What would you advise your kid (recruited athlete or roll the dice)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We prioritized academics. This sport gives pretty much peanuts if anything for males.

My kid was a straight A, high score kid. We told him to find the best school for academics first. He could get injured. He could barely see the field. He could not like the coach.

We are going to school to get a degree and a job.

My kid had some pretty low academic schools after him. Think T200+.

He got into an Ivy on his own. Played club and eventually got on the varsity team. Had a great time and doesn’t ha e that imposter syndrome that he only got in due to a sport.

This is not the same. The kid is looking at giving up a likely guaranteed top academic school to try to a tippy top academic school. No one is looking at a top 20 school thinking a kid didn’t prioritize academics by electing to go there. For example, if a high stats athlete chose to take a guaranteed spot at Rice versus trying to get into Yale, no one would think the kid is only focused on sports.

your child’s case (sports at a top 200 school versus trying to a better one) is not what this post is about. It is shocking, though, bc to be an athlete in the ivy league - even a walk on- you need to be an excellent athlete. I don’t know why other top schools weren’t pursuing him.

He was injured the entire junior year and part of Senior. He could have played at Hopkins or NYU as well. But - they offered no $ of course and are D3. The Ivy was a better fit and it was D1.

If he wasn’t recruited and had no athletic junior year to look at, you don’t know where he could have played. His skills needed to match their needs that particular year. So there was no comparison be any schools he was competitive for athletics bc he didn’t recruit.

[Anonymous]

My DS friend was being recruited for a sport by IVY. He was an Olympic trials athlete. Decided that he wanted to go to the IVY but didn’t want to do the sport. Rolled the dice. Application denied.

He is now at a #40 something school and not playing the sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS was in a similar situation a few years ago. If your kid is not getting a recruiting slot at the Ivy and has no other hook, the chances of getting in are very slim. I don't care what your counselor says. Your kid should take the current offer. That said, you have to tell your kid that it's his decision, not yours. You don't want him blaming you for a bad decision for the rest of his life.

Not sure who this counselor is but I had so many people telling me my high stats kid had "good" chance an Ivy. Guess what, pile of Waitlists and Rejects.

Definitely let your kid decide. Do they think they would be happy at this school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was in a similar situation a few years ago. If your kid is not getting a recruiting slot at the Ivy and has no other hook, the chances of getting in are very slim. I don't care what your counselor says. Your kid should take the current offer. That said, you have to tell your kid that it's his decision, not yours. You don't want him blaming you for a bad decision for the rest of his life.

Not sure who this counselor is but I had so many people telling me my high stats kid had "good" chance an Ivy. Guess what, pile of Waitlists and Rejects.

Definitely let your kid decide. Do they think they would be happy at this school?

This is OP. I know this well. We’ve been through the process before (applications, not recruiting). I think the main point of the counselor is the high stats with the national (unique and what I believe are considered impressive) awards. Without the latter, it’s a dime a dozen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS was in a similar situation a few years ago. If your kid is not getting a recruiting slot at the Ivy and has no other hook, the chances of getting in are very slim. I don't care what your counselor says. Your kid should take the current offer. That said, you have to tell your kid that it's his decision, not yours. You don't want him blaming you for a bad decision for the rest of his life.

I think the above is very good advice. That counselor can't guarantee your kid anything. If your child has no hook to get them into their dream schools - chances are sooooo slim. (but I do agree with others saying you should reach out to other coaches at the dream schools they would be interested in to see if they can be considered as a recruit there too - but be careful you don't burn the original bridge!!!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was in a similar situation a few years ago. If your kid is not getting a recruiting slot at the Ivy and has no other hook, the chances of getting in are very slim. I don't care what your counselor says. Your kid should take the current offer. That said, you have to tell your kid that it's his decision, not yours. You don't want him blaming you for a bad decision for the rest of his life.

Not sure who this counselor is but I had so many people telling me my high stats kid had "good" chance an Ivy. Guess what, pile of Waitlists and Rejects.

Definitely let your kid decide. Do they think they would be happy at this school?

This is OP. I know this well. We’ve been through the process before (applications, not recruiting). I think the main point of the counselor is the high stats with the national (unique and what I believe are considered impressive) awards. Without the latter, it’s a dime a dozen.

