Ivy question

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Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
I'd like to resurrect and redirect this thread, so bear with me(mostly because of the Header).
My DD (2021) attended an Ivy camp and during her time there, I overheard parents talking (from same TB org) about how their DDs are committed to this school and how great it will be. I was thinking they were 2020s showing coaches how they continue to progress etc, and paid no more mind. Later learn from my DD that these players were 2021 and was a bit put off (not by players or parents, well maybe a little, ; ). Mostly tho I felt unmoored by the new information. I have been working under the (false?) knowledge that the process for more academically selective schools was a bit slower due to verification of student ability (SAT, rank, rigor etc) thru Jr year in HS.
My DD started contacting schools this summer after a successful TB season and two very good academic yrs in HS. But now I am wondering have we been misinformed about the recruiting timetable for her target schools. And further, I dont want to waste time and money on college camps if the schools have already pinned down their incoming 2021s. (Even tho DD had a good experience, IMO the camp was run as an obvious tryout, with very little coaching involved).
So if anyone has information or experience in this process, I would love to hear your points of view.
Best, D14
We had 2021 kid that was pursued by 3 of the Ivies over the summer. Sept 1st came and she was offered a spot at UPenn. She took it. She is also a good pitcher. I think when the coaches all knew they were competing for the same player, the pressure was on. We also had another player that verballed to UPenn in the fall of her Senior year. You need to have your kid call/email these coaches to see if she has a chance. Better yet, what is your TB recruiter saying?

Many D1's will have their 2021 class pretty firmed up at this point. If there is a can't miss kid that is really special they will make space.
 
Jun 7, 2016
275
43
OS, Thanks for some first hand info. I understand the school's stretching the envelope for an obvious unicorn (ex a 60mph P with 1570 SAT). But the example of the Senior verballing in the fall was what I was lead to believe was normal based on the academic criteria and such.
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Have similar concerns to Diamond14 here...trying to get DD in front of the right folks in different parts of the country is challenging. Grades are there, skills are there, all the other qualities are there yet we just can't seem to be in the right place or make the right connections. TB organization is limited geographically as well.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I'd like to resurrect and redirect this thread, so bear with me(mostly because of the Header).
My DD (2021) attended an Ivy camp and during her time there, I overheard parents talking (from same TB org) about how their DDs are committed to this school and how great it will be. I was thinking they were 2020s showing coaches how they continue to progress etc, and paid no more mind. Later learn from my DD that these players were 2021 and was a bit put off (not by players or parents, well maybe a little, ; ). Mostly tho I felt unmoored by the new information. I have been working under the (false?) knowledge that the process for more academically selective schools was a bit slower due to verification of student ability (SAT, rank, rigor etc) thru Jr year in HS.

Let's make this clear - they can think they are 'committed' all they want as Junior to an Ivy school but it is all 'pending admissions' which for their senior 2020 recruits is happening right now.

Coaches at most Ivies can walk them into admissions and advocate for them, but if they don't meet admissions standards they won't get it. They will still need to apply early decision and wait for their official letter. One of DD's teammates is headed to an Ivy and I know she said coach told her she loses about 1 'commit' a year through the admissions process because the kid didn't meet the school's academic requirements. DD's teammate won't say she is committed until she gets that admission letter in about 3 weeks or so.

This, of course, doesn't stop the Ivies recruiting Juniors and scouting Sophomores/Freshman - but they want to make sure they believe the academic background is going to get through admissions before they spend time with a specific player. Some Ivies are more flexible than others. Many of the other academic conferences/schools are the same.
 
Jun 7, 2016
275
43
M-
The frustrating part, to me, is that you dont know if your effort is going to wasted as the target school may have their 2021 class picked and you put a ton of effort in the end, to being their "backup date". I know there is always a degree of disappointment in not making the cut for a given team/school, but the time and money output when the coaching staff knowingly has a recruit class selected ups the agita factor.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
The frustrating part, to me, is that you dont know if your effort is going to wasted as the target school may have their 2021 class picked and you put a ton of effort in the end, to being their "backup date". I know there is always a degree of disappointment in not making the cut for a given team/school, but the time and money output when the coaching staff knowingly has a recruit class selected ups the agita factor.

Part of recruiting unfortunately, and it goes both ways. Dating is the best analogy - including the cost.

The coaches are forced to play both sides because the player can disappear and go somewhere else (or just quit softball) so they are never 100% sure of their incoming class either right up until the kid actually turns up on campus. Most good programs have a spot open for the right player or can figure it out - JUCO transfers, grad transfers, late bloomer, unexpected commitment, etc, etc. "We are done with the 202X class" may be the biggest lie they tell - it just means we are done recruiting unless something specific turns up. If that wasn't so, the transfer market couldn't work - but it clearly does.

