Do coaches have any pull for Regular Decision applicants? Q on attending recruiting camp also

Dunboyne
Mon, 02 Jun 2014 18:45:03 +0000

As long as she is set on Medicine, she should be fine with the accelerated programs. One drawback is that most 17-18 year olds grow tremendously in their first couple of years of college. It’s not uncommon for kids to want to change direction entirely once they get a true feel for a subject. The accelerated programs make that difficult, as you more or less become entrenched in Medicine at age 18.

Your D sounds like she’s not that far from being a bona fide 4 Star (without injuries), so she should have some good options. Her 2200 SAT translates roughly to a 33 ACT, so it would be a significant gain if she can score a 34-35.

It sounds like tennis would make her happier at school, so D3 is probably the ticket. However, a couple of D1 schools to look at would be Georgetown and Colgate (strong academics, weaker D1 tennis), if she wanted a shot at playing D1 tennis. Georgetown has quite a few 4 Stars on the team, but it might not hurt to give the coach a shout. Your odds would be better with Colgate, but the location might be an issue. The downside of D1 tennis is the level of commitment, especially for a pre-med, but it’s do-able with a team/coach that doesn’t have sky-high expectations.

One tactic would be to target Med School Unis that also have solid tennis teams: Chicago, WUSL, JHopkins, Tufts, Emory, Case Western. Med Schools (arguably) offer a small advantage in admissions for their own undergrads. I’d probably steer clear of JH and Emory, though, as their tennis programs seem to be perennially strong. (I’d say the same for Amherst and Williams.) The stronger D3 tennis programs have quite a few 4 Stars and the odd 5 Star, so your D probably wouldn’t have much of an admissions advantage for RD. Coaches have a tendency to string you along to suit their own interests, and your D wouldn’t want to waste time pursuing options that aren’t likely to come through.

The best programs for your D (considering pre-med) might be in the category of Strong Academics / Weaker Tennis. Here you’d find Swarthmore as the shining example, along with Haverford. Strong Academics / Better Tennis schools to consider would be Carleton, Vassar, and Wesleyan.

Another consideration is where your D fits academically. Pre-meds need to prioritize GPA, so whether your D slots into the 50th percentile or the 75th might have a big impact on future GPA. In that sense, the more selective schools like Chicago, WUSL, and Swat look great on a resume, but what kind of GPA is possible? Your D seems like a strong student, though, so maybe she’d be fine at the most selective school that wants her. It’s all about fit, anyway, and if a student is happier at School A vs B, their GPA will probably reflect it.

Regarding “Pre-Med”, yes, I meant a more rigorous major like Engineering or Math. Here’s a link: http://medschoolodyssey.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/03/30/some-statistics-on-the-mcat-and-your-undergraduate-major/ Check out the PDF file on the page too. The highest composite scores on the MCAT tend to come from Engineering, Physics, Math, Neuroscience, Biochem, and also Economics and English. Pre-Med and Biology majors don’t have the results one would expect. Many of the “best” majors for the MCAT might hinder GPA, though, due to their rigour, so that’s an issue. Generally speaking, the majors that teach problem solving and abstract thinking seem to be preferable. Your D seems strong enough quantitatively to pursue one of these majors, but it comes down to aptitude and comfort. Something to consider, anyway.

Here’s a link for some Do’s and Don’ts for tennis recruiting vids: http://www.tacticaltennisblog.com/how-to-make-a-college-recruiting-video/ Do quite a bit of research on this topic and have a look at some recruiting vids online. You want the video to help your D, not hinder. One thing I can emphasize is to include a few strokes from a wider angle in order to see the outcome of the stroke (in addition to the closeups). Also, many vids will include volleying technique but they don’t include an approach shot with the volley. Show a couple of approach shots plus volley, on each side, from a wider angle.

Have your D handle the coach communications herself, as much as possible. Parents should oversee and advise, not interfere. Coaches like the athletes to take charge.

Also, be sure to express interest in a program/school genuinely; be honest about where the school ranks in your D’s list. Don’t forget to express interest in a school in other ways, too: Facebook pages, emailing clubs and academic departments, etc. Whatever facet of the school your D is interested in, give them some proof of that interest. It helps admissions gauge whether your D will actually attend, which is a huge factor for a school, considering how important their “yield” is.