I’m a recruited athlete at several top Liberal Arts Colleges and was wondering if someone could explain pre-reads. I would appreciate an answer that explains this in a D3 setting, more specifically liberal arts colleges like Amherst, Williams, and Pomona. Apparently some of my applications have been pre-read by admissions departments, but what does this mean for my admissions chance? How much help can a coach give if my application has been pre-read by admissions? Thanks!
It is difficult to say given the information you have provided. Are you a senior who has applied to these three schools? If that is the case, then I think your recruiting coach is the best source of information for 1)what the result of the pre read was and 2)what his or her experience is given the feedback received from admissions. If you are an underclassman, then I don’t know how much stock I would put in an admissions pre read at this point, other than as a sign that the coach is at least preliminary interested in you. In my son’s case, he had a number of preliminary reads of his academic information in the winter and spring of his junior year, although I do not recall whether any D3 schools were involved in that process. In any event, the pre reads done in the spring were very preliminary and each school he was serious about did a more formal read with his full junior transcript, test scores etc in the summer and early fall. I know that Amherst was one of those schools, and I am almost certain Williams was as well. In my opinion, the pre read done in the summer/fall is the more important step, both as a gauge of real recruiting interest and as a guide to admissibility.
BigRed,
The fact of a pre-read by itself means very little. It simply means that a coach thought highly enough of your athletic ability to ask admissions to kick the tires. What is significant is the result of the pre-read. In other words, assume a coach sends your transcript to admissions for a pre-read along with your board scores. If the coach gets back to you and says “the pre-read looks good” or “I asked for a pre-read and it was positive,” then chances are that admissions will look favorably on your application. Nothing is for sure, however. A pre-read doesn’t usually involve essays or recommendations, and anything can happen by the time the application is lined up. Unfortunately, a positive pre-read is the warmest comfort you may get prior to an actual acceptance letter.
Incidentally, you may not know if you get a negative or lukewarm pre-read. A coach may just stop communicating with you, or he or she might say “things don’t look good” or “I don’t know how much I can help.”
Williams and Amherst should provide pre-reads. I think it is less likely at Pomona. I don’t believe that Pomona athletics has the same pull with admissions that you find in the NESCAC. However, you may find that the Pomona coach has a fairly good sense of your chances for admission if he or she reviews your transcript.
As for the rest, OhioDad is spot on, as usual.