@JLDDCC we’re absolutely cognicent that US College applications have become BONKERS, and the athletic recruit route offers a huge advantage for those who qualify.
However, the Canada route also offers the great benefit of certainty because the admission process is much more grades specific, predictable, and therefore offers much greater comfort
I had no idea. That’s cool! I’m a big Bowdoin fan if you remember.
I keep my eyes on the mens side - for reference they were 3rd in dual meet record but 7th on mens. That placed them 13th in D3 but 33 on the men’s side.
Swat is about the same as Bowdoin. I think they finished 15th. Coach is working hard and succeeding in improve the program year to year.
Wesleyan, which is in @NiVo ‘s list is 45-50.
I’m not sure this is a fair statement. At the end of the day swimming is about times and as good as D3 swimming is, it gets pretty slow outside of the top 10 or 15 schools. Probably less so for a sprinter, but still….
OP has a wide list of schools. There is a bit of a domino effect that will play out in the next couple of months.
No one has addressed this, and I don’t know the answer, but outside of being a stellar athlete, is there some international disadvantage to recruiting? I haven’t noticed a lot of internationals at the slower schools.
I think many of us believe that the student-athlete experience in college is powerful and very meaningful and if this is what your daughter would like to achieve, it helps to keep an open mind regarding the school list. If the fall back option is going to Toronto or McGill (because more transparency in admissions make it likely for her to get in) without swimming and she is absolutely OK with that, then work the schools you have listed without adding others.
I like the comment from @cinnamon1212:
“My own view is that its good to have a variety of academic/athletic levels in the mix so there are some choices in the end. Kids change a lot and maybe the elite LAC in Iowa with swimming will be more appealing than the Canadian university with no swimming. I just would keep as many doors open as possible at this point.”
Of this group, I’d give Grinnell a closer look. Great team culture, incredible facilities and very generous with money. Don’t overlook a school with such a huge endowment (one of the largest in the country - per student) willing to spend it. If Wesleyan is a fit, Grinnell is probably not too off the mark.
Looks like OP said the D would be able to swim at Mcgill and Toronto:
With respect to academics, has your daughter maintained her interest in environmental studies?
Sounds like a possibility but does not sound like she will be given an offer until later this year.
@JLDDCC every situation is fluid until rosters are called, recruit times change, and recruits choice of school change. but as it stands, that is by far the clearest situation she has on hand, together with another US school.
for reference, her times would rank her as follows within the Canadian team of 40+ swimmers:
50F #6
100F #7
200F #7
400F #6
50Fly #6
100Fly #5
Is Canadian college competition different? In the US there is usually only one scoring heat per event, but she would add depth to the B relay. Probably some good questions for the coach around “role in the team” if it matters to her.
50 Fly is not an NCAA event. Is it in Canada? Do Canadian teams compete in SCM?
Canadian teams train in LCM & SCM depending on facilities. Large teams like #1 UBC are located next to a national training facility. Looks like they mostly compete in SCM, but also have LCM meets.
The tone of the head coach was very much focused on overall development to optimize team outcome over a 4 year college career, rather than immediately box swimmers in their fastest strokes upon joining the team, with over 12+ traning time slots, some optional for each athlete. The tone of the head coach was very much “my job is to bring the best potential out of you” which D24 felt was a coaching stance she liked very much.
Sounds like a great opportunity.
I don’t think that is the intent and good coaches will work on developing their swimmers. It is, however, the nature of the system. College swimming is a TEAM sport and a lot of strategy goes around carefully planing who swims what - swimmers are limited to a max of 3 individual events (2 in HS) - to maximize points.
I have no knowledge about competitive swimming but the feedback from @TonyGrace, and perhaps others, suggests that may need to reconsider how your competitive your daughter is as a recruit.
