<p>Hi all -- I'm a long time lurker on this site and I've found a lot of great advice that has helped us to understand some of the ins and outs of recruiting. Now here's the situation: class of 2012 kid has "committed" to a HYP school for field sport. Coach has promised to seek a likely letter; said there shouldn't be a problem if kid kept on same track. Kid has 1490/2220 SAT and 3.6 GPA at a well known prep school while taking lots of advanced classes. Unfortunately, kid not quite on same track, likely to get a 3.3 range GPA for this year with C+ in very advanced class. Kid now feeling tons of pressure which isn't helping things at all as kid is much better come-from-behind athlete than student. I'd be shocked if this is a deal breaker, but what's your damage assessment? Thanks.</p>
<p>One bad grade will not sink him,especially with those SAT scores, which give him a big boost when calculating his academic index. He still looks to be in good shape academically as long as he is still performing on the field.</p>
<p>A GPA drop to 3.3 from the previous 3.6 is not going to be loved by admissions. Much depends on his athletic talent, as the coach will have to plead his case. Be sure to talk to the coach right away about this change, so he can advocate for your son, or tell you up front if it is a problem. </p>
<p>Does he have back up schools, just in case? Best of luck.</p>
<p>Does the indication at this kid is class of 2012 change things? Currently a junior…</p>
<p>i didnt think athletes were allowed to get commitments/Likely Letters from the Ivies until after Oct 1 of their senior year. but i am new to this, so forget that, lol.</p>
<p>that said, is this 3.3 a weighted GPA (already giving the boost for the AP challenge) or an unweighted GPA?</p>
<p>I undestood that his GPA would be a 3.3 for this year only. Should still average to a 3.5 overall if he carried a 3.6 going into the year. As long as his other grades remain solid and the coach genuinely wants him as a player (and not just to bolster his average AI), I still believe he is fine. It could help or hurt him if the school ranks students. If his average gives him a low class rank and the school releases that information – or HYP is generally familiar with the grade spread at his school – it could hurt him. On the other hand, if he received one bad grade in a challenging class, has an otherwise solid transcript, and he is a recruited athlete, he is in.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input. We will notify coach if grades drop off significantly. BythePitch is correct, this worse case scenario of a 3.3 is for junior year only and overall GPA would still be around 3.5. Kid’s school does not rank and HYP is very familiar with it and it’s rigor – kid actually has several friends/old teammates at this school and they all think it’s generally a bit easier than HS – fewer classes and less work in many of them.</p>
<p>Tallgirl, commitments seem to happen anytime from start of junior year depending on the sport but you’re right, no likely letter until Oct of senior year.</p>
<p>We think kid is valued recruit but was never told that “you’re my number one recruit”. Was offered spot on team/support for likely letter prior to unofficial visit. Every Ivy coach kid talked to wanted transcripts and scores ASAP, but not once has the AI been mentioned to kid or us. If that’s the main part of admitting athletes to Ivies then I think it will all work out as recs and essays will be good and AI will be around 220. Kid is worried that this process is as nuanced as regular admissions and getting sick worrying about it.</p>
<p>Glad to hear your son has next fall to balance the GPA. </p>
<p>Coaches do not generally bring up the AI, in fact some years ago it was not really well-known to parents and athletes. Fortunately this site, and some popular admissions books, have explained the details of the system. Every college has its own particular system for plugging in the numbers.</p>
<p>With more attention from some match schools, perhaps your son can balance some of his stress. Has he sent off his info to many other coaches, as well as made unofficial visits? The recruiting process is so long and mercurial, he may discover other options he loves equally as well. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Agree with Fauve-til you have that letter, best to keep your options open. The coaches are casting a wide net, and if another child with similar athletic prowess comes up with a better GPA, then you’re in for a big disappointment. Just send info to some other coaches, and visit some other places…If we had it to do over again, would apply to an early action safety just to have that acceptance in hand…
My s was “jilted” at the last minute by Williams due to a less than 700 SAT2s(we think), and another recruit on this board got unlisted by Midd for a C+ in AP physics…</p>
<p>Coming from a HYP recruit (2015) who did, in fact, get a c for the year in a course (advanced trigonometry), you’re son will be fine. There is a trend in my grades where every year math is the lowest, and it’s clearly visible on my transcript–I’m just not a math person. I believe that the university recognized this and pardoned my lack of skillz in that area.</p>
<p>Got my LL in December with the C (coaches and admissions all aware of it). I also got a c+ for a quarter in math this year after getting a b first semester when I sent in my midyear report. I haven’t heard any warning messages from adcoms or coach threatening to rescind my quasi-acceptance.</p>
<p>Ergo, I think he’ll be ok.</p>
<p>Honey, just 'cuz you are lucky, doesn’t mean everyone will be. You must have really awesome skills in your sports…and perhaps another hook?</p>
<p>^^^Agreeing with OldbatesieDoc here. My D, also a 2015 ivy recruit, also with LL in hand, was definitely and clearly warned about no drop in grades for this academic year. I am pretty sure a “C” would raise an eyebrow within this grouping of schools.</p>
<p>I guess I should add that while I did get a C in advanced trig my sophomore year, the rest of my grades have pretty much been A’s in 8 AP’s and other honors courses.</p>
<p>In my case, at least, overall GPA and course rigor proved to be more important than a single class.</p>
