<p>I've been wondering for a while how this works. Some BS's accept up to 30+ seniors and/or PGs. Usually how many of them are seniors and how many PG's? Why would rising seniors want to attend a BS in their last year of high school? They'd actually start applying to colleges right after they step in? So would they just apply from a new school with everything else about them from somewhere else? And how about PG's, aren't they in the same situation as the new seniors? How'd the new school help? I know many of you are knowlegable on a lot of <em>stuff</em> about BS (goalidad comes to mind). Could I get some answers please?</p>
<p>I do not know many students that changed as seniors (one only) but I do know more than a few who decided to do a PG year to get their grades up/take more advanced courses before applying to university. You must change schools to do a PG so it is normal that schools accept more PGs. Often they help the athletic teams. that is the limit of my knowledge.</p>
<p>But wouldn’t they have to apply to college after one term in the new school (for EA not even one term)? That’s the grades and sports they need?</p>
<p>I can see why rising seniors would want to switch schools. True, most of their transcript is from somewhere else, but college admissions will see a BS applicant just the same. Also, there are lots of leadership opportunities, AP’s, varsity sports accessible to rising seniors that aren’t available to 9th and 10th graders. They may plan to take a semester off before applying to college, so they’ve potentially really added appeal to their college application without much cost. Whether you come in in the 9th grade or last year of HS, you still get the same diploma. I think its pretty smart. Doesn’t Belichick claim to be a graduate of Andover when he only attended one year? Was it a gap year at that? BTW, what do you get if you only attend a gap year? You’ve already graduated from some HS with a diploma, so what does the sheepskin say that’s handed out at graduation for gap year students, “you’ve successfully completed a post graduate year,” at X college preparatory school?</p>
<p>the pg’s get the machine of a top notch institution behind them in order to showcase themselves to colleges. Some are on the younger side, so are “cooking” a year in order to be competitive on college teams, some had injuries and so missed a season in which recruiting took place, some didnt do so well and are trying harder one more time. Its very rare for pg’s to be there for academic reasons.
Contrary to the above post - There are actually no leadership positions open for them within the school such as student body president, etc since those positions usually are voted on in the Spring or immediately as school starts in Sept. They do have ample opportunities to be leaders on teams. As for AP’s - those grades are put in after college admission.</p>
<p>Thanks, mhmm, but the timing seems tricky to me. Doesn’t the recruting usually happen in the year prior to college application, which starts in the latter half of the fall term? If they have missed it, could they try get recruited again in the first term at their new school, or do recruited atheletes have a different college application schedule?</p>
<p>I think many of the PG’s (at least at my son’s school) are kids who have already been recruited by DI schools but were denied admission/were not give a “slot” and had to get in on their own academically and didn’t make the cut. The following year, they are given a slot. Know for certain of this in more than one case. Or, maybe they need a higher SAT score or for whatever reason, are missing an NCAA required core class. In some cases, they have already been accepted at a DI school and are using the year as a sort of “red-shirt” year, but without being at the college and actually getting to play. I agree with Benley that it would be unusual to be recruited one’s PG year…although I suppose if injury had occurred at a key time (junior year), recruiting could occur the summer after senior year which would necessitate a PG year.</p>
<p>Don’t forget, some schools use block scheduling, so AP grades are available in December, for kids who apply RD.</p>
<p>OK - a little more about PG athletes and recruiting.</p>
<p>mhmm is correct with regards to “cooking”, although there are some there for academic reasons (NCAA clearinghouse or sometimes just to bring up their Ivy League AI to make them more attractive in that sense). There are rumors that the top 18U female hockey player (she played for the 22U National team as well as the 18U national team, just to give you an idea how good she is) hasn’t committed (being recruited by 2 top Ivies) because of AI issues (allegedly waiting for April 10 ACT scores). The rumor continues to say she will PG next year to improve the AI number, if it doesn’t work this year. </p>
<p>Prep schools tend to use many PGs to do a couple of things. First, they are generally full-pay, so if the yield is a bit low, they can use these athletic recruits who “cook” a little longer while paying full tuition.</p>
<p>PGs who are recruited at prestigous colleges also serve to help the matriculation list, so that is a side benefit. They can look at the transcripts and decide if this student is going to help the prestige of the school.</p>
<p>Just realized I cross posted with keylyme…</p>
<p>Finally, PGs can get a school out of a pickle with regards to yield issues with certain athletic teams. Girls hockey teams are notorious for this, as many girls have many school choices and tend to congregate at certain schools in certain years, leaving other schools with almost zero yield on their recruiting class. Its kind of the ugly underside to girls hockey, but the girls often tend to talk to each other and coordinate which schools seem to be the likely school to win this year and commit together.</p>
<p>It sounds to me like BS is taking PG’s pretty much based on the potential of the applicants being successfully recruited. What an effective but sneaky way to boost matriculation stats! lol</p>
<p>It’s not so much “potential”; many of the PG’s at my son’s school already know where they are going. The college has already told them they will be “in” if they do the PG year. An example, a PG at my son’s school was recruited by a coach at Georgetown last year, but not given a “slot”. He was not able to get in on his own without the slot, so the coach asked him to do a PG year and he would be give a recruiting slot for this year. They didn’t even need to see his grades…he was a good enough applicant as long as he had the slot. He was admitted ED this year.</p>
<p>Keylyme: Do D3 schools have ‘slots’ as well?
My knowledge of American colleges is limited…</p>
<p>cdnhockeymom,</p>
<p>NESCAC schools (Ahmherst, Willimas, etc.) do tend to have admissions “slots” for recruited athletes. At less selective D3’s the need for specific slots is not really there as much.</p>