Ivy Athletic Recruiting Success Stories--Share What it Takes To Make It

[Anonymous]

These niche sports- fencing, sailing, squash, rowing are not the normal hyper competitive ones like baseball, football, basketball, cross country, volleyball, etc.

Too few engage in these esoteric sports to even matter. When you have millions and millions competing in particular sports that is far different than 200 in the entire country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll Start:
Private School
Track and Field (Field)

UW 3.9; SAT 1480 (one try); 11AP Classes (Bio/Calc/Phys/Chem, Eng (2), History (2), Stats, AA History, Geo) all 4s and 5s. Remainder were all honors classes.

Well liked by teachers, great recommendation letters.

State Champion for their event, Top Ten Nationally for their event

Admitted to non-HYP Ivy within the last 3 years (SAT was submitted at request of coach).

Is this a contest?

I don’t understand the post either. I was a 4:06 miler in the 70’s. Princeton only marginally cared about grades - which were pretty good - as well as SAT’s - which were also good - but I held zero illusions I was the ideal Ivy candidate or that running fast made me well liked or that I was anything other than lousy life skills. The operating principle remains the same. Athletics is a means for a kid to express themselves- most won’t be able to compete and make a living especially in a sport like track - and go where a school is the best fit and not as a brag for parents about the Ivy League. I had no parents in my life and chose a school that gave athletic scholarships - I thought some about Princeton later on but going to the Ivy League wasn’t all that relevant. With no parents, the issue at hand was whether I was going to attend a place which accelerated my maturity and focus, which needed a lot of bolstering at the time. My kids did go to Princeton but no athletics and no parental helicoptering. Still not sure it was the best choice in balance but they were mature and it was their choice.

Could it be that your confusion is due to things have changed quite a bit since you were a college athlete 50+ years ago?

[Anonymous]

I would also like to point out that most athletic recruiting doesn't work out. My child was an incredible swimmer. Being recruited to top D3 but wanted an Ivy. Ended up at the Ivy (no recruiting) and cannot do the sport bc not good enough.

So yes I suppose sports *can* be the ticket but it is just so so so hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would also like to point out that most athletic recruiting doesn't work out. My child was an incredible swimmer. Being recruited to top D3 but wanted an Ivy. Ended up at the Ivy (no recruiting) and cannot do the sport bc not good enough.

So yes I suppose sports *can* be the ticket but it is just so so so hard.

So in your child case the athletic recruiting did work, but your child decided not to take that path because they want something more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ivy recruiting can get a little whacky. My kid attended a recruiting session run by the Harvard baseball coach. Kind of a gruff old guy who wasn’t afraid to be maybe too honest.

For a top recruit he wanted at least a 1350…he might go lower for a true Power 4 player who he honestly thought wanted Harvard (ie a dream recruit who is too good for Ivy play).

He mentioned that every now and then he will meet a recruit who is both a great player and a 1580 SAT super impressive candidate. In that situation he may get greedy and not select that kid as a top recruit because he is very confident the kid will get in his own…so he is getting a top player for “free”. He will use his top slots for the second best 1350 kid and the other kid gets an asterisk so admissions know the coach likes him, but the kid needs to get in on their own.

Very similar experience here. Duke fencing coach refused to support DC's application and formally recruit DC because they "could get in on their own." We were very frustrated as DH is a Duke alum & we wanted that "closure" that comes with being recruited formally. DC is at HYPSM now on the fencing team so nothing to complain about now. Stats below:

Public magnet HS
4.0 UW 4.93 W
1590 SAT

Thanks for sharing. This is so interesting. Wondering if it's better to avoid the pursuing this path altogether if DC is otherwise qualified for the school (+legacy)

Not if your kid plays a revenue sport…if your kid is a 4 or 5 star football, basketball or baseball player the Duke coach will take your kid and give them a full athletic scholarship (and not care much at all about their grades or test scores…maybe not even ask). These sorts of whacky situations only happen in the non revenue sports or for kids who aren’t Power 4 recruits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would also like to point out that most athletic recruiting doesn't work out. My child was an incredible swimmer. Being recruited to top D3 but wanted an Ivy. Ended up at the Ivy (no recruiting) and cannot do the sport bc not good enough.

So yes I suppose sports *can* be the ticket but it is just so so so hard.

Are the pool lanes reserved for the recruits? Is there no intramural or club team?

[Anonymous]

Public hs
Men’s soccer
ECNL
3.9 WGPA (4.1 at graduation)
1460
top D3
Good financial aid and scholarship package
Guaranteed playing time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ivy recruiting can get a little whacky. My kid attended a recruiting session run by the Harvard baseball coach. Kind of a gruff old guy who wasn’t afraid to be maybe too honest.

For a top recruit he wanted at least a 1350…he might go lower for a true Power 4 player who he honestly thought wanted Harvard (ie a dream recruit who is too good for Ivy play).

He mentioned that every now and then he will meet a recruit who is both a great player and a 1580 SAT super impressive candidate. In that situation he may get greedy and not select that kid as a top recruit because he is very confident the kid will get in his own…so he is getting a top player for “free”. He will use his top slots for the second best 1350 kid and the other kid gets an asterisk so admissions know the coach likes him, but the kid needs to get in on their own.

Very similar experience here. Duke fencing coach refused to support DC's application and formally recruit DC because they "could get in on their own." We were very frustrated as DH is a Duke alum & we wanted that "closure" that comes with being recruited formally. DC is at HYPSM now on the fencing team so nothing to complain about now. Stats below:

Public magnet HS
4.0 UW 4.93 W
1590 SAT

Duke is also NOT ivy.

[Anonymous]

The Ivy sport experience is not like D3 at all.

[Anonymous]

Individual sports generally require better stats than some team sports.

[Anonymous]

The individual sports still have a team component. It is very important to Penn and Princeton to win the Ivy League Championship in track and field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The individual sports still have a team component. It is very important to Penn and Princeton to win the Ivy League Championship in track and field.

That's true. At least for Princeton. T/F and lax are their two "big" sports. When is the last time Penn won?

[Anonymous]

I think it has been a while for Penn- maybe 80s for the men and early 2000s for the women.

Penn came in 2nd for indoor this year in both men and women

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it has been a while for Penn- maybe 80s for the men and early 2000s for the women.

Penn came in 2nd for indoor this year in both men and women

The women's throws squad is very good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public hs
Men’s soccer
ECNL
3.9 WGPA (4.1 at graduation)
1460
top D3
Good financial aid and scholarship package
Guaranteed playing time

D3 is not the same as Ivy.

My kids were recruited for D3s and some low academic D1- but not Ivies. Got into Ivy on academics and decided to go there.