Another thing to keep in mind is that if, for whatever reason (eg, terrible essays or teacher recs), the student doesn’t get a likely letter within 1-2 weeks of submitting his/her application, the student can simply withdraw application and/or apply to other schools (the student can and probably should apply to other schools during the process within the rules of early applications). The purpose of the likely letter is to provide reassurance to both sides that admission is a done deal (barring getting arrested or getting D’s on senior year report card) and this notice should come anytime within 1-2 weeks after submitting application. If after 1-2 weeks of submitting application there is no likely letter from schools that offer likely letter, the student should assume something went wrong with application or coach support and apply to other schools.
I think the terminology varies somewhat by conference or school. I realize Ivies aren’t really the subject of the thread, so not what Mwfan was referring to, but just wanted to clarify in case any Ivy recruits are reading: at Ivies, likely letters “have the effect of letters of admission.” They aren’t formal offers of admission, but they indicate that such an offer will be coming.
I think whether or not a likely letter is a formal offer of admission is a largely a matter of semantics. Practically speaking in my opinion, a likely letter is indeed a real and formal offer of admission but just like the “official” offer of admission that comes on the designated admissions date, it is subject to certain conditions such as not getting disciplined/arrested/saying something offensive on social media/plummeting grades. Short of any of those thing happening. a likely letter is a rock solid offer of admission like politeperson’s post: likely letters have the effect of letters of admission.
I agree with some of above that coach support helps a lot at MIT., and less than at peer schools. Boosting to a 40-50% probability seems about right based on our experience and people we know.
DS21 attended the MIT football Junior Virtual Recruiting day today. There were about 65 kids in attendance and it apparently was the second of at least two sessions for 2021 MIT football. What everyone in this thread has been saying was the same thing we heard today: if you are identified by the coach as being “at the top of the board” and they really want you, that gives you a 50/50 chance of acceptance. And they’ll only put you at the top of the board if you have the academic stats - don’t even bother with an SAT below 1450 and anything other than an “A” in the most rigorous math and science classes. You might be able to squeak in with a B in a history or art class, but straight As in the most rigorous classes offered is best.
Interestingly, they were asked about going TO due to Covid and the answer was an emphatic “no way.” MIT requires SAT or ACT and that is not changing any time soon.
We really enjoyed the session. It was very well organized, very professional, and we were super impressed with the coaches and the program. DS21 is really, really excited about MIT. (And I’m thinking about selling a kidney because we think he has a pretty great chance, all things considered, of making it happen).
What most people don’t take into consideration is that MIT can recruit D1 athletic talent because of the academics they offer. If your grades, test scores, and letters of rec are top-notch (not just within range), you are a D1 caliber athlete, and there is a need on the team for your position/event, the coach will go to bat for you. There are only 25 - 30% of the roster spots available in any given year. From what I have witnessed, coaches tell good D3 talent to apply, and if they get in, that’s more depth for him if he has room for you on his roster. It’s the elite athletes that get talked up to admissions. The kids who don’t get in, the parents say, “but the coach told him to apply.” Of course he did. Parents and athletes need to have a realistic idea of where they fit in athletically especially on the women’s side where they have won the NEWMAC Directors Cup 6 years in a row.
My son (who ended up going to Dartmouth where he was not recruited) was “recruited” by MIT and offered admission. I am sure that the coach helped shepherd his application, he was a constant contact and conduit. (My son was a very good 800 runner, but Dartmouth had Olympic level talent in his admission year). His stats were SAT M 800 R 740, SAT 2s UShist 800, Math2 780, Chem 780; an unweighted GPA of 3.85 (all APS and honors courses, 5s on all of his APs Calc, Chem, APUSH, APEURO, and Stats. He also won several writing awards school-wide and nationally). He was team captain for X-Country, indoor and outdoor track beginning in his sophomore year, in student govt., had a strong volunteering background, and had very strong recommendations. It may just have been that MIT needed a good 800 runner that year. He was okay in the mile, around a 4.15, but Dartmouth had some sub-4 people and MIT may not have had people at that range at the time.