HS junior athletes, already committed to top schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://gocrimson.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster

Wow, looks like a real cross section of America.

Lots of diversity, some are blonde and some are brunette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can only speak to lacrosse but in that case college coaches start tracking players during Sophomore year. D1 coaches reach out to high school and club coaches over the summer before Junior year to express interest. Ivy and high academic schools ask for transcripts for high interest players to make sure they are in the ballpark of consideration but it is a different admissions standard--A's and a few B's allowed, demonstrated rigor with AP and/or high level classes at schools that no longer offer APs. Most Ivy's currently test optional so not requiring standardized testing. Coaches reach out to players starting 9/1 and make offers for commitment spots. Once accepted athletes announce their commitments but they still need to go through the application process the following fall. Expected to apply ED or EA and applications are often due before the standard early date as the admissions department processes these separately. Athlete receives "Likely" letter stating that if they continue to perform they will likely be accepted in December. If there is a major screw up on the student's part they can be "de-commited" by the coach but it happens very infrequently as it is a bad look for that program. Much more often a player decommits because they come across a better opportunity at a different school during that year period but that is also fairly rare. I won't weigh in on whether this is fair or not--if you are lucky enough to be a naturally talented athlete and you work very very hard to make the most of that talent you can turn that into your hook to get into a better college than you would otherwise. But then again that is what everyone with a hook is trying to do.

Do you count major injury as a screw up because I've seen that happen multiple times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I have a kid going through this right now. Potential to "commit" to an Ivy.

The people saying it's not a done deal are totally right. From the athlete's perspective, it's a commitment to prioritize the school over others. From the coach's perspective, it's a commitment to support the athlete. It is not binding. Neither wants to break it off though - not a good look for either party, but consequences aren't necessarily severe. For each, it means having to start over having somewhat exclusively dated someone for a period of time.

For Ivy League, academic standards are generally upheld. That is based on the academic index, which is unique to the Ivy League. An individual athlete might fall below the average for the class, but the team and/or all athletes need to average the same as the class. So you can't have people way below it. Non Ivy League schools will have wider variance from the average.

I used to think this was all unfair. And I still do in that it takes place Junior year vs. Senior year (although again it's not a done deal until Senior year, so in reality it's just a longer process). But, I also feel a little differently having watched my DC over the past many years. They have worked very hard in both athletics and academics. They have had to give up some things, especially their time, and not do some things other teens do. If they get into an Ivy League school, they're not simply getting in because they're an athlete. Academically they're in the pool - they're eligible for the "lottery ticket." The fact that the school needs someone for their position gives them an advantage, yes, but they're not unqualified.

I do recognize that this is a major equity issue though. We were able to pay for the athletics. DC was also able to not work (except in summers) in order to pursue the athletics. DC didn't have to use time after school to work part time or take care of siblings the way many teens do. This part is not fair. Some sports are worse for this than others - sports heavily supported by school districts are more equitable in this regard.

With the transfer portal...there really is no "bad" look anymore. Ivy coaches are looking at the portal just like anyone, so you will see some high academic D3s who performed well in college transferring over to Ivy schools. Ivy league schools at least generally have the luxury that their players are probably not strong enough to play at say Duke or Stanford...and their players are not generally going to transfer to a D3 (no remotely serious athlete transfers from D1 to D3) or even another D1 like Georgetown because they know they aren't going pro, so their overall career prospects are better staying put.

In my kid's sport (baseball), we are seeing commits and de-commits constantly. I don't think anyone thinks it is a good or bad look.

It really depends on the sport. I'd expect Ivy teams in sports where other D1 schools offer scholarships to get raided on occasion.

Maybe...but remember the Ivy is meeting all financial need and your aid is not dependent on playing the sport. In that instance, the athlete may get more aid from an Ivy than another D1 school that is offering merely a partial sports scholarship (which is also tied to continuing to play).

Remember that a lot of families whose kids play for the Ivies are UMC and receive minimal or no financial aid.

[Anonymous]

As someone with a kid (now in college) who was heavily recruited starting during their Sophomore year, those commitments are not firm. They are very, very conditional... things like play performance remaining the same, no injuries, grades maintained, keeping an overall good standing within the community, etc.

Look at some of the children of pro athletes. They often commit to two or three different universities before signing their final letters of intent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://gocrimson.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster

Wow, looks like a real cross section of America.

Lots of diversity, some are blonde and some are brunette.

How many high schools in America even offer sports like Lacrosse, Rowing, Fencing, Squash??? As a result, so many kids who go to schools that don't even field teams in these sports have absolutely no chance of getting one of these coveted slots. Jeffrey Selingo's book, Who Get in and Why discusses this and how unfair the system is.

