So I started a “chance me” thread earlier to determine my chances at top institutions such as the Ivys and top LACs. Within my ECs I noted that I am a competitive swimmer who is in contact with the LAC and Dartmouth coaches. I can swim at all of these schools, some I would be #1, others I would be a typical swimmer. At the rest of the Ivies, however, I have not contacted the coaches because I felt that my times weren’t competitive enough, and that contacting them would simply waste everyone’s time. On the thread I was informed that my Academic Index is extremely high and that I should still contact the coaches bc of that. Please consider my stats and whether they would make an endeavor to contact the coaches worthwhile.
GPA: 3.82 UW/4.16 W
ACT: 35 (35 on all except math)
SAT II’s: Bio E 740
I have more stats obviously, but apparently this is all thats necessary for the A.I.
My best times are: (I am a male)
400 IM: 4:16
200 Fly: 1:59
200 IM 2:03
1000 Free 10:07
If you are familiar with swimming, then you know that these are decent but not exceptional when considering Ivy standards. Also, most of these times are due to complications over my past 2 seasons, this summer my LC times should be more competitive.
Please, if you are knowledgeable about this subject, inform me on whether or not its worthwhile to reach out to the coaches. It could drastically change my college search. If any more information would be helpful just ask and I will add it.
PS- apparently my A.I. would be around 234
Schools I’m considering:
Harvard
Upenn (Wharton)
Dartmouth
Stanford
I honestly don’t see the harm in reaching out to the coaches - the worst they can say is no, you’re not what they’re looking for.
Is that what everyone else thinks too?
I do agree that there is no harm in contacting a coach as you never know. I went through the Ivy recruiting process this past season with my child and based on my experience in the Ivy League your best opportunity from your list would be Penn & Dartmouth.
It costs nothing but a few minutes of your time to send an email. If you are not competitive to be a recruit, then the coaches likely will either respond perfunctorily pr not at all. If you are recruitable at a particular school, an initial e mail may spark some interest which will help you land at a great school next year. Either way, if you don’t do anything you will always wonder. Take the shot, reach out.
I agree with the others. You should reach out, but do so with your eyes open.
I would just make the point that, while all Ivy coaches appreciate an impressive AI like yours, their main focus is always on winning. That’s how they keep their jobs. So they’ll likely recruit a kid who can score points in the conference championship with an AI of 210 over someone unlikely to score points with an AI of 235. So, for recruiting purposes, it’s much better to be a great swimmer with a good AI than the other way around.
I’d encourage you to try to drop your already good times. That’s where your energy will best be spent. Also consider top LACS (Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Bowdoin, and Pomona) and Dartmouth, Brown, and Cornel. Stanford and Harvard are blazingly fast and will not likely be interested in you as a swimmer unless you get much faster.
SwimDad99,
you took the words right out of my mouth
look at the NESCACs where you can swim at Champs and get a great education
congrats on both your academics and your athletics
Thx for the advice, do you think that the coaches well tell me realistically whether or not I’m a valid candidate?
Yes I think coaches will be straightforward. If you are not a strong candidate for the team, they might recommend that you apply if you are interested in the school, but also tell you they cannot offer you support unless your times get faster. If you get a response but are not sure where they stand, then ask. You have nothing to lose by making contact and starting a conversation. Good luck!
We went throught the admissions cycle this year applying to four Ivy’s ant the Top LAC’s. My D did not have a hook but similar stats. You definitely should reach out to the coaches at schools you are interested in. Worst case scenario they tell you they aren’t interested but this won’t have any negative impact at the Admissions Office. Nothing but upside from reaching out to coaches
Ok thanks, I’ll reach out later today
m4tt0201, your grades and test scores are so good that you’d need only a nudge (which I think you’d get) from swim coaches at the top LACs to gain admission. And I can imagine that you’d get both a first rate-education (equal or better to the Ivies) and have a long and enjoyable swim experience.
The Ivies are quite a bit faster, and, as such of course, it’ll be harder at those schools to secure coach support. But (as others have suggested above) you have absolutely nothing to lose. You may well get into any of these schools on your own academic merit and any level of coach support could easily be the difference. A likely litter is probably not in your future, but you may not need it.
I already am in contact with the coaches for williams, amherst, pomona, middlebury, colby, tufts, hamilton, and lafayette. I was just curious about the ivy league possibilities.
Be aware that the expected sports time commitment is quite a bit greater at the Ivys than it is at the LACs. They are D1 and they are expected to train like it, even if they aren’t quite as fast as scholarship D1 like Texas, Michigan, Stanford or Florida. When we visited some of the Ivys, we were dismayed to learn how much training they did - it felt like you would be expected to be an athlete first, and a student in your spare time, even down to what classes you took and so forth.
Of course, that’s what some people want, but it seemed excessive to us.
Yeah that’s the one thing that I was worried about at DI. I don’t mind swimming, but I want to have a fun time in college and get a lot out of my education.
However I do really like harvard, upenn, and Dartmouth and swimming may help get me in.
However I do really like harvard, upenn, and Dartmouth and swimming may help get me in. Everyone needs everything they can get to get into the top schools
You can contact those Ivy coaches at the schools you are interested in and see what they have to say. It may be that your times are not fast enough, in which case you will have at least made an effort and pursued all your options. If they like you, then you can build that relationship and see where it takes you. Those schools are difficult to get into and swimming can help if you fit with and want to commit to the program.
So I emailed the Harvard coach, I guess that I just wait for a response now. How long should that take?