New and Not Sure

Athletic Recruits
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>Lots of google searches have led me to this site and I finally decided to join. I hope it isn't too far along in the process! My daughter is going into her senior year and is fairly good in her sport, an individual sport. She has spoken to several coaches but she guards these exchanges as she wants to handle as much herself as possible.</p>

<p>She received several phone calls the week of July 1, including a couple of ivies, some very competitive LACs, and a couple of other schools, state and private. She would fall in the top few of most of these schools, but not at the very top. Her academics are the same, very good but not the very top: 2100+ SATs, 32 ACT, 4.8-ish weighted GPA, ranked fairly high in her class.</p>

<p>Anyway, several of the coaches have asked her to provide extensive information, and I know this because she had to ask us for help to get it all together. It's been sent out, and she's scheduling unofficial visits to meet with coaches at some of the schools. They seem happy about this, but of course, it's all on our dime. A couple have told her that they will put her on their list for official visits in the fall, but I see here on this forum that others have already lined these visits up. Is this sport-specific, as far as timing goes?</p>

<p>So what I am wondering is, how do you know if you are really under consideration, when does this become clear? Not one of the coaches have called again after the initial conversation, but they have had lots of back and forth email. If you are emailing a coach, does it really matter that they don't call?</p>

<p>She has sort of shunned the "safety schools" which I suppose is OK at this stage, because I imagine she has a good a chance of getting academic money at a safety school, and then playing the sport on a more low key level if these top schools don't work out. The schools in which she would be top athletically are not necessarily academically where she wants to be.</p>

<p>Also, with all of this information having been given out, what can we expect to hear back, if anything, and in what time frame? I guess I am just wondering how the whole process works, as I've been poring through various sources in print, online, and in person, and I can't seem to figure it out.</p>

<p>Thanks and sorry for being so long-winded and possibly confusing!</p>

2

<p>Officials tend to be sport specific… and I already have all of mine lined up but was just offered another today - so it also depends on the school. Don’t worry! </p>

<p>Some coaches prefer to email, and they really don’t call unless they have something to say. So again, no big deal. </p>

<p>sooo I guess what i can tell you for how it (hopefully) plays out is that you talk to a coach, and they email back if they like you. Then, after July 1st, they call you. You go through the admissions office (though some schools just have the coach read), and they offer you an official if you’re on the short list (depending on the sport, almost 2x slots available). You go on the official, they like you, you like them, you get a likely letter or sign the NLOI. (or you don’t like them/they don’t like you and no ll or nloi is offered) </p>

<p>presto! You’re into college :slight_smile: hah
hope it helps!</p>

3

<p>Thanks Frosty!</p>

<p>I guess we will have to wait and see. A few of the visits are coming up in the next few weeks. Also a big competition coming up and I think some of the coaches will be there as well. We’ve all been working a lot this summer and it’s been hard to schedule time for trips to faraway places. </p>

<p>One question: when you say “go through admissions,” did you do that on your own with the coach referring you, or did they put this through for you? I am wondering what they’re doing with all the documentation we’ve sent over. Do they ask everybody for this much info, or just those in whom they’re really interested?</p>

4

<p>Our experience was with Ivy recruiting in a spring sport. To address your first concern. don’t worry if official visits haven’t been scheduled yet. My D took all of hers between late Sept and Late Oct. I don’t think anything was officially booked until school started, although there were summer conversations in which coaches stated, ‘we’d like to get you out here for an official in the fall’. As for admissions, you will have to do that on your own. Coach requests for test scores and transcripts are to make sure the athlete stands a good chance of being admitted but the application process is up to your daughter. Lastly, encourage her to at least keep communication open with a safety or 2.</p>

5

<p>With the visits - that when a lot of the official visits were brought up for me (i visited winter/spring), so look out for that. also varska - again, it could be sport specific but I have dates set for all of my officials already. </p>

<p>By going through admissions I mean that I sent all of my academic information (school profile, ACT, SAT, SAT II, senior classes, complete junior transcript) to the coaches once they requested it. The coaches would get this information and then bring folders over to their admissions partner and have the info read over. Then the officer would give the coach suggestions about changes in senior year course load or essay topics. Also, the coach would know if they could continue recruiting. Most big schools just have bare minimums but ivies mostly give green lights - good to go, yellow lights - recruit with caution, and red lights - stop recruiting. </p>

<p>Also I sent transcripts over in the winter - so if you sent stuff then, they just looked at it to see where you fit on their list. However, one school did take my info over in the winter, and is taking the completed transcript over to be re-read this summer. </p>

<p>And to answer your question, they won’t ask for your information if they’re not interested! Its a production so they don’t want to waste time :)</p>

6

<p>Thanks again for the replies! We have sent all the official SAT and ACT scores to admissions offices at most of the schools she really cares about, and two of the bigger private universities (listed as “highly competitive” in my Barron’s book) are going to meet with her in two weeks. </p>

<p>The rest are just all up in the air. We have not had anything sent from the school to admissions, and in fact we don’t even know who her guidance counselor will be due to the big shake-up in the schools after budget cuts - her counselor was bumped back to teaching.</p>

<p>I can tell these next few weeks will be anxiety provoking! It’s comforting to know that they wouldn’t have asked for the documentation if they were not interested - but once they take all of this, how long is the wait before you usually hear again? It’s been about a week now.</p>

<p>I’m sure it will all work out one way or another … and we will be happy whatever the outcome. I just like to have my ducks in a row! I think that as far as safety schools go, she can just apply to them after this November rush is over, if nothing comes of this initial flurry. She has a good idea of what she wants and where she wants to be so for now we will hold on and try to enjoy the ride!</p>