<p>Wow. Very interesting and a bit unsettling. So this “commitment” thing, at least in terms of college recruiting, has me confused. Our understanding, kid’s understanding and our very well connected HS coach’s understanding is that kid is promised or engaged to this school now and that barring catastrophe ( point of the thread: does a C+ in a year long AP class constitute enough of a catastrophe to undo a commitment?) that school is counting on kid attending, playing for 4 years and helping them win. HS coach’s advice was to stop recruitment process at another HYP, another Ivy and a NLI school and to tell them that she’s committed elsewhere – trying to keep everything open and honest and not lead anyone on unnecessarily, like you would in any relationship. This all seems refreshingly nice, fair and honest to us – sort of the way sports are supposed to work and an attractive aspect of Ivy League sports where the activity complements the education instead of supplanting it. Our HS coach has had at least a couple conversations with head coach at this school and we (perhaps extremely ignorantly) trust them. Time will tell. We will call the coach if grades go south and there may still be a little bit of recruiting left this summer if all falls thru. And I will change my moniker to “Pollyanna” at that time, too!</p>
<p>While the “commitment” may be the most sincere promise by the coach, it is just important to remember that ALL final decisions are made by Admissions, not the athletic department or coach. Despite a coach’s true love for his recruits, adcoms can nix anyone they feel is not up to succeeding academically at that Ivy.</p>
<p>Coaches can become fickle when a more attractive player emerges on the scene, and there is a lot of rearranging as top recruits (and coaches) change the order of their “List”.</p>
<p>Until and unless a likely letter is in hand, mailed by admissions, all promises are non-binding and tentative.</p>
<p>Hopefully, most athlete-coach relationships progress honestly and postiviely. I think the parents of athletes who rode much rougher waters in the process just want to warn you of worst-case scenarios. IF your son’s situation changes radically- either by a coach’s change of heart, or academic faltering, we all want him to have great options, instead of heartbreak.</p>
<p>“Trust but verify.”</p>
<p>^^^I could not agree more with fauve. </p>
<p>While my D is very happy with the end result of her recruiting process, there can be so many highs and lows before you get there. Last spring, when she was a junior, there was an ivy coach who was totally “committed” to her, kept saying how great it was that my D would only have to fill out one college application, couldn’t wait to have her on the team, “you’re a top recruit” - as exciting as that was, now that we are so jaded (ha ha!), it seems almost ridiculous. (Just our opinion - only because I wish life had been that simple!) </p>
<p>Regarding admissions and coaches: My D was heavily recruited, and the result of her OVs was that she walked away from 4 ivies, and turned down a large athletic scholarship from another D1 (offered on an unofficial visit), for a top D1 non-ivy, who verbally committed to her, and she to them. She, along with all of her fellow recruits, was pre-read by admissions, etc. She was at the very top of the coach’s grouping, and hugely encouraged to stick with them through early admissions, turn down scholarship and LLs, as this is a non-LL school. Well, suffice to say, she is not going to this school - possibly along with the majority of the recruiting class who were also not accepted early. To say this was a shock, not just to my daughter but to so many other girls just like her, would be a massive understatement. My D behaved so beautifully and graciously throughout this entire experience, and I have never respected her more than at her lowest point in this process, the night she found out that all of the “OKs” from admissions and “we can’t wait to have you here!” from the coaches ended up being completely worthless. Thank God she had kept up relations with other coaches, and was known for being honest and straightforward with them all. Within days of this horrible let down, she had a solid LL offer from an ivy - not the one she will now attend - and that was followed by strong interest from 2 more ivies and another D1. She is very happy with where she will be going - to a top school with a top team - but she paid the price along the way. So, this rant that I had not yet openly shared on CC (!), is a fine example of “until you have something, you have nothing” - until there is a LL or signed NLI in your hands, no matter how sincere the words and intentions are from coaches/admissions, it really doesn’t mean that much, other than your athlete should feel very flattered.</p>
<p>Oh my goodness Mayhew, I’m so sorry to hear of the turmoil you and your DD had to endure! Thank heavens there is a happy ending despite the awful disappointments and shocking initial results. </p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter for maintaining her poise and graciousness! I’m sure her new coach recognized a jewel and looks forward to welcoming her. Thanks for sharing your experience here–there are many lessons to be learned from testimonials as dramatic as yours.</p>
<p>sideline I think your kid will be fine, just help him not to go any lower…if you can.</p>
<p>mayhew’s story is brutal, to have an admissions to a great school and be selected by a great team and then have it taken away without good cause is very rough stuff. </p>
<p>personally I think admissions should go easier on these athletes, they work so hard and achieve so much and then in the final stretch if they falter they can get hammered.</p>
<p>sometimes I think it would be easier on me to have a b average kid attending state school…just a normal life:)</p>
<p>Yes, and I keep singing the same tune as Mayhew because my S went thru a similar experience with a top NESCAC-and as I keep saying-D3 NO letter so NO proof or certainty, and it’s really important not to burn your bridges no matter how much verbal assurance you get.
As for the academic issue, sometimes it matters, and sometimes it doesn’t, but keeping a few irons in the fire, some less selective, is the wise student/parent strategy.</p>
<p>Mayhew - I’m really glad things worked out, and sorry to hear your family had to go through that. That doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but what a life lesson your daughter came away with. She will be so much more the wiser in future situations. Possibly, you could collaborate with Varska to add a supplement to his ivy recruiting book about your experiences…just a thought.</p>
<p>Sidelines/BythePitch - I’m going to be in the minority here, but I would be concerned. The competitive environment for a student or student/athlete at these Ivy schools is incredible. We were told at orientation at my son’s ivy school that they accepted 700 or 8% of total applicants. The Dean went on to say that there were another 700 just like the first 700 that did NOT get in. The slightest of things got those first 700 into that school. The applicant margin for error is small. The same can be said for athletics. You know the coach has a recruiting roster that is long and stack ranked. If admission’s won’t approve a recruit, the coach goes to the next on the recruiting list. Simple as that. It is that competitive. So, I would double-up on the studies and make sure you are positioned well academically and athletically.</p>