Not to be overly technical, but for future readers – Squash is not an NCAA sport so the competition and tournaments are not D1/D2/D3. So, Trinity College competes (and wins) against Harvard, Princeton, Penn under the auspices of the College Squash Association.
5 Likes
For test-optional schools, does that also apply to recruited athletes or do coaches still ask for scores to given them a better idea of likelihood of admission?
Also, many recruiting questionnaires for lacrosse include a question on whether a financial aid application will be submitted? Does replying ‘yes’ decrease my son’s chances of being recruited?
The coach can ask for the test scores for many reasons, including the likelihood of admissions. A coach may not be able to assess the student’s hs records as well as the admissions office without test scores, but some are pretty good at judging by gpa AND test scores) because the coach may have years of experience doing that. The coach may also want to assess how much the student would struggle with academics if on the team. There was a pretty good article a few years ago by a (woman’s) coach at Yale saying she looks at the academic fit first because even a very talented player does the coach no good if the player is academically on probation or is struggling so much with academics that she can’t miss classes for travel games or practices.
I think most NESCAC schools are need blind, but if you need FA to go to that school, say yes, you are applying for aid. It does no good to say you aren’t applying for aid and then be admitted but unable to attend because you can’t afford the school without aid (that you didn’t apply for). If you don’t really qualify for much aid and could scrimp and save and make the school work if you had to, don’t worry, the school will figure that out and you won’t get much aid anyway.
Some of those questionnaires ask for information that the school doesn’t use. It is on the standard questionnaire so the school just leaves it on there. If it is a need blind, Div 3 school, it shouldn’t matter to the coach if you need aid as it isn’t coming out of his budget. The student gets the aid he needs (as defined by the school), whether an athlete or not.
3 Likes
Some NESCAC coaches do take financial need into account, but probably not at the early stages. The Bates men’s soccer coach said that if he took a full pay recruit, he could take one that needed financial aid. So it played a role in his thinking.
3 Likes
For my D21 who was a recruited athlete, her coach did ask for her test scores but then was told not to submit them during admissions. She had passed the academic pre-read without them so her coach didn’t want anything to affect that if scores were submitted (her scores were in the 50% of accepted students).
3 Likes
Thanks, all. To follow up on test scores, any advice on the timing of when to take tests (including how many) based on timing of NESCAC recruiting cycles and factoring in prep for a junior?
We didn’t do NESCAC, but I think it depends on what kind of a tester your kid is and the dates of your sports seasons.
D22 is a good tester, so she took the PSAT in January of her junior year (delayed by Covid), then took the SAT in March, and that was it. She did practice problems and tests for both on her own during winter break. That allowed her to have very little overlap with her busiest playing months.
1 Like
My dd took the ACT I believe late fall her junior year (just before Covid hit), prepped for spring the same year but was pushed back to fall of senior year due to Covid. She took it again I believe late Sept/early Oct of her senior year. Had scores back before her ED date, but was instructed by her future coach not to submit them.
1 Like
Not a NESCAC athlete, but I know several and all took at the same time as my daughter. As a D1 recruit, she was told to get it done ahead of junior year. Prepped ALL summer of sophomore year and took in the Fall of junior year (October) with another one scheduled in Dec. The number ot times is really individual. Covid started shutting it all down (HS Class of 21) and made her even feel more prepared for recruiting to be able to tell the coaches she was done. Her early prep made it worth it to check this one piece off the list especially with official visits cancelled (moved to Zoom) and no competitions the Spring of junior year or Fall of senior year.
2 Likes
I don’t know about nescac specifically but for most selective schools I’d aim to have a solid score in hand by late winter of junior year. Earlier is better if reasonable. It’s helpful to leave the coaches as few question marks as possible once things get serious. Plus, most youth athletes I know don’t have many weekends free so this requires advance planning and a backup plan should the flu or Covid change plan A.
My experience is a few years old by now so I really don’t know how Covid and TO has affected some of those things. As with other factors, the better the athlete the less it matters probably.
Also, probably varies by sport.
1 Like
My suggestion is to take the ACT early and often, regardless of Division. The upside of not waiting is that if the coach or adcom tells you to raise test scores by x amount, your kid has the time to schedule and study for additional tests if needed.
There is some folklore that you should take the ACT in December of junior year, because that test is the last test seniors who haven’t tested well can take before application season. However, our GC firmly debunked this theory by stating that tests were not just averaged against the test takers for the single test, but against all test takers.
One way or the other, in the NESCAC, you are going to need decent test scores by the summer of your junior year for pre-reads.
1 Like
Advice we got from a coach at a top program was to complete testing by Feb of junior year so that there was no uncertainty for a coach who was looking at admissibility and pre-reads for prospective recruits heading into spring/summer before senior year.
2 Likes
S19 prepped for SAT during the summer before junior year. Took it in Aug and was done. Good to have that score to share for all of his communication with coaches.
2 Likes
A couple of questions about timing for NESCAC boy’s LAX:
- When do NESCACs typically invite for official visits?
- Do official visits happen before (as part of determining whether request is made for) prereads or after prereads to attract those who’ve made it past that step?
- Would it make sense to try and visit campus unofficially during the NESCAC LAX season (in the coming weeks) or do they pause recruiting activities/focus during their season?
NESCAC coaches who do offer official visits (not all do) can’t do so until the first day of a prospect’s senior year classes. Some verbal offers have been given, and accepted, by then as pre-reads start July 1 before senior year.
If you can do an unofficial visit before/during the summer after junior year, that is preferable. IMO. Your student needs to work out the timing with the coaches.
4 Likes
I think unofficial visits are great. By bringing information with you (transcript, test scores, college cv, tapes), you can be sure that the coach has looked at your information. You can also get valuable information about where the coach is in his or her recruiting efforts - be sure to ask. Also be sure to ask where your student fits into that recruiting situation. And, it may seem more natural for a parent to participate with the student in an unofficial meeting with the coach. This can be helpful for all involved, provided the parent does not dominate the conversation.
LIke everyone, if a coach can find a good recruit with less work, he or she will. By visiting the school, you are telling the coach that you are very interested in the school. This is way easier for a coach than convincing an unknown recruit whose heart is set on D1.
You should be aware that the coach may be busy during the season. But, it never hurts to try. Give it a shot.
3 Likes
There is a long thread in the Wesleyan ED section about ~25 recruited athletes not getting in ED this cycle. It’s a relevant (but long) read for those interested in Athletic Recruiting and I wouldn’t have come across it otherwise so posting the link here as well:
1 Like
I just read through that thread. I would not recommend an athlete use their ED1 at Wesleyan going forward.
1 Like
I don’t understand this comment. Why NESCAC or D2???
There are many D III small liberal arts colleges around the country which provide a similar education to NESCAC schools and play football but where admissions are not necessarily as competitive. I’m thinking in particular of many of the schools in the Centennial, Liberty, and North Coast Conferences.
@GKUnion, I think that is a little unfair to the institution and athletes considering the institution. Reading through the posts, confirmation of the 25 number is a bit murky. I will say that this - recruited athletes not getting in - happens more often than many want to acknowledge, and it is not just at Wesleyan.
That said, all recruits should do due diligence before applying, and that absolutely should include asking the coach about this issue if they are interested in attending Wesleyan.