I’m currently a junior in high school and I plan on furthering my athletic career in college. I’ve always had an academic focus and the schools I am most interested in reflect that. I’ve been a solid, not amazing, student at a medium sized but highly ranked public high school and through 2.5 years I have roughly a 3.7/4.0 GPA. I’ve always enrolled in honors/AP courses since my coach told me that I need to prove that I can handle the work load at some of these top institutions, but I’m worried that my grades will impact my recruitment. Currently I have a B (Borderline B-) in AP Physics which is my school’s hardest course and one where virtually no one gets above a B+. I’m worried that my decision to take this difficult class is going to come back to haunt me if it lowers my GPA. Thoughts on this?
When looking at the GPAs of accepted students at these elite schools, my grades are definitely lower than most accepted kids and I’m worried that I might not be able to get in to these schools even with recruiting. Just so you get a better picture, I also scored a 1480/1520 on the PSAT and a 33/35 on the Pre-ACT so I’m not worried about standardized testing. Does anyone have any insight on this process? Am I overreacting over one B? I heard from some students that to be recruited as an athlete at Stanford you need straight As? Is this true? I’ve been in contact with all of the coaches listed in the thread’s title and taken some unofficial visits as well but my grades have never really been brought up, does this likely mean they are fine?
Thank you for any and all insight you have to offer!
You are probably ok but it really depends on the sport and the coach and where you are on his/her list. S has been recruited by 3 of those 4, and all had different standards. If you are in contact with the coaches, just ask if your academics are alright or if you are borderline. They will tell you.
My guess is that you are ok because they haven’t told you otherwise. I assume they have seen grades and asked about preliminary test scores. S was told a couple times (don’t remember which coaches) nothing lower than a C. Preferably no C’s either, but even a single D can be the kiss of death for an otherwise qualified athlete.
It also maybe depend on how good an athlete you are. Christian McCaffrey got into Stanford with okay grade and, I hear, a 24 ACT. He also has two Stanford alum parents and was a superstar in high school.
If you are extremely highly ranked in your sport and the HYP coach is willing to recruit you knowing your grades, he/she might be willing to go the extra distance to get you into the school with your grades. Your academic index with a gpa of 3.7 and possible 1480 SAT and presumably very high SAT2’s would likely be in range of recruitable athletes. One or two B’s on your transcript would not prevent you from being accepted, as long as your overall GPA is stellar. However, I just heard that a Harvard coach turned down a highly ranked athlete he was planning to offer a recruitment slot because his transcript had two grades in the C’s, despite having having near perfect SATs.
At least in gymnastics, a B won’t keep you from being recruited at Stanford. And I know someone who was recruited with an 1800/2400 SAT. She was a really good gymnast, though.
depends on the sport-HYP etc makes huge accommodations for some sports. you would be shocked. if they want you and you meet or exceed the minimum you will be fine
And yet the minimum is pretty high… don’t fool yourself @Center… you can’t be an average student with average test scores and get into HYP. (I have a couple of HYP athletes in my family. Very familiar with the realities.) I also know of a national champion of a big Ivy sport who was told his B+ average wouldn’t get him in… he ended up going to a good LAC, but not an Ivy. His sister, who was an A student and also highly accomplished in the same sport, but not nowhere near national champ level, got into Princeton and Harvard. So yea, grades/stats matter at these schools.
@katliamom sure you can. sorry i know otherwise. depends on many variables: the sport, the position. there are various types of recruiting too-AI boosters, players etc.
Obviously for revenue sports, such as football, with the band system, a few academically weak athletes will get accepted. However, the non revenue sports will generally require the academic stats to be very similar to the general admitted students. B+ avg for a squash, golf, fencers will not get them in. Nationally top ranked junior athlete in a niche sport being recruited for an Ivy was turned down recently when his transcript was reviewed by the coach and had one C.
“he ended up going to a good LAC, but not an Ivy” - not certain what this means, but if it’s a top NESCAC League LAC that’s the same academic profile that attend an Ivy League university.
Yes, the level of competition can be different in some, but not all sports. That said, the top NESCAC LAC students are identical to Ivy students. In many cases, they have a higher academic profile given banding doesn’t have the same flexibility as the AI - our DD’s saw it with those that would never have been admitted to a top NESCAC.
@Chembiodad yes. The Ivies can and do take very low stat applicants relative to their typical pool. NESCAC can actually be much harder to squeeze through than an Ivy.
@Center, agree as we’ve seen the acceptance data to confirm it - not saying that it’s not fair as hooks are hooks, but it can be a different academic standard than for others accepted.
“he ended up going to a good LAC, but not an Ivy” - not certain what this means, but if it’s a top NESCAC League LAC that’s the same academic profile that attend an Ivy League university.
Uh… no. The school does not have nearly the renown nor the caliber of students of an Ivy. But it is old, and therefore has some stature. It’s the type of a school that, outside of the northeast, few who aren’t in academia or have lived in the northeast have every heard of it.
@katliamom, thanks for clarification. Regarding student academic profiles, yes ~30 ACT (28-31) /B+ student-athletes, without any other hooks, get into Ivy League schools and into Stanford - it may depend on the sport and on Title 9, but it happens a lot.
Given the institutional differences by sport and gender, the best guidance that you can get is through the coaches. If they are seriously considering you, they will give you guidance on what grades and test scores you will need. Also understand that under the AI system agreed to by the Ivies and the banding system used by many of the highly selectives, the higher your academic qualifications, the more desirable of a recruit you become in terms of allowing the coach more room to recruit other athletes with lower academic qualifications. Of course athletic ability is paramount, so a truly top recruit may get the coach’s support as long as he/she hits the minimum. As a junior, it is not too early to contact the coaches and see if they will give you guidance. It might also give you an idea of how seriously you are being considered.
Son plays football at an Ivy. His stats were comparable to the avg. admitted students…smart kid from a top HS. That being said, football probably has the largest variation of grades/test scores due to the numbers and they have to stick to the agreed upon bands (see article referenced above). So the advice from BKSquared is spot on. If you are a top recruit in a needed position, and they are willing to use up one of their “band” spots on you, you have a good shot. We think our kid got in because he had some athletic prowess from a good TX program but brought the academic stats to free up the lower bands for needed positions. Since you are a junior, this is the summer to go to their camps, talk to the coaches and peek their interest.
You can relax. With a 3.7 and low 30s ACT you’ll be fine at the Ivies. It’ll come down to whether the coach wants you. The most important thing is to cast your net widely and get as many schools interested in you as possible. Just because a coach at a school you love says they love you now doesn’t mean it is over. Keep talking to coaches until they give you a slot.