaches have said the historic July 1 date for prereads is being moved to August 1 this year. It seems to apply to all sports, not just football. Will your child be taking the SAT before then? My gut says that it might be unlikely (but really, what do I know?) for a tippy-top school like Amherst or Williams to drop down to a 3.2 student, but if you’re aiming for schools other than that top cohort your chances are better.
Do the coaches already know your child’s gpa? They don’t typically waste time with a student they know can’t get through the process, so if the coaches are aware and the conversations are ongoing, that’s a good sign. As is almost always the case, ask the coach directly. They are your best source of information.
Have the coaches seen his transcript? What have they said? Have they said he needs a test score? (They, along with admissions, will decide whether or not your S needs a test score…not you). Note that basketball is not a helmet sport.
You won’t know for sure about admissibility until (if) he has pre-reads…as someone said above in the NESCACs that will start Aug 1 this year, so figure at least a few weeks into August before there is a thumbs up or down from admissions. The issue is I expect many non-NESCAC D3 coaches (and D1/2 if they are in the mix) to move to commit athletes before the NESCAC schools do…so your S may have a timing issue with offers/potential opportunities. Some of the NESCAC schools do use a band system in recruiting, but you don’t necessarily need to know the details on that, just make sure whatever verbal offer your kid gets is for full coach support through the admissions process.
I would encourage your S to cast a wide net in recruiting. Is he talking with other coaches in other conferences/at other levels? If he is the top choice of a NESCAC coach he could likely play D1/2 as well…perhaps some schools in the Patriot League could work, for example.
Lastly, do you have any budget constraints? Have you run the NPCs at the schools on his list? Is your S a minority, or legacy at any of these schools?
Agree with the comments that the coaches recruiting your son are in the best position to know how much room they have, which will vary by school. Just to make sure since it sounds like your son is being recruited by non-NESCAC perhaps non-D3 schools, there are no athletic scholarships in D3. Any aid from the school will be based on financial need. A D1 basketball scholarship is full ride as basketball is a “headcount” sport… Don’t know if you have factored this in and are expecting some type of athletic scholarship.
Thanks for the response, we understand that it’s not a scholarship. He is currently also being recruited by multiple d2 and some low d1s(patriot league). The appeal from the nescac schools is the level of education and the “small” feel that he likes.
Some of the Patriot League schools are not that large (since you say he likes a smaller school) and are D1 . Of course, the transcript and your budget are important. Bucknell, Colgate, and Lafayette are not really that large.
I know a recruited athlete who got into Williams with a 3.4. Admittedly, it was from one of the most rigorous schools in the country.
If coaches are telling your son he’s a top recruit – and at this point in the year – haven’t the coaches already seen his transcript and talked to him about scores? It’s in no one’s interest to continue the recruiting process with a kid that won’t be admitted.
A good discussion about NESCAC banding is in this article from the Bowdoin Orient. Its a bit old, but I think most of the same principles still apply:
There certainly have been cases where an athlete who is highly desirable to a coach doesn’t get through the pre-read. I recall one a few years ago where the kid didn’t get a thumbs up at one of the Maine NESCAC schools and ended up at another of the Maine NESCAC schools. I mention this to highlight that the coaches, who will not suggest a pre-read for kids who will never pass it, do the pre-reads for a reason. There are definitely kids on the cusp. Not every NESCAC school has the same criteria. A school with distribution requirements may be looking for a certain level of ability and risk-taking that a take what you want school may not feel students need to succeed in their programs.
It’s really hard to know what a UW 3.2 at your school means. At ours, that probably would have put you right in the middle of a pretty competitive and qualified class, and with a "most rigorous " schedule, would have satisfied most AOs that you could do the work.
It sounds like he’s a good enough recruit that you will have the opportunity to explore the alternatives, even with the date issues. And remember, coaches have no interest in having players who are struggling academically so if the pre-read is good, your son will be fine!
I would recommend the Amherst report over the three articles in the Bowdoin Orient. The reason being that the Amherst report comes from the school, whereas the recruiting information in the Bowdoin articles comes from a student who interviews people from the school. https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/media/PlaceOfAthleticsAtAmherst_Secure_1.pdf
Here is the skinny: There are 2 slots for most NESCAC teams. Those slots allow coaches to dip down below the usual admission standards to recruit 2 talented athletes. There also is additional room for athletic recruiting for “tips” - these are students with essentially the same athletic achievement levels as the rest of the class. If you look at page 7 of the Amherst Report, this will be explained, but take note that slots are called “athletic factor” athletes (67 admitted each year) and tips are called “coded” athletes (60-90 admitted each year) in the report. It is unlikely that a coach will talk to you about this distinction as it is inward facing, unless of course you ask. A slot is not more likely to be admitted than a tip because a coach will jigger the designation depending on how much he/she wants a kid vs. the academic achievement of the athlete. Many NESCAC schools talk about bands (A, B, and C). These bands give guidance on how low in terms of academic credentials a coach may dip to recruit an athlete.
I will say that the recruiting process makes the coach who is recruiting your kid an advisor of sorts. This is because – for now – the interests of coach and student are in alignment. We don’t know how good your kid is at his sport. We don’t know what kind of student he or she is. Therefore, direct communications with the coaches are your best bet. If you haven’t visited one of these schools, go ahead and schedule a meeting with the coach (parents can attend). Bring your kid’s unofficial transcript and college CV with you to the meeting. Then ask the tough questions. Is your kid going to get in? Ask the coach to explain the process. Ask about the coach’s timeline. Ask what comes with recruitment. Are tryouts open? Are athletes guaranteed a roster spot. Ask where they anticipate your kid fitting into the team. This will help you to understand exactly where your kid stands.
I can’t emphasize how important it is to ask the coach if your kid can be admitted. So many folks worry about being too forward, or maybe they are just scared to hear the answer. If a coach looks at a transcript and says “yeah, it might be tough.” Then you know. Move onto the next option. There is no use falling in love with a school if admission is unlikely. Ask. Ask. Ask.
Great summary, similar to my impression also.
I think you meant to type “academic” before achievement rather than “athletic” though?
Of course. Thanks for the correction.
I would generally agree on that for a top NESCAC or similar high end low acceptance rate school, though for basketball where the pool for top athletes is typically smaller than many other sports (i.e. forwards even at D3 schools are typically 6ft-6"+) so my sense is that the NESCACs and other schools may have to dip below the usual athletic bands to find suitable athletes for basketball.
Definitely ask coaches likelihood of positive pre-read and he needs to send them his current transcript (if he hasn’t already)- I’m assuming they’ve asked about his grades/scores? I’ve seen others say that the date this year that NESCAC coaches can submit pre-read is 8/1, BUT, know that if you’re son is indeed a top 1 or 2 recruit, there is a good chance they’ll let him know ON or right after that 8/1 date. So, first he needs to make sure they know his academics, confirmation that they plan on submitting him for a read, what they feel is likelihood of positive read, and when, if he passes the pre-read he’d hear from them. I had to encourage my daughter to ask to ask very specific questions, since teenagers aren’t the best at that. I’m basing all of this on her experience, as a committed student at a selective NESCAC for this fall.
Patriot league, even though D1, does not give athletic scholarships.
Please note that Patriot League schools do offer athletic scholarships.
Not in swimming. My understanding when my DS was being recruited, other than need-based financial aid, athletic aid was only in football and basketball.
Oops-I just realized the title of this thread has “Basketball” in the title! So, ignore my no scholarship comment-does not apply here.
Really? I thought it was an individual school thing (within D1 leagues). I was pretty sure Bucknell, at least, had scholarships.