As said in the title, the admissions committee did deem that I am able to be admitted to the university and the coach offered me an OV. Even with all of this, the coach still wants higher test scores. What does this mean?
This is for a DI sport at an ivy league university.
I believe the coach needs your AI to be higher so he/she can bring other recruits in whose AI is lower.
I agree. In Ivy football there is a formal system with four Academic Index bands (and typically schools will only use the lower academic band slots for the best athletes). In other sports the same principle applies, though there’s not a formal system of bands.
He definitely wants to bring his teams over all GPA average up. One coach my son talked with liked him more for his grades and personal character than his sports skills. He said you can teach sports skills, you can’t teach smarts.
While everyone above could be correct, it could also mean that the pre read came back positive, but not certain, and that the admissions rep mentioned you would be stronger with higher test scores. It is important to remember that passing the pre read isn’t the end of the dance. Go take the ACT/SAT again.
See the Haverford posts on positive pre-reads but the student is then not accepted.
I agree totally with Ohiodad, they were my thoughts exactly. Could mean no red flags to stop you from OV but no slam dunk to get you through admissions.
I also agree with Ohiodad and fleishmo6.
OP, has the coach mentioned issuing a Likely Letter, or an interest in your applying Early?
As it is August, if these conversations have not yet happened, you may be further from home than you think.
I would as OhioD suggests take the SAT/ACT again. You may have to do a lot of things “for the team” that leaves you scratching your head in the next four years. There has got to be a reason, but the best way to show your commitment to the team is to go ahead and take the test.
I do think with the added cost and time on your part, you could ask in a polite way “why.” I would not straight out ask “why,” but more subtly ask for the rationale. For example, you might ask whether the adcom requested the additional testing in connection with the pre-read. The answer to the question may help you understand where you stand team and admission-wise.
If the coach wants you to have higher test scores he has a reason. Your test scores may make you admitable but not a slam dunk. Raise the scores if you can.
Agree with previous posters. Could be any of the aforementioned reasons. We know girls who committed to Harvard, Yale and Penn and all had to take standardized tests as many as 6 times! In one case, rather late in the game, the coach told all commits they had to take the test again, b/c she was trying to get the team #s where they needed to be to get a recruit with lower scores admitted. My friend’s daughter was freaking out b/c she hadn’t taken the SAT in ages and was out of practice. In one case, the girl was not hitting the desired score (but she sure was a gifted athlete, so they wanted her bad). My son was told virtually the same thing by Yale that #3 Right Coaster related. Son appreciated the coach’s honesty, and seriously considered the offer, b/c the coach had not seen him play much and didn’t have a good sense of my son’s abilities. He thought he would earn playing time once there. Ultimately found a better fit elsewhere. Good luck! This has probably been resolved by now, given date of original post, though.
Same happened with our son. The college has to report admitted scores so the higher the score the better. It could also mean that the coach wants you to look as if you’re really trying to get in. If your test was taken in Junior year or summer, having another in senior year is helpful. It honestly may not even matter what your scores ends up being.