[Anonymous]

How do the Ivys work the academic index without SAT or ACTs?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I know of several high school athletes that committed to Ivy League schools just last week. They’re not two weeks into junior year! I understand recruiting and all the advantages that come with it, but I’m struck at how early it’s happened. No junior year grades yet, no essays, they probably didn’t even have to take the SATs.

I student might say "I am committed", but Ivy offers their spaces through the likely letter process in the fall of Senior Year. Those kids are lying.

Not for womens soccer. Young folks can "verbally commit" to any school. And yes, they will likely get in if they keep playing well whether or not they take SATS. My dd never wrote one essay, took the ACT for fun and was in at an IVY with a 28.

Which school? The players who I know at Ivy's still had to get a 1500 SAT. One was struggling (think she ended up with a 1480) and couldn't pass the pre-read

This isn't true at all. There are no minimum SAT scores for Ivies since they go by an index score for the teams. There is a kid from DC's school who is playing a sport at H this year who got below a 1500. This kid "committed to the process" at H in early Fall of junior year.

[Anonymous]

I have two athletes both at Ivies. The first one scored 1250 on the SAT and he is now at an Ivy (think of Harvard, Yale, Columbia) and the second one scored 1270 on the SAT and he is now at another Ivy (think of Princeton, Brown). Both had 3.3 GPA in high school. They were both recruited for University of North Carolina but decided to attend Ivies. Don't believe in the index B.S. If the coach wants a 5 stars or blue chip recruit, he or she will get accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do the Ivys work the academic index without SAT or ACTs?

I was told at a recruiting seminar for high academic schools that there is no “test optional” for Ivy athletes for just this reason - the index requires it.

[Anonymous]

That is not true. My son's coach confirmed with him early on that none of the players in the 2023 recruiting class submitted test scores and he expected the same would hold true for the 2024 class unless someone had really strong scores that he chose to submit but most didn't even bother to take the standardized tests anymore. Several Ivies have already made decisions to remain test optional so this will only continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know of several high school athletes that committed to Ivy League schools just last week. They’re not two weeks into junior year! I understand recruiting and all the advantages that come with it, but I’m struck at how early it’s happened. No junior year grades yet, no essays, they probably didn’t even have to take the SATs.

This, they go by the index for the team. my kid goes to a DC private and was told by

I student might say "I am committed", but Ivy offers their spaces through the likely letter process in the fall of Senior Year. Those kids are lying.

Not for womens soccer. Young folks can "verbally commit" to any school. And yes, they will likely get in if they keep playing well whether or not they take SATS. My dd never wrote one essay, took the ACT for fun and was in at an IVY with a 28.

Which school? The players who I know at Ivy's still had to get a 1500 SAT. One was struggling (think she ended up with a 1480) and couldn't pass the pre-read

This isn't true at all. There are no minimum SAT scores for Ivies since they go by an index score for the teams. There is a kid from DC's school who is playing a sport at H this year who got below a 1500. This kid "committed to the process" at H in early Fall of junior year.

This. I know a 1200 Ivy football recruit. (2023---100% sure-- he is a family member).

Try Ivies go by the school's overall index. My kid goes to a DC private and we were told that the recruitment athletic standards are lower for kids from his school because they bring the SAT scores that balance out the lower scores from more competitive athletes.

[Anonymous]

STA last year had about 15 Ivy recruits. It wasn't because they were all the very best athletes in America in their respective sports. they are very good but they also brought a 1500 SAT and strong academic pedigree.

colleges are open that this is a boost for kids for recruitment from these highly academic private high schools because they balance out the weaker students students who the colleges want for their athletic ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://gocrimson.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster

Wow, looks like a real cross section of America.

Lots of diversity, some are blonde and some are brunette.

The diversity lies in the fact that they are mostly from different NE suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two athletes both at Ivies. The first one scored 1250 on the SAT and he is now at an Ivy (think of Harvard, Yale, Columbia) and the second one scored 1270 on the SAT and he is now at another Ivy (think of Princeton, Brown). Both had 3.3 GPA in high school. They were both recruited for University of North Carolina but decided to attend Ivies. Don't believe in the index B.S. If the coach wants a 5 stars or blue chip recruit, he or she will get accepted.

This is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two athletes both at Ivies. The first one scored 1250 on the SAT and he is now at an Ivy (think of Harvard, Yale, Columbia) and the second one scored 1270 on the SAT and he is now at another Ivy (think of Princeton, Brown). Both had 3.3 GPA in high school. They were both recruited for University of North Carolina but decided to attend Ivies. Don't believe in the index B.S. If the coach wants a 5 stars or blue chip recruit, he or she will get accepted.

Sure you do. 🙄