Do athletic recruits get decisions before ED?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a cople of college announcements coming in already at my kids HS. So far they are only athletic recruits. Does that mean they got their positive decision before writing any essays or filling out a common app? I thought recruited athletes still had to fill out an app and apply ED even with a verbal that the coach was going to support their app.

Many non-Ivy D1 athletes are told to apply early August and then told by end of August that it's all official. The coaches want their commits to not have an opportunity to reconsider.

If a kid is strong enough that they are still weighing offers (or possibly de-committing from one school to switch to another), then yes they are officially told within weeks that they are accepted whenever they apply.

I believe Ivy league still makes you wait until the official announcement like all others...though you are told verbally by the coach that in fact you are accepted so there is no surprise in mid-December.

My D3 athlete committed in July and was told it was ok to announce.

The Ivys are not all the same. Penn will allow an early public announcement, but Princeton won’t.

Nobody really cares if you announce you are committed. Actually, all Ivy schools allow people to announce their commitments. I mean, I can search a baseball recruiting website right now and tell you what which 2026 grads have announced their commitments to Princeton (5 of them BTW).

Verbal commitments. And I'm sure that there is a percentage - maybe small - that announce verbal commitments and don't make it through the admissions process. Admission may seem pro forma after a verbal committment but admission is not guaranteed.

I doubt it. I have never seen any Ivy athlete not get accepted who was committed in Fall of their senior year of HS. I have known some where the coach de-committed and they never applied. Well, I take that back…I knew one kid where they had applied in early September and they were verbally told they weren’t going to get admitted in time they could still ED elsewhere. This was a kid who was committed based on a senior schedule that they subsequently changed to be much less rigorous when they actually applied.

I have never seen a committed Ivy athlete get surprised in mid-December with a formal rejection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a cople of college announcements coming in already at my kids HS. So far they are only athletic recruits. Does that mean they got their positive decision before writing any essays or filling out a common app? I thought recruited athletes still had to fill out an app and apply ED even with a verbal that the coach was going to support their app.

Many non-Ivy D1 athletes are told to apply early August and then told by end of August that it's all official. The coaches want their commits to not have an opportunity to reconsider.

If a kid is strong enough that they are still weighing offers (or possibly de-committing from one school to switch to another), then yes they are officially told within weeks that they are accepted whenever they apply.

I believe Ivy league still makes you wait until the official announcement like all others...though you are told verbally by the coach that in fact you are accepted so there is no surprise in mid-December.

My D3 athlete committed in July and was told it was ok to announce.

The Ivys are not all the same. Penn will allow an early public announcement, but Princeton won’t.

Nobody really cares if you announce you are committed. Actually, all Ivy schools allow people to announce their commitments. I mean, I can search a baseball recruiting website right now and tell you what which 2026 grads have announced their commitments to Princeton (5 of them BTW).

Verbal commitments. And I'm sure that there is a percentage - maybe small - that announce verbal commitments and don't make it through the admissions process. Admission may seem pro forma after a verbal committment but admission is not guaranteed.

I doubt it. I have never seen any Ivy athlete not get accepted who was committed in Fall of their senior year of HS. I have known some where the coach de-committed and they never applied. Well, I take that back…I knew one kid where they had applied in early September and they were verbally told they weren’t going to get admitted in time they could still ED elsewhere. This was a kid who was committed based on a senior schedule that they subsequently changed to be much less rigorous when they actually applied.

I have never seen a committed Ivy athlete get surprised in mid-December with a formal rejection.

Thanks for providing an example of an athlete committed to an Ivy that was verbally rejected. I also know of an example of this happening. So we agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about high academic D3's? Do coaches know in advance?

Basically, everyone knows in advance - but it can be unwise to go fully public (like posting on a high school college commitment site) because things can happen. Only at the Likely Letter stage has an admissions officer said "yes." Even then, technically something could happen. But, at that point, the "yes" is based on an actual application. So, athletes are advised to wait until decisions are released, for everyone.

Even at elite academic schools like Williams, Chicago or MIT?

