This is where it might be appropriate for the child to call with the parent to make sure what is being offered – support (type) if student ED’s? Based on past experience, what is the probability of acceptance? The answer should be 90%+.
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Either way, I want it in writing - hence the reason for my question. I don’t know the lingo and need some guidance:)
Coach XXX,
Thank you so much for the call. I just want to make sure that I am clear on the process and my status going forward.
It sounds like you will give me your full support on admissions if I apply ED. In your experience, based on this level of support and my academics, what are my admissions chances – is it over 90/95%?
Would I also be able to get a financial aid pre-read so that my parents have an idea of the cost of attendance after financial aid?
Is there any other information you need from me at this time or any time prior to submitting the ED application?
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The most important part is to find out when the coach needs a decision by and have clear understanding of the finances. Sometimes you can ask for a financial pre-read. It is ok to thank the coach and ask for a follow up call to clarify some left over questions (after expressing excitement and thanking the coach for the opportunity). It is also ok, at this point, to ask about parents joining the call. It is appropriate to ask confidence level on admission and if the coach has had any issues with a recruit receiving similar support in not getting it.
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I think you are over thinking it.
Just thank the coach for the opportunity and ask to set up a call that will include you to ask some clarifying questions on the process.
The coach wants to help you at this point. They realize this is a new process to a lot of kids.
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Also, you can/should ask if the admissions office does prereads. I would think, with a kid on the bubble academically, you would want the reassurance from passing a preread.
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I assumed the pre-read was done. Was this not the case? We had pre-reads at all “High Academic D3s” before an offer was made.
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Agree with all the above suggestions. The pre read is key because you want your kid to spend his ED1 currency wisely. As you observed, the slotting is important because some top schools will say “We would love to have you as part of the team” but that may mean only if you get in or it may mean we are giving you a slot. If the latter, he is in a better spot. Also depending on if it’s a tippy top D3 like some that have been discussed, they cannot slot so the coach’s “support” may mean something different .
Ask all the questions you need answered such as in BK’s proposed email and what Tony says. The questions about confidence level and whether any issues existed with prior recruits with similar support are super important. My DD has asked all the schools recruiting her these questions or they have told her directly.
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!!
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Not every school does prereads, although most of course do. Since the OP didn’t mention their son having a preread already, I thought it was worth mentioning.
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The coach is unlikely to put any probability of admission in writing. Even if they did, it means nothing. Only admissions admits students, not coaches.
Agree with the recs above about reaching out to the coach and having a conversation with the parent on the call.
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Did NESCACs require test scores for pre-reads?
The NESCACs my daughter went through the recruiting/pre-read process with required it- at least the coaches did- ahead of time. Coaches told her what score she needed. Two said she had to reach that minimum score, one said she should aim for that score, but if didn’t quite make it, the coach would submit her TO (this is variable and probably dependent on where athlete is on coach’s list). Coaches definitely wanted to ideally submit score to “validate” (as one coach put it) GPA.
If your child is going through recruiting process with NESCACs, this is a question they should ask early to prepare.
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For my D none of the coaches required it but they all asked about it. One specifically said that they wanted it for review and that they would decide whether or not to submit as part of the pre read.
As @Crosbylane said it is ideal to have as a “confirmatory” point to the transcript. This same point was also made by several non NESCAC high academic schools that my D was talking to.
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Hello again all!!!
After passing pre-read, DD will take an ED 1 slot at an excellent D3 school with a great atmosphere and the programs she is looking for. She has worked extremely hard academically and athletically. While she was lightly recruited for D1, this has always been her goal so she is quite fortunate.
QUESTION----This school does not give a written guarantee of admission, but lots of comfort and assurance and information from admissions. The coach is of high integrity and there have never been any issues in the past that we know of with student athletes being told they had a spot and then not being admitted. My DD is very well-qualified even without this sport. With all that being said, even in the situation, I assume most kids still complete all their other applications in the slim chance disaster strikes and on Dec. 15, just two weeks from the deadline for ED2 and RD, they find themselves not admitted ED1?
Thanks!!
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Not a coach support situation so the likelihood of RD was high, but to be honest, my kids needed the break. It made for a busy Christmas break but no regrets. It allowed them to refocus on school and study for exams without the stress of apps. We did turn in all EA options though. If you have any of those on your list, Id encourage that.
Congrats! I really don’t think she will have any issues.
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The Common App will have been done for the ED1 app, so we are talking about just the school specific supplements. Also most ED1’s allow you to submit RD and non-binding early apps. I would complete and have ready to go any apps that do not require a lot of additional work. As to apps that have extensive school specific essays, I would not necessarily draft those, but having a thought through outline may be a good Plan B.
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I think your daughter will be perfectly fine. However, my daughter committed D1 for her sport and had to apply ED and had support. We still had her submit a second application to her second choice school as a ‘just in case things really change’ back up. There were no additional essays so it was easy to do.
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We know someone (now many years graduated from college) who had a coach-supported Ivy application and received a likely letter and then was deferred!!! He was in a panic and had missed the opportunity to apply for his state flagship. He scrambled to get back in touch with other coaches and to submit RD applications. In the RD round, he was admitted to the original Ivy and ran for them for four years. There was no clear reason that his application was deferred, especially after the likely letter, but this story rocked us and is a reminder that backup plans are never a bad idea.
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Thanks for the update and Congratulations to your daughter - recruiting is not easy and so nice to cheer on the success stories.
Our daughter was a recruited athlete (Ivy/ED) and still submitted an application for our state’s flagship plus 3 EA schools. She also continued to attend other schools online presentations (prior to the ED decision) that wouldn’t include her sport on the level she hoped to compete - but could be good fit schools. She had 1 RD app ready to go for her 2nd choice sports school - and may or may not have been able to still get a coach’s bump, since she turned them down by ED’ing to her top choice. That coach still remembers her and is always friendly when they see each other at regattas - so that is nice!
It made us feel better that she had other applications done and we never felt completely relaxed until the confetti from the ED acceptance showed up on her screen. She withdrew two of the EA apps and the flagship app (one EA already had acceptances) and wrote the admission reps from each of those schools a thank you and letting them know she withdrew her apps due to an ED acceptance.
She did not announce her acceptance for several months, as she waited for the sting of ED deferrals and denials to go away a bit for other students at her school. This was a bit easier, as it was Covid time and everyone was remote.
Exciting times - I hope your daughter enjoys her time as a student athlete as much as our daughter - she has built an amazing community of friends. 
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Geez, I’m stressed as it is, I wish I hadn’t read this. 