Not the pp you are replying to but honestly - don't let this counselor help feed a false hope. Chances are so very slim, even for great students. So unless you have another hook, like URM, VIP, Legacy, first gen.....I wouldn't throw away a T20 that your kid really likes for a lottery application to an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

We were in a similar situation last year. My DD told the coach she would like to continue the recruiting process at a T5 SLAC during the fall of her senior year but it was not her first choice. She went for her official visit, and later told the coach she was applying ED to an Ivy League school and that if she didn't get in she would apply ED2 at the SLAC. The coach said he was fine wtih that. She later got accepted ED to the Ivy League school. In her case though, she was somewhat burned out from her sport and wasn't excited about continuing her sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS friend was being recruited for a sport by IVY. He was an Olympic trials athlete. Decided that he wanted to go to the IVY but didn’t want to do the sport. Rolled the dice. Application denied.

He is now at a #40 something school and not playing the sport.

Why not get recruited and then quit after one semester or so?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just say yes to the #20 now and apply to better schools later. I know one kid who committed officially to a T10 D3 recruitment and changed mind after the RD round for a better ranked school. The D3 might stop recruiting from the same high school in the following years, but not much else can be done.

by "officially committed" do you mean applied (and was accepted) ED?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS was in a similar situation a few years ago. If your kid is not getting a recruiting slot at the Ivy and has no other hook, the chances of getting in are very slim. I don't care what your counselor says. Your kid should take the current offer. That said, you have to tell your kid that it's his decision, not yours. You don't want him blaming you for a bad decision for the rest of his life.

Please pay attention to the bolded portion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When does Coach want an answer?

Is kid in contact with the Ivy coaches? What is their interest level?

With the roster cuts and new ncaa rules and the stress of both recruiting and college admissions, I’d take the offer if the kid likes the school and the coach.

The reality is that OP's kid can say yes, and change their mind later. They can't do the opposite. So, they should say yes, and then take some time to look at all the options and figure out how highly this school ranks on their own list, and then decide.

Sure, if you want to teach your kid that integrity doesn’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was in a similar situation a few years ago. If your kid is not getting a recruiting slot at the Ivy and has no other hook, the chances of getting in are very slim. I don't care what your counselor says. Your kid should take the current offer. That said, you have to tell your kid that it's his decision, not yours. You don't want him blaming you for a bad decision for the rest of his life.

Not sure who this counselor is but I had so many people telling me my high stats kid had "good" chance an Ivy. Guess what, pile of Waitlists and Rejects.

Definitely let your kid decide. Do they think they would be happy at this school?

This is OP. I know this well. We’ve been through the process before (applications, not recruiting). I think the main point of the counselor is the high stats with the national (unique and what I believe are considered impressive) awards. Without the latter, it’s a dime a dozen.

Not the pp you are replying to but honestly - don't let this counselor help feed a false hope. Chances are so very slim, even for great students. So unless you have another hook, like URM, VIP, Legacy, first gen.....I wouldn't throw away a T20 that your kid really likes for a lottery application to an Ivy.

The very top kids get into multiple T20’s in RD. We have 3-4 at our high school every year with more than one T20 acceptance unhooked. Every other yr or so there is a superstar who gets in to three or more Top-10s(ie top four ivies and the other top elite privates in the top10) in RD. OP’s counselor says they have a good shot, they probably do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS friend was being recruited for a sport by IVY. He was an Olympic trials athlete. Decided that he wanted to go to the IVY but didn’t want to do the sport. Rolled the dice. Application denied.

He is now at a #40 something school and not playing the sport.

Why not get recruited and then quit after one semester or so?

Or get recruited and play with an open mind as you may really like the team, coaches, etc.

But your FA, if any, isn’t dependent on playing so if it isn’t working out just stop playing the sport.

This optionality is a big draw to Ivy schools.

[Anonymous]

On,y your kid can answer this question. Time to put on his big boy pants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On,y your kid can answer this question. Time to put on his big boy pants.

You do know that big boys can ask for input and advice, right?

I always ask trusted family members for advice about big decisions…maybe try it…