teammate getting preread at top Nescac, and will likely get offer of support and accept. Will not actively pursue other opportunities, but full expectation that if ivy offer materializes late - meaning after summer showcase, someone drops out, etc etc - they will ditch Nescac and accept ivy. Parent rationale to me is that Nescac offer isn’t binding to the school, why should it be the for athlete. It isn’t really a commitment until kid EDs. Never thought about it like that, but I have heard horror stories of nescacs not honoring coach support - so kind of get the logic.
Worry about yourself, not your teammate.
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one for “it’s wrong” - thank you happy1!
I think this is the important part here. If a “better” opportunity comes along it’s ok to seize it.
I would be careful with this thinking. I understand that admissions doesn’t always come through and some coaches could be more transparent about the level of support being extended, but NESCAC coaches are not going around rescinding offers because someone else got faster over the summer.
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What I said was mind your own business. I DID NOT say it is wrong – and would appreciate it if you do not put words in my mouth. I don’t know the intricacies of athletic recruiting so did not opine on the situaltion.
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If this is truly about a teammate and not yourself, I’m not sure what the purpose of your question is - are you going to use our random opinions to try to convince your teammate one way or the other?
But taking it at face value - whether it’s “wrong” is a personal ethical decision. Athletes decommit to one institution and select another institution before ED application deadlines every year, for all kinds of reasons, including that they got an opportunity they’re more excited about. And while it’s true that a NESCAC coach offer has some chance of not being honored by the admissions office, that’s generally very unlikely (and your teammate can ask about the past history to confirm), and seems more like a parent trying to rationalize their choice. Which is fine! Do what you feel comfortable with.
This might just be shorthand, but a committed athlete shouldn’t be attending an ID camp or similar. If this is something like a tournament that the whole team is attending, then fine, but the coaches etc. will know that the athlete is committed and isn’t going to try to poach them at the event. If your teammate hasn’t been told anything like “you’re next on our list” already, then this isn’t a realistic scenario.
I’m not sure what this means as I don’t think there is a pervasive issue that recruits with positive pre-reads and full coach support aren’t being accepted.
I will say that sometimes recruits and their parents misunderstand the terminology and/or the level of coach support being offered, and also that sometimes there are things that happen that aren’t publicly known, e.g., student had an honor violation or arrest senior year, things of that nature, that could cause a school to pull their support.
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This is correct. D3 commitments are non-binding, although I would consider them “ethically binding” once the ED application is submitted. Kids can and do change their minds if a better opportunity presents itself before the applications are due. Nothing to stew about, in my opinion.
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I agree the commitment to a D3 becomes binding when you apply ED, not before. Hence why they often make full admissions support contingent on applying ED.
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I would suggest not to commit to submitting an ED application if the student athlete is not 100% ready to attend if admitted.
My child had a teammate who verbally committed to a non-NESCAC D3 school, but was still talking with other schools and had their offer pulled late in the process when the coach found out about it as it is a small world and coaches know each other.
The student did find a school eventually who took them and allowed them to try out, but it was a rather big headache which could have been avoided if they had lived up to their original commitment and not kept looking out for something better.
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I am not sure of the particulars with this student and committing though I was at a NESCAC with my S (approx. Feb Jr year) getting a tour by the coach, etc. While there the coach noted another student that was there getting shown around, etc. This student was a HS Sr. and had been accepted at an Ivy and at this NESCAC and was still deciding between them. We got the impression that he was a high athletic recruit for the NESCAC so obviously they were either holding a spot, or would make room on the team for them. And the NESCAC does limit the roster size.
That said, I was of the opinion to be very cautious and not commit ED unless or until you were 100% sure.
I believe that depending on the school, sport, athlete/student, etc. some D3/NESCAC coaches do understand that a student may have an Ivy as their #1 and the NESCAC as their #2. In those cases, I am assuming with upfront discussions, the coach may understand and hold a spot or welcome the student if they get admitted ED2 or RD.
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There doesn’t appear to be any problem until a student is accepted under an ED agreement.
If it was Feb he obviously was not accepted to both. It would have required an ED/REA (im guessing he was in at HYP) to know results at that point. Most likely this is a D3 impact recruit who was probably looking at not playing at the Ivy, though most D3 impact players are able to walk on at most ivies IMO. Still, being primarily on the “practice squad” is not for everyone.
This was our experience but coaches made it clear their wants didn’t have as much weight after ED1. This is not so much an issue for someone in the A band (likely the case of said athlete as it’s reasonable to assume he got in on his own at the Ivy) but for someone who would need a LL to get into the Ivy, applying RD or even ED2 to a NESCAC might be a greater gamble despite coach support.
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I think you are correct and I got my months mixed up as I was recalling that I had come back recently from a ski trip, so I was assuming Feb. Though it was probably March and the coaches were actively reaching out and a visit was set up.
As I remember it, the coach told us the student was accepted at x Ivy, he pointed him out and said that he was on campus as he was deciding between the Ivy and the NESCAC. I had assumed that meant that he was accepted at both.
What I really took from it was that if you are a good enough athlete and get in, the coaches will most likely find a spot for you on the team.
You may be correct that he was looking at not playing much at the Ivy, but hard to say. Or he could have been thinking the smaller NESCAC was a fit. I am assuming that he applied RD. It was one of the higher academic NESCACs so that may have carried some weight.
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Yes, he could have REAed at HYP (all other Ivies are ED) and have heard re RD at a NESCAC by mid March. Ivy RD would not have come out. I don’t think this scenario is that unusual. It’s even possible he got in and called up without ever having received an offer.
thank you mom3! now THIS was a helpful post and guidance from a senior and respected CC member.
You got responses from several senior and respected CC members. You’ve been on CC for three months. Many CC members, including ones who responded to you, have been here more than 10 years.
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I am not sure if this is the right forum if the only thing you are looking for is confirmation of your own view and opinion. Lots of valid points were made thus far.
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Read the other comments as well.
Again, stop worrying about your teammates. You are not in a position to change their behavior.
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