Test optional and athletic recruiting

@Mwfan1921 I always find your replies helpful. Thanks for your response. D signed up for the April, May and June ACTs/SATs and she’s registered for July 18, but who knows if it’ll get cancelled again.

Since she had spent so much time prepping for APs and finals (she still has school this week), she hasn’t had much time to test prep. Hopefully she can score close to what the schools are looking for. This depends if she’s able to even take the July test though and the score will come out too late for recruiting.

I am confused and guessing @Mwfan1921 knows the answer. I thought it was a recruiting dead period and no offers until after the period is lifted or is it only for some D1 sports? Or is the dead period only for official visits and they can still conduct pre-reads? Didn’t get clarity when I read the NCAA info on their site. Thank you.

Thanks for the kind words. Fingers crossed the July test goes and your D does well. I also understand everything you said above in your reply to recruitparent. Stressful times for sure, keep us updated as you and your D navigate things.

Dead period is just for NCAA DI, and prohibits face to face interaction between coaches and students/parents. Coaches also can’t watch athletes play matches/games etc. But DI coaches can be communicating with recruits and can make verbal offers over the telephone/zoom/facetime. Pre-reads can be happening too.
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/division-i-recruiting-dead-period-extended-through-july-31

DII is in a ‘quiet’ period thru July 31, so coaches can meet students on campus, face to face, but can’t meet them off campus, or see them play. http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/division-ii-extends-quiet-period-through-july-31

I think D3 is business as usual, but I don’t think there is much face to face contact happening there either because of travel restrictions and such. If anyone knows more specifics please share.

Yes, D3 is open, but with caveats. We are taking D21 to see 2 schools at the end of the month. School 1 is offering limited tours and interviews and we will meet the coach outdoors for a chat. School 2 is 45 mins away (same state, different county) and is closed. Coach offered a phone call to orient us to the campus and a phone call after to get D’s impressions. Pre-reads are happening now too.

This is a great thread and I was wondering if there have been any changes or updates a month later?

Same here! But for a slightly below what’s needed for IVY/NESCAC SAT score, my child likely would have ivy coach slot support (so we’ve been more or less told). GPA is great with heavy AP course load, lots of honor societies, etc. Did test early last fall and did ok but not quite 1400, prepped so much for March test but was canceled, now hoping August won’t be canceled but it’s hard for kids to prep for a “maybe” test under current conditions.

My D received a positive pre-read at a NESCAC without submitting test scores. She does have great rigor and fast times.

Some good news especially for 2021 athletes who haven’t been able to test.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/ncaa-eligibility-center-announces-flexibility-initial-eligibility-2021-22?division=d1

Does anyone know if the IVY league will still be factoring the SAT into their recruiting?

Some official good news from the Ivy League regarding testing.

IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATE (8/13/20)
Given the ongoing issues with standardized testing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ivy League will not require prospective student-athletes to submit test scores during the 2020-21 application cycle.   If you are considering or planning to take the SAT or ACT for the first time or to repeat testing again this year, please do not feel you need to do this to strengthen consideration of your application.

Read it here:
https://ivyleague.com/sports/2017/7/28/information-psa-index.aspx

NESCAC schools test optional or not ask for SAT/ACT for pre reads. Its a conference rule.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding this but my D just went through the NESCAC preread process at 3 of them and was never asked for standardized test scores, which is good since she doesn’t have any.

My D also passed a NESCAC preread and received full coach support without test scores.

The NCAA policy (applicable to Div 1 & 2) should not significantly affect NESCAC schools.

Given the change in the Ivy testing policy, it is my understanding (at least from a football recruiting perspective) that many players’ bands (1-4) will need to be re-evaluated based on recalculated academic index(AI) scores and that the AI for those not submitting scores will not simply be 3 times the GPA component. Normalizing the GPA is the hardest part of the AI and it could take a couple of weeks to get that done, which in turn could hold up timing of some offers. Curious if anyone else has any insight on how AI will be calculated and the timing of the new bands.

I suspect that the Ivies may go back to calculate standard deviation curves based solely on the GPA component and re-band that way, plus offer an option to those who will submit test scores to use the original AI methodology.

The above said, the re-banding should not affect current Ivy football recruits with existing offers.

My 21 was asked by an Ivy for AP scores this week, so those may be part of the calculation. Anyone know whether they use weighted or unweighted GPAs for AI?

Unweighted GPA, core courses only, for AI. Of course AOs will also evaluate rigor separately.

What do NESCACS stand for may I ask?

New
England
Small
College
Athletic
Conference

So similar to the Ivy League, in the sense that it is an athletic conference that has primarily high academic schools, and the conference name is sometimes used as an imperfect stand in for “elite liberal arts college” just like Ivy League is sometimes used as a stand in for “elite university”. Also like the Ivies, they have recruiting rules that they collectively follow which are different and more restrictive than required by NCAA.

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Any updates from those with 2021 graduates going through this process?

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