<p>Coaches of even small programs receive nearly a thousand e-mails from prospective athletes. Imagine how many the larger schools receive! Therefore, self-promotion is key and e-mails may not be enough. My D first researched schools to come up with a list of those which were appropriate both academically and athletically. She then planned unofficial visits to those schools, and participated in the regular campus tour and info. session. She also always set up an appointment to meet with the coach while there. Once on their radar, she started sending occasional e-mails to update them on significant accomplishments, including her SAT scores. This got the ball rolling, and then the process looked more like the list above.</p>
<p>One note: beginning sophomore year she had been receiving recruiting mail sent to her high school for her. She filled out a few of these questionnaires, but not many. In general, the schools that contacted her this way were not the top programs either athletically or academically. If she had just relied on these schools as a starting point, she would probably not have the terrrific options she now does. We can’t know how many of the schools on her current short list would have pursued her if she hadn’t pursued them first, but I’m guessing some wouldn’t have.</p>