Timely Decisions

<p>My S's W&M application (RD) was confirmed "ready for review" on 12/1. He is a track athlete who received a partial athletic scholarship offer from a major conference D1 school and is feeling presured to accept it on 2/1/12 (NLI signing day). The other school is a very nice school, but less academically competitive and one which he could have easily been admitted w/out his athletic skills, as he received their top OOS academic schoalrship as well. </p>

<p>Although my S would be a scorer in W&M's conference meet, I don't believe the coach has any influence with the admissions office, so his academic record will have to stand on its own: 3.65 UW GPA, 4 IBs, 600 math, 670 CR, National Honor Society, School Paper, multiple community ECs, Team Captain 2X, National Junior Olympic qualifier (multiple X)......</p>

<p>My question is: Is there any chance my S would hear from W&M AO before 2/1? Does he have any shot at being admitted with his academic record? We always thought that his althletics would afford him a better chance at admission into better schools like W&M, but it does appear so unless you are participating in a revenue generating sport.</p>

<p>Actually all coaches are in contact with our office so if a student is being recruited and a coach really wants the student they will be sure to communicate that to our office for us to take into account as decisions are made. This is true for all DI sports at W&M.</p>

<p>Unfortunately we do not release decisions until the first week of April so your son will not hear from us by 2/1. However, no school can require you to make a decision prior to the national May 1 deposit deadline. Our best advice would be for you to contact the school to which he’s been offered admission and let them know that you are waiting to hear from all the schools to which your son has applied and ask for an extension on the response deadline. It should be granted.</p>

<p>Thanks for the quick response. I did not mean to convey that the other D1 school “required” my S to accept by 2/1 or somehow risk his admission status; his academic record was more than good enough to gain admission to that school. However, the partial athletic scholarhip must be accepted within 14 days of issuance, with 2/1 being the first day a track & field student-athlete can sign a National Letter of Intent. We were told that his offer letter will arrive within a week or two before the 2/1 date. Based on my limited understanding of how this works, a coach does not want to set aside scholarship dollars for a student-athlete that is waiting until April for other school decisions. A coach could be using that scholarhip money to recruit other kids where his school is their first choice and they are ready to commit on 2/1. This is why the athletic scholarship from the other school is at risk if not accepted early on. To clarify, my S is not a “blue-chip” recruit in the other larger conference, but would do quite well in the Coloinial Athletic Association.</p>

<p>We cannot say for sure but we think the May 1 deadline applies to financial aid and scholarships as well. Schools generally should not be able to require you to committ to an offer of admission or scholarship prior to the national May 1 deadline. Your S can certainly contact the W&M track coach to see if our coach has any advice or guidance for your S.</p>

<p>I think you should get in touch with the W&M coach ASAP. The coaches definitely have some pull. I have also heard stories about scholarship offers going away if the players don’t take them. The schools extend the offers, and if the players don’t want to take them, then the school has to move on to someone else. The schools are building a team with limited numbers of scholarships.</p>