Because there is no definite positive “you are on top of list” feedback yet and your D really wants to swim at a high academic school, many here are suggesting you expand your list. For instance, I am assuming you D expressed an interest in environmental studies. The list @merc81 referenced has at least five other schools which are very similar to one already being considered. Have you considered those? If not, ask yourself why and take a look at these schools. I have found that whatever initial impressions I may have had about schools were pretty much uninformed and mired in faulty perceptions.
this thread is very much focused on the recruiting process, and of course it is statistically much more robust to expand a universe of schools by adding another 5-8 schools to the target list.
an issue that hasn’t been discussed in this thread’s 650+ exchanges is time: one must be mindful that each and everyone of these additional targets requires time, to both carefully evaluate a school as well as mindfully reach out and communicate with a coach. if D24 magically had 30 hours a day, that wouldn’t be an issue to talk to 20 coaches. The reality is quite different: she has to maintain a commitment to studies because an expected 40-42 IB score requires work, successfully passing mock exams from which the expected grades are derived, training in the pool, and continued competitive performance at swim meets. It takes more time yet to prepare for another SAT to take it to 1500+. And every child needs sleep, downtime, and some entertainment.
Whilst this may be easy for many other athletes, it is a continuous challenge for D24, and as parents our main role is to carefully advise her, not only about the optimal AI/CC advised strategy, but really the optimal strategy for her given her own personal situation and management of time. She doesn’t have Elon Musk’s hyperactive bandwidth, but she remains very capable in our eyes, and tries hard to manage the best possible outcome.
Realistically we believe she’s very close to two situations where college and swimming are present, and she’ll likely continue to focus on her existing list which is already sizeable and very carefully curated. She may add 1-2 if it becomes clear 2-4 naturally drop out, bearing in mind that it is late in the process (despite what several coaches have said contradicting that), so there is only very limited time left in the spring to add 1-2 schools.
I don’t believe the suggestion was for your daughter to add five or more schools to her current list. I believe the intent was to suggest that she may want to consider adding one or two colleges from several that may be suitable for her, should she want to refine her list.
I would not want your daughter to be especially burdened by this process and understand and applaud your commitment to limiting the load by learning as much as possible so you can be an active guide. This time last year was the toughest period of high school for my kid for all the reasons you state- keeping on top of school, studying for standardized tests, training and travel for her sport. It is not easy and all the kids going through this are amazing. I hope you take my response as an effort to assist based upon my kid’s recent experience. After all, having read close to 700 posts on this thread, I am invested in a positive outcome for your kid!
I guess I am confused about your assessment that “Realistically we believe she’s very close to two situations” based upon your earlier comments. I am very much hoping your opinion is correct and perhaps I am missing something. I think I approached the recruiting process much more cautiously and thus interpret your statements about contacts with coaches with more circumspection.
I don’t think it would be an excessive burden to consider a couple of other schools- especially since some here have pointed out specific ones which may be a good match and that you are already anticipating needing to do so later this spring.
Again, good luck to your daughter. This is a hard time and I am wishing the best for her.
D24 unfortunately injured last week, one week prior to one of her most important meet of the year, essentially guaranteeing that she wouldn’t improve any of her times, so indeed mentally she’s got other priorities than adding another college coach discussion. She did swim a heat with the world record holder & double Olympic medalist in the next lane and got an autograph & poolside selfie, and that was the highlight of her day. all this to say that sometimes, there are issues that aren’t included in the thread, yet superseed some of the advice here, not because we aren’t grateful for your advice, but because there are other purely personal, mental, or physical considerations.
again, we’re infinitely grateful for the advice and comments on this board, and appreciate that many of you take the time and patience to support a young athlete in her journey, and indeed some of you who share a vested interest in her success.
I’m so, so, sorry. We’ve been there, too. They work SO hard all year and then sometimes they get the rug pulled out from under them due to circumstances completely outside of their control.
Best wishes to you and your D.
I’m terribly sorry to hear that. Hopefully it’s a swift recovery. FWIW, I think it won’t affect her recruiting where coaches are already interested.