This is basically what the title asks. I reached out to all the swim coaches and music directors, from like November to the Present. While I got some responses from some, not everyone responded. Those who did reply said I was a great candidate, providing the usual encouraging comments, and suggested I keep them updated. In my opinion, only a few music directors seemed genuinely interested (the ones I met in person), and regarding swim coaches, I am not sure (I beat some of the schools record times/around the same time level as their top swimmers), but I’m not sure if they are interested or not.
Now my question is, should I follow up the people who didn’t respond even though it’s past Jan. 15th/Update the ones that did? I have some new events like my orchestra going on a tour to Germany and Austria for 2-3 weeks in June, all expenses covered by the sponsors and orchestra. Even though it is an every year event, this one is a special tour since it’s the most expensive one we ever did (1.5 Million + 500k just in case). Along with that we’ll be performing in some halls that big orchestras don’t have the chance to perform in, and we’ll be rehearsing with the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic, and a chance to perform with them. Along with that I got new recent swimming times, which places me in the top 20 - top 40 in New England for different events like the 100 Breast (Already faster than some of the top kids at the boarding schools), 200 IM (Around the same time as them), and the 50 Free (Same time ish). Should I follow up/update them?
I suggest you should. I emailed music instructors to all of the schools but none of them replied to me yet </3 as well as computer science teachers. I honestly think its still a good idea to keep them updated whether or not they respond. Gl with ur orchestra tour btw
I would absolutely continue to update. Nothing to lose!
Now that you’ve officially applied, you may get slightly more interest. I think there are some coaches (can’t speak for music department) that don’t bother with “potential applicants” unless they are actively recruiting them.
Alright, thank you for the insight. I don’t think I’m competitive enough to get “recruited for swimming” especially since I quit club/competitive swimming 2 years ago.
I’m not sure I understand. You previously said, “ (I beat some of the schools record times/around the same time level as their top swimmers), but I’m not sure if they are interested or not.”
I am not trying to play “gotcha”. I am suggesting that if your facts and assumptions are correct, you email each swim coach at each school and show how your proven, verifiable times stack up against that school’s teams, event by event, if you would be top 3/4. Be polite, modest, but factual.
I find it hard to believe coaches would not be interested if you are an impact swimmer in multiple events on their team. This is all relevant for schools that care about swimming - I don’t recall your list, but I believe it includes Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Exeter, and Hotchkiss. Perhaps some others with competitive swim teams as well.
When I was walking around campus for one school, I checked the pool, and I saw the record board. For the males, their record time for 100 Breast is slower than my official time by 0.71 seconds, unless I mislooked or got the time wrong (My dad saw the time too, and we both saw the same time, so I’m pretty sure we got the record time correct). This school isn’t really like a super competitive swim school because its more of a hockey winter sports school but from what I know they still care.
One thing I know for 100% is that for one school, I am faster than everyone there for 100 Breast by 1-3 seconds, except the Number 1 person who is a current Senior. However, he’s only faster than my time by 0.31 seconds, which is a lot but not by a huge margin, especially since I’m coming into the competitive swimming field after my 2 years of not training competitively (I’ve been consistently dropping ~1 second per meet which a lot in swimming). I checked Swim Cloud for these times.
For the super competitive schools for the NEPSAC Division I Championship, I’m around the same time as the middle swimmer - slower swimmers at schools like Andover who are the top of it.
The reason I think they don’t really have interest is because I contacted them late and from what I know they’d rather have people contact them earlier and because only a few of them contacted me back saying they wanted updates every time I swim a meet.
I assume we are using valid comparisons? Meters, yards, long course, short course?
I also know you are a high-level musician. This won’t conflict with your varsity commitments? Coaches aren’t, or won’t be, concerned?
Some coaches don’t speak to applicants/recruits during Jan/Feb (a quiet period), but this varies by coach/school and with other nuances (some will respond to questions, and some will engage in a back/forth).
I’ll refer you via DM to some others here on CC who know far more than me about prep school swim recruitment.
My son is applying to four schools in the area. He’s a two sport athlete. Once we filled out the athletic interest forms, every coach for each sport from each school reached out, and almost all stopped by on his interview day to meet him. Did you fill out the forms? Admissions will help connect you with the coaches. That’s what happened with my son because we didn’t know any of the coaches.
I haven’t met with the coaches since I thought I wasn’t going to swim like I used to (Injuries etc) but I started up swimming again with good times so I just decided to contact them and stuff. I’ve only connected with them over email, I might ask for a Zoom call or a phone call since my friends who swim at the schools told me to but I’m not sure.
I forgot to mention in my application that I’m a swim instructor for special needs students at a local YMCA (I volunteer 2-3 hours a week to work with kids with autism, down syndrome, etc). Is that worth updating to my application? Or will it be nothing.
That is really good! I’d recommend waiting until a holiday (maybe President’s Day or Valentine’s Day) and sending them a best wishes email that also tells them about your volunteering.