As I understand things, Williams and Chicago would be a yes, MIT would be a no. MIT is known for being a bit more pure in this way - have heard the same about CalTech, although my athlete did not interact with them so I can't say for sure (they did have contact with a lot of NE schools, including MIT, as well as Chicago). Ended up at an Ivy.

MIT cares far more about sports then CalTech, but they are upfront to recruits. They will tell say 6 basketball recruits that they are supporting all 6 but in any given year, usually 4 get accepted. All 6 are strong basketball players, so they are fine with the two they lose...but it's not 100%.

CalTech famously hasn't won a conference men's basketball game in like over 10 years and usually at best only wins 1 game overall. MIT was the 2024-2025 D3 national champion for Women's Track & Field, Women's XCountry and Women's Swimming and Diving, and is competitive across all D3 sports.

Yep = I'm the PP, and this is a good explanation. Again, my child did not talk to CalTech, but they heard from peer athletes that it's like MIT. This sounds like it might be even more so. This works because MIT doesn't have ED. So those 6 theoretical basketball players can all apply other places too. I think CalTech has REA, so that is a little trickier, but people can still apply to publics early, including the full UC system. So recruited athletes at these schools are likely not applying to only one school, or if they are, they should do so fully aware that they might have to send out RD apps if they don't get in.

I guess though I distinguish the two schools in that MIT will accept a strong basketball player that only has top grades/scores and nothing else, over a worse basketball player that may also have won Math competitions or published research...while CalTech will pick a kid that has won the Math competitions and has all the accolades and by the way, kind of knows how to play basketball.

The MIT basketball coach would be fired if they had even one season where they went 1-24...while the CalTech basketball team never wins more than 1 game on average and again, hasn't won a conference game since 2011.

More like an applicant who (like other applicants) has top grades/scores, won Math competitions, published research AND IN ADDITION is a strong basketball players. MIT has an enviable pool of extremely qualified applicants larger than available slots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about high academic D3's? Do coaches know in advance?

Basically, everyone knows in advance - but it can be unwise to go fully public (like posting on a high school college commitment site) because things can happen. Only at the Likely Letter stage has an admissions officer said "yes." Even then, technically something could happen. But, at that point, the "yes" is based on an actual application. So, athletes are advised to wait until decisions are released, for everyone.

Even at elite academic schools like Williams, Chicago or MIT?

As I understand things, Williams and Chicago would be a yes, MIT would be a no. MIT is known for being a bit more pure in this way - have heard the same about CalTech, although my athlete did not interact with them so I can't say for sure (they did have contact with a lot of NE schools, including MIT, as well as Chicago). Ended up at an Ivy.

MIT cares far more about sports then CalTech, but they are upfront to recruits. They will tell say 6 basketball recruits that they are supporting all 6 but in any given year, usually 4 get accepted. All 6 are strong basketball players, so they are fine with the two they lose...but it's not 100%.

CalTech famously hasn't won a conference men's basketball game in like over 10 years and usually at best only wins 1 game overall. MIT was the 2024-2025 D3 national champion for Women's Track & Field, Women's XCountry and Women's Swimming and Diving, and is competitive across all D3 sports.

Yep = I'm the PP, and this is a good explanation. Again, my child did not talk to CalTech, but they heard from peer athletes that it's like MIT. This sounds like it might be even more so. This works because MIT doesn't have ED. So those 6 theoretical basketball players can all apply other places too. I think CalTech has REA, so that is a little trickier, but people can still apply to publics early, including the full UC system. So recruited athletes at these schools are likely not applying to only one school, or if they are, they should do so fully aware that they might have to send out RD apps if they don't get in.

I guess though I distinguish the two schools in that MIT will accept a strong basketball player that only has top grades/scores and nothing else, over a worse basketball player that may also have won Math competitions or published research...while CalTech will pick a kid that has won the Math competitions and has all the accolades and by the way, kind of knows how to play basketball.

The MIT basketball coach would be fired if they had even one season where they went 1-24...while the CalTech basketball team never wins more than 1 game on average and again, hasn't won a conference game since 2011.

More like an applicant who (like other applicants) has top grades/scores, won Math competitions, published research AND IN ADDITION is a strong basketball players. MIT has an enviable pool of extremely qualified applicants larger than available slots.

This year Blair Magnet sent 11 students (out of 105 senior class) to MIT. They are all well qualified; don't believe anyone was recruited as an athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about high academic D3's? Do coaches know in advance?

Basically, everyone knows in advance - but it can be unwise to go fully public (like posting on a high school college commitment site) because things can happen. Only at the Likely Letter stage has an admissions officer said "yes." Even then, technically something could happen. But, at that point, the "yes" is based on an actual application. So, athletes are advised to wait until decisions are released, for everyone.

At at least some D3s, it is possible to get a pre-read/"likely" before formally applying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a friend whose child is a jr this year. They knew last spring where the child is going to college. Child is an athlete (not football or basketball). It’s easier and earlier.

Can’t count on this, coaches leave and offers go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a cople of college announcements coming in already at my kids HS. So far they are only athletic recruits. Does that mean they got their positive decision before writing any essays or filling out a common app? I thought recruited athletes still had to fill out an app and apply ED even with a verbal that the coach was going to support their app.

Many non-Ivy D1 athletes are told to apply early August and then told by end of August that it's all official. The coaches want their commits to not have an opportunity to reconsider.

If a kid is strong enough that they are still weighing offers (or possibly de-committing from one school to switch to another), then yes they are officially told within weeks that they are accepted whenever they apply.

I believe Ivy league still makes you wait until the official announcement like all others...though you are told verbally by the coach that in fact you are accepted so there is no surprise in mid-December.

My D3 athlete committed in July and was told it was ok to announce.

The Ivys are not all the same. Penn will allow an early public announcement, but Princeton won’t.

Nobody really cares if you announce you are committed. Actually, all Ivy schools allow people to announce their commitments. I mean, I can search a baseball recruiting website right now and tell you what which 2026 grads have announced their commitments to Princeton (5 of them BTW).

Verbal commitments. And I'm sure that there is a percentage - maybe small - that announce verbal commitments and don't make it through the admissions process. Admission may seem pro forma after a verbal committment but admission is not guaranteed.

I doubt it. I have never seen any Ivy athlete not get accepted who was committed in Fall of their senior year of HS. I have known some where the coach de-committed and they never applied. Well, I take that back…I knew one kid where they had applied in early September and they were verbally told they weren’t going to get admitted in time they could still ED elsewhere. This was a kid who was committed based on a senior schedule that they subsequently changed to be much less rigorous when they actually applied.

I have never seen a committed Ivy athlete get surprised in mid-December with a formal rejection.

I know a committed athlete to an Ivy who lost her spot when the coach got fired. Happens, quite often

[Anonymous]

My DS recently committed to Carleton. He received an email from admissions saying he was admitted contingent on a few things, including applying ED, keeping up his GPA, and not changing his hs course choices to be less rigorous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a cople of college announcements coming in already at my kids HS. So far they are only athletic recruits. Does that mean they got their positive decision before writing any essays or filling out a common app? I thought recruited athletes still had to fill out an app and apply ED even with a verbal that the coach was going to support their app.

Many non-Ivy D1 athletes are told to apply early August and then told by end of August that it's all official. The coaches want their commits to not have an opportunity to reconsider.

If a kid is strong enough that they are still weighing offers (or possibly de-committing from one school to switch to another), then yes they are officially told within weeks that they are accepted whenever they apply.

I believe Ivy league still makes you wait until the official announcement like all others...though you are told verbally by the coach that in fact you are accepted so there is no surprise in mid-December.

My D3 athlete committed in July and was told it was ok to announce.

The Ivys are not all the same. Penn will allow an early public announcement, but Princeton won’t.

Nobody really cares if you announce you are committed. Actually, all Ivy schools allow people to announce their commitments. I mean, I can search a baseball recruiting website right now and tell you what which 2026 grads have announced their commitments to Princeton (5 of them BTW).

Verbal commitments. And I'm sure that there is a percentage - maybe small - that announce verbal commitments and don't make it through the admissions process. Admission may seem pro forma after a verbal committment but admission is not guaranteed.

I doubt it. I have never seen any Ivy athlete not get accepted who was committed in Fall of their senior year of HS. I have known some where the coach de-committed and they never applied. Well, I take that back…I knew one kid where they had applied in early September and they were verbally told they weren’t going to get admitted in time they could still ED elsewhere. This was a kid who was committed based on a senior schedule that they subsequently changed to be much less rigorous when they actually applied.

I have never seen a committed Ivy athlete get surprised in mid-December with a formal rejection.

I know a committed athlete to an Ivy who lost her spot when the coach got fired. Happens, quite often

That’s because the school/new coach decommitted from her. It’s common that a new coach wants their own recruits.

Again, this isn’t someone who applies and then is blindsided in December by a rejection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about high academic D3's? Do coaches know in advance?

Basically, everyone knows in advance - but it can be unwise to go fully public (like posting on a high school college commitment site) because things can happen. Only at the Likely Letter stage has an admissions officer said "yes." Even then, technically something could happen. But, at that point, the "yes" is based on an actual application. So, athletes are advised to wait until decisions are released, for everyone.

Even at elite academic schools like Williams, Chicago or MIT?

As I understand things, Williams and Chicago would be a yes, MIT would be a no. MIT is known for being a bit more pure in this way - have heard the same about CalTech, although my athlete did not interact with them so I can't say for sure (they did have contact with a lot of NE schools, including MIT, as well as Chicago). Ended up at an Ivy.

MIT cares far more about sports then CalTech, but they are upfront to recruits. They will tell say 6 basketball recruits that they are supporting all 6 but in any given year, usually 4 get accepted. All 6 are strong basketball players, so they are fine with the two they lose...but it's not 100%.

CalTech famously hasn't won a conference men's basketball game in like over 10 years and usually at best only wins 1 game overall. MIT was the 2024-2025 D3 national champion for Women's Track & Field, Women's XCountry and Women's Swimming and Diving, and is competitive across all D3 sports.

Yep = I'm the PP, and this is a good explanation. Again, my child did not talk to CalTech, but they heard from peer athletes that it's like MIT. This sounds like it might be even more so. This works because MIT doesn't have ED. So those 6 theoretical basketball players can all apply other places too. I think CalTech has REA, so that is a little trickier, but people can still apply to publics early, including the full UC system. So recruited athletes at these schools are likely not applying to only one school, or if they are, they should do so fully aware that they might have to send out RD apps if they don't get in.

I guess though I distinguish the two schools in that MIT will accept a strong basketball player that only has top grades/scores and nothing else, over a worse basketball player that may also have won Math competitions or published research...while CalTech will pick a kid that has won the Math competitions and has all the accolades and by the way, kind of knows how to play basketball.

The MIT basketball coach would be fired if they had even one season where they went 1-24...while the CalTech basketball team never wins more than 1 game on average and again, hasn't won a conference game since 2011.

More like an applicant who (like other applicants) has top grades/scores, won Math competitions, published research AND IN ADDITION is a strong basketball players. MIT has an enviable pool of extremely qualified applicants larger than available slots.

Not really. Plenty of MIT athletes have little more than high grades and high test scores. They need to know you have the mental chops to do well, but the school (and definitely the coach) don’t care if your sport was your EC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about high academic D3's? Do coaches know in advance?

Basically, everyone knows in advance - but it can be unwise to go fully public (like posting on a high school college commitment site) because things can happen. Only at the Likely Letter stage has an admissions officer said "yes." Even then, technically something could happen. But, at that point, the "yes" is based on an actual application. So, athletes are advised to wait until decisions are released, for everyone.

Even at elite academic schools like Williams, Chicago or MIT?

As I understand things, Williams and Chicago would be a yes, MIT would be a no. MIT is known for being a bit more pure in this way - have heard the same about CalTech, although my athlete did not interact with them so I can't say for sure (they did have contact with a lot of NE schools, including MIT, as well as Chicago). Ended up at an Ivy.

MIT cares far more about sports then CalTech, but they are upfront to recruits. They will tell say 6 basketball recruits that they are supporting all 6 but in any given year, usually 4 get accepted. All 6 are strong basketball players, so they are fine with the two they lose...but it's not 100%.

CalTech famously hasn't won a conference men's basketball game in like over 10 years and usually at best only wins 1 game overall. MIT was the 2024-2025 D3 national champion for Women's Track & Field, Women's XCountry and Women's Swimming and Diving, and is competitive across all D3 sports.

Yep = I'm the PP, and this is a good explanation. Again, my child did not talk to CalTech, but they heard from peer athletes that it's like MIT. This sounds like it might be even more so. This works because MIT doesn't have ED. So those 6 theoretical basketball players can all apply other places too. I think CalTech has REA, so that is a little trickier, but people can still apply to publics early, including the full UC system. So recruited athletes at these schools are likely not applying to only one school, or if they are, they should do so fully aware that they might have to send out RD apps if they don't get in.

I guess though I distinguish the two schools in that MIT will accept a strong basketball player that only has top grades/scores and nothing else, over a worse basketball player that may also have won Math competitions or published research...while CalTech will pick a kid that has won the Math competitions and has all the accolades and by the way, kind of knows how to play basketball.

The MIT basketball coach would be fired if they had even one season where they went 1-24...while the CalTech basketball team never wins more than 1 game on average and again, hasn't won a conference game since 2011.

More like an applicant who (like other applicants) has top grades/scores, won Math competitions, published research AND IN ADDITION is a strong basketball players. MIT has an enviable pool of extremely qualified applicants larger than available slots.

Not really. Plenty of MIT athletes have little more than high grades and high test scores. They need to know you have the mental chops to do well, but the school (and definitely the coach) don’t care if your sport was your EC

This is correct.

[Anonymous]

From what I understand MIT athletic recruits can be surprised when they apply and then do not get accepted.

[Anonymous]

athletic thumb on the scale is such a big scam.

can't believe after affirmative action ruling schools kept this unfair hook for non-money making sports like squash, crew and x-country running.

how does the rest of the school benefit from having those athletes there taking up space when there are more deserving applicants who have more to offer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:athletic thumb on the scale is such a big scam.

can't believe after affirmative action ruling schools kept this unfair hook for non-money making sports like squash, crew and x-country running.

how does the rest of the school benefit from having those athletes there taking up space when there are more deserving applicants who have more to offer?

DEI for jocks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our son committed to his D1 school in February of his junior year. We asked the coach if he was guaranteed admission. The one word answer was “yes.” Our son went through the motions and filled out the application. He was admitted.

Did he say yes, before he saw his transcript?

He sent them his grades. They weren’t worried. They had his PSAT as well. They had 10+ conversations on Zoom. There were no mysteries.

Yea coaches can scan grades and know if it will go through admissions.

I'd like to point out to people who think "athletes have it easier"... this student (as an example) had 10+ interviews with the coaches over Zoom (and most student do this with multiple coaches), in addition to performing in front of them, creating highlight tapes (usually), sending emails, getting rejections, traveling distances to be at tournaments the coaches attend, etc.

So it's nice to know early but it's not "easier".

Oh my goodness. Of course it’s easier. It’s an entirely different and special application process. Recruited athlete is the biggest admissions hook.

Sure, the mechanics of the application process are easier, often because an athlete is sometimes applying to only one place. So fall of senior year is easier than it is for all other students applying EA or ED. But, the year before that is not easier. There is still the building of a list. There are tons of emails, calls and official visits - the visits are especially tricky because the athlete has to miss days of school during junior year when grades matter so much. There are also disappointments/rejections along the way, they're just not all centralized in a short period the way they are for non-athletes. In terms of hours, the athletes put in a LOT of time junior year and for D3, maybe into senior year too. But sure, filling in the Common App and hitting submit is easier, and perhaps you could argue they don't have to agonize over essays, etc. as much (although my athlete still did, just for only one school). They do still have to get LOR and navigate getting their transcripts sent, etc. The process might seem easier when you're the parent of a first-semester senior. But in reality, the process is just elongated - by fall of senior year, they're at the end of a year-long process, while non-athletes are starting it.

Same for other students putting in just as much time building their list, visiting schools, spending time on their ECs, working a real job, emailing schools. They don’t get the extra help athletes get from their coaches and for many, their HS athletics dept. They don’t have to agonize over essays or LORs; it’s taken care of for them.

And it is such a hook. Like no other.