D3 Recruiting

[Ejay]

I've seen a bunch of individual ID camps scheduled in the fall, and the winter.  So while those are likely after your applications are due, my guess is coaches will use those to offer spots.

[Another Mom]

That would mean the model of going ED in exchange for coach's support wouldn't be used.  I agree that this may happen,  but my son is very far down the recruiting path with 3 NESCACs, i know those schools don't really need more info or more looks at my son.  Where it might hurt him is that he's gotten som initial interest from some d1 schools. Those schools do not have enough info on him and i don't think recruiting will go anywhere with them unless they can see him play.

[amh63]

Another Mom......there is on the Nescac.com website a announcement/restrictions on coaches recruiting during this “crisis period.

[Another Mom]

Yes, in person recruiting forbidden.  I think most know that. If the in person recruiting is forbidden through the summer is what I was considering.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

If there are no summer ID Clinics or other events, as