I will give you a specific example... my DD is going through all this right now; she is waiting for an admission decision from a school in mid-December. One school that several of our team is committed to is supposedly "done with 2020's" but will take her in a second including a large scholarship if she becomes available. They tell her weekly they will just take money from their money they have set aside from JUCO's plus 'anything that becomes available from de-commits'. They wouldn't say publically, but I suspect they believe two of their current commits will never set foot on campus and are already thinking about how they are going to redistribute the money there.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
Yep - if they haven’t been accepted to the Ivy yet, then they are only committing to the “admissions process” as I’ve seen some players label it at that Ivy.

My dd is in love with a D3 school that is very high academic. She has been focused on this school for a while and they have reciprocated that sincere interest. Unfortunately, they will not be able to give her a good admissions read until the summer when her junior year grades are complete and she has submitted her testing results. These schools tend to lose a lot of potential players to other programs just because the players feel the pressure to commit to a school that isn’t as challenging to get into academically. That’s why at the high academic schools you’ll see some of them still looking for 2020’s now. Some players just didn’t make the academic cut.

It is a ton of pressure and I’ve got to give dd a ton of credit for holding out for the hopes of being able to get into her choice school as she sees many of the girls she knows in the 2021 class verbally committing now.
 
Nov 5, 2014
351
63
I'd like to resurrect and redirect this thread, so bear with me(mostly because of the Header).
My DD (2021) attended an Ivy camp and during her time there, I overheard parents talking (from same TB org) about how their DDs are committed to this school and how great it will be. I was thinking they were 2020s showing coaches how they continue to progress etc, and paid no more mind. Later learn from my DD that these players were 2021 and was a bit put off (not by players or parents, well maybe a little, ; ). Mostly tho I felt unmoored by the new information. I have been working under the (false?) knowledge that the process for more academically selective schools was a bit slower due to verification of student ability (SAT, rank, rigor etc) thru Jr year in HS.
My DD started contacting schools this summer after a successful TB season and two very good academic yrs in HS. But now I am wondering have we been misinformed about the recruiting timetable for her target schools. And further, I dont want to waste time and money on college camps if the schools have already pinned down their incoming 2021s. (Even tho DD had a good experience, IMO the camp was run as an obvious tryout, with very little coaching involved).
So if anyone has information or experience in this process, I would love to hear your points of view.
Best, D14

Your assumption about the process for Ivy league schools being later is correct, on average. Just like any other conference the process will vary somewhat on a school by school and coach by coach basis. Some coaches are much more aggressive in their timeline for committing players but the one thing you need to understand when it comes to the Ivy league is the academic index and how that impacts recruiting.

Every recruit has a calculated score called an academic index while they dont publish the formula for how it is calculated a google search will tell you it is basically 2/3 test score(ACT/SAT) and 1/3 GPA. Each team is given an academic index that their recruiting class must average so they can't finalize their class until they have complete information for everybody but they know if they want to take a highly prized recruit(think stud pitcher) who is below the target average academic index they need to bring in another recruit who is above the academic index to meet the average. This can make an average recruit skill wise much more valuable if they have great scores as they are prized for their ability tol allow the coach to recruit another player that may not on their own have the scores for admission.

So the early Ivy committs you see are likely to fall into one of 2 buckets stud pitcher or kid with great test scores. The lesson we have taken from this is take your SAT/ACT early and often so that you have the most to offer an Ivy coach on Sept. 1st of Junior year.
 
Oct 5, 2015
91
18
My daughter had dialogue with several Ivy coaches during her junior and senior year. Visiting over spring break but the extent of any commitment was as noted committing to the admissions process. Once she agreed to that in august prior to her senior year and the pre-read for admission was also concluded, she went on an official and applied. All while this was done, she was still maintaining communication with several other schools to ensure there was still interest. It was a very stressful time until the likely letter was received in early October. The issue with committing to the process in an Ivy is that other schools aren't waiting for you and if the likely letter doesn't come from the Ivy, the other schools that had interest may have moved on as well and Plan B is not really in sight. It is an emotional time as many teammates have committed much earlier and there she is trusting the process

I can't emphasize enough the value of grades and test scores and too take admissions essays seriously. Equally important is understanding where the school is in the recruiting class process and if the coach will support your admission. It was mentioned that one coach wanted the player to apply get in on her own which is very tough position as typically the only students accepted for early admission are athletes supported by coach with admission or "walk on water" types. WOWs are those that bring something exceptional to the school for which the school would missing out on if they went elsewhere. Every non-athletic regular person (NARP) virtually has a 1600/36 and 4.8 is seems so the WOWs and athletes get the likely letters to let them know they will likely be admitted to limit going elsewhere.
 
May 9, 2010
19
3
diamond14, has your daughter tried to call or email the coaches at the Ivy camp she attended? Has she emailed grades and tests scores. My daughter is at an Ivy and she informed me that 2021s have had official visits this fall, and are attending camps. The 2020 class has been set at her school, pending final acceptance through early action. I'm sure some of them have received likely letters this month.

Ivy recruits should start emailing as early as their freshman year. Taking ACT/SAT early is very important. Send them grades and any other high school accolades. Trust me, the coaches are looking for players that can get through admissions.
 

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