FA can be full of surprises, pleasant and unpleasant, you can gain some insights even before you apply. The FA office can really help guide you. When my oldest went through the process we did not apply for aid to one school because the FA office told us we would not get any and it would only hurt my son’s admission changes. Another school encouraged us to apply for aid and we received about 50%. The FA office obviously cannot make any commitment until applications are processed but for us it was good to know that at some places aid was possible and others it was not.
Where do you live? My son was a AAA hockey goalie playing in Florida and traveling all over the country to play. There was a gentleman in Florida who took the players that were interested on group prep school tours. They were able to meet the coaches (and vice versa). Every kid that wanted to go to prep school was recruited. Grades and SSAT scores were also considered of course but there’s more leeway for a recruited athlete. My son wound up at Groton repeating a grade (very typical of recruited athletes). Even if there is nothing like this where you live, it is very important to reach out to the coaches. I’m sure there are schools with graduating goalies who are looking for exactly what you have to offer. We videoed my son’s games and sent the schools a DVD of all his highlights. Being a AAA hockey player can definitely help you but you need to get the coach’s attention. Good luck.