Early Commits - Do they exist at Ivy League/D3 schools?

monstor344 · 09-01-2009, 03:19 PM

I'm a 2011 high school graduate who hopes to play baseball in the Ivy Leagues. I've been reading in my local paper how several 2010 baseball players from my county have already committed to D1 programs, including at top academic schools like Duke and BC. Can Ivy League recruits also commit early to a school, since they are D1 as well? Or does that simply not occur in the Ivy League? What about D3 schools?

ImCrazy · 09-01-2009, 03:25 PM

Well you can techincially "commit" anywhere from September-Late October. You can tell the coach your commited to their team, but the commitment isn't really validated before you get the likely letter from the school. That's shows that the commitment is valid from you, the coach, AND the admissions officer.

riverrunner · 09-01-2009, 03:34 PM

The OP is starting his Junior year right now and is asking about whether Ivies can give a commitment earlier than fall of Senior year.

I don't know the answer, monster, but hopefully an Ivy baseball expert will chime in.

I will say, academic standards at the Ivies are such that the coach would need to see SAT/ACT scores, your GPA, and enough of your junior/senior year transcript and plans to know that you are taking a rigorous enough schedule to please the admissions department.

Best wishes.

ImCrazy · 09-01-2009, 03:43 PM

Wel he said he was looking in the newspaper and seeing a lot of 2010 commits (seniors), so I figured he was talking about next year.

monstor344 · 09-03-2009, 03:21 AM

Well basically there are kids in the grade above me who had already committed the summer before their senior year began and I was wondering if this was possible for me to do next summer with Ivy League schools or not.

Or is it simply not a possibility because of the academic barriers that Ivy League schools have?

ShesOnHerWay · 09-03-2009, 10:27 AM

D2 committed to her D3 school in October of senior year. That was fairly early for an Ivy/elite LAC school.

ImCrazy · 09-03-2009, 02:08 PM

Yea most commits to Ivy leagues come after Septmeber. They can "commit" in the summer if they want, doesn't mean they will be accepted though. IF their scores are good and top recruits, you can guess that you will be accepted and the coach can promise you acceptance. So yea, after that you can "commit", but it doesn't mean anything really.

TheGFG · 09-04-2009, 08:30 AM

After July 1st of the summer before senior year, coaches can phone you. So that's when D's Ivy and elite universities really got the ball rolling on recruiting. There were unofficial visits, e-mail contatct and snail mailings well before that, however. Since July, the schools have taken her scores, and transcript to their admissions people for pre-approval. So even though D hasn't begun senior year yet, she is pretty confident that if she likes a school after an official visit and tells the coach she wants to come, she's in. If she already knew which school she liked the best, I'm certain she could have told the coach that already. But the sense we get is that coaches don't take verbal commitments too seriously until after the official visits. Also, they and the team would like to get a closer look at you too!

springisintheair · 09-04-2009, 09:41 AM

From the Ivies, the coaches support in admissions for a likely letter is really the only way to know you are most likely to gain acceptance...just taking the coaches word can often result in disappointment for the recruit...for the competitive DIII LACS, the coaches support is recommended with a tip, slot, sponsorship, etc., with an early application for ED or EA if you are sure you want to attend that particular college. Recruiting is very competitive, and coaches often have a list of students they are interested in. Be prudent, be smart and ask for the likely letter, tip or slot. Good luck.

keylyme · 09-06-2009, 08:37 PM

My son attends a NE prep school where it is common for many basketball players to go to Ivy League schools. The official announcements are often made during the summer, with one just committing to Harvard on July 16 (before his senior year).

monstor344 · 09-07-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

My son attends a NE prep school where it is common for many basketball players to go to Ivy League schools. The official announcements are often made during the summer, with one just committing to Harvard on July 16 (before his senior year).

Thanks, this is what I thought might have occurred.

2924SW · 10-11-2009, 04:01 AM

My D just got a likely letter, but we were told she got it as early as possible under rules, so I don't know how these kids are getting earlier commits

keylyme · 10-11-2009, 03:04 PM

^^I really think it depends on the sport, but I don't think anyone at the school would come right out and say that.

2924SW · 10-11-2009, 05:34 PM

I think it violates Ivy rules to give a LL before Oct 1
D's coach was very clear that Oct 1 was first possible date
Unless they have different rules for football
Besides, coach is not even supposed to be contacting kids in junior year at least for ivies, I don't know rules on other D1s

mayhew · 11-04-2009, 06:33 PM

I believe that Ivy coaches can be in email contact throughout the athlete's whole junior year, just can't call them until July 1st. Maybe it is the student who has to initiate the email correspondence?
I too have heard of students committing to ivies before October 1st - how can this happen? Does this just mean a verbal agreement (which doesn't seem solid enough for comfort)? If Ivies must wait until October 1st to release a Likely Letter, when can other D1 schools offer Letters of Intent? In the summer? Can an Ivy admissions officer read your application before October 1st, or can they not lay eyes on it until that date?