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NESCAC Schools
Determined27
14 replies1 threads Junior Member
I have a son who is a Student Football Athlete started as Freshman On Varsity Football , voted an All star as a Sophmore and Team Captain for next year as a Junior. He has a 4.0 GPA but is on an IEP in school, and takes mostly College Prep and ACP classes. I can't imagine great SAT coming due to IEP so figuring he will be around 1100-1200. Extremely determined boy. Defintely think he can play D2 and D3 he has his mind set on NESCAC schools. College tuition is not a problem so it is not like seeking money for school. Heard that some of the schools are test optional so hoping that his Grades , Athletics would out weigh his potentially low SAT scores. Concerned that he would be able to get into these schools and if accepted abletohandle work load. Anyone have any ideas ,thoughts or dealings with NESCAC
49 replies
Replies to: NESCAC Schools
Obviously, I don't know your son at all, but I would be concerned if my child was considering attending a school where his SAT scores were 300 points or so below the median scores of the student body.
Consider D3 schools in other conferences, too. Note that some test optional (TO) D3 schools may not allow recruited athletes to apply TO, and many will require a test score upon matriculation. For DI/II, your S will have to fulfill the minimum test score requirements set by the NCAA.
Bottom line, your S will need to research schools, and reach out to coaches to see if he gets any interest. Most coaches will be able to quickly make the determination if your S’s stats/course rigor are likely to pass muster during an admissions pre-read.
It seems premature to assume your S won’t do well on standardized tests. With an IEP, won’t he get extra time on the SAT/ACT?
If you do want to look at this conference, look hard at the graduation requirements at the various schools -- they vary enormously from ones that require that all kids take calculus and FL to ones that have more latitude.
One general observation I have had is that kids who tend to squeak in to schools (for any number of reasons) often find they are more limited in what they can pursue there. Exploring outside their strengths is not a joy but a stress.
Now it could be that your kid is a good academic fit but tests poorly. In that case, all 3 of the Maine schools are TO as are all 3 of the CT ones. But also, these schools have widely different environments- I can't imagine that every school in the conference would be appealing to one kid. Tufts and Williams are two vastly different, albeit excellent, schools that offer dramatically different experiences. Even Wes and Trinity, practically neighbors, are 2 different worlds.
I think that people have missed that your son is both on an IEP, and on college prep track. It is not his possibly low SAT scores that are the problem, it is that his learning disability makes it difficult for him to take the higher level high school courses, much less college level courses like AP classes, despite his IEP.
Because of this, I do not think that the NESCACs will be a good choice for him.
You had your son signed up for college prep courses, not honors and APs. So why are you looking to send him to a college at which he is expected to take classes that are far more challenging than those? Moreover, he is probably not prepared for the classes there, since students at those colleges are expected to have taken honors and AP classes. catching up, while taking the classes, and while having to spend a large amount of time training, will be a challenge that he may not be able to meet.
PS. There are students at the NESCACs with IEPs, however they are students who took honors and APs, so they can keep up with the requirements, despite their learning disabilities, AND have received the preparation they needed for their college classes.
Your son is smart, stubborn, hard working, and has many other strengths. Work with his strengths, but also consider his weaknesses, when deciding which college is the best for him.
Good luck!
I think a good idea might be for your son to get in touch with admissions officers at various colleges and ask them what you’ve asked here. They will probably be pretty honest with him. If they think he can’t handle the work, I expect they will be upfront about it.
Has he been in touch with any coaches yet? Coach support is helpful.
Bates has been test optional since the 80’s. My D knows a lot of kids who didn’t submit test scores and they are thriving. Yes, there is a lot of work. There is also a lot of support. Your son needs to do his homework to see if the support offered will be enough to help him succeed. His admission is going to depend on that. If the college doesn’t think he can succeed, they won’t admit him.
I recommend casting a wider net than just the NESCACs. Although there is a range of academics at NESCACs, they can all be intense. With that said, Trinity is probably the least academic of the subset of NESCACs that have football, but again, I would not call that an easy school by any means (many kids there have taken all honors/AP courses in HS, for example), nor do I know the extent of their LD supports.
Fit has to be the priority over football. I would be careful having an LD student use athletic recruiting to step it up in terms of school selectivity.
It's early in the game and a lot can change, but if he keeps up the good work inside and outside of the classroom, the opportunities will come his way. I wish you the best.
College classes look different than high school classes. Students are required to do a lot more reading and analysis ahead of class and after class, but they are spending a lot less time in the classroom. Liberal Arts Colleges are especially heavy on reading and discussion of the material that's read. My kid's reading lists are very heavy, along with the requirements for analysis and discussion.
At my kid's college, the standard course load is 4 courses a term, aside from J term. Courses are about three lecture hours a week, with science courses requiring a lab. This is considered a full load for this college, and most students find it challenging.
Oh stop! It totally depends on the kid and the learning difference, and the OP has not told us enough for anyone to make a judgement.
My son with ADHD and with very slow processing is thriving at Emory while also playing soccer. It. All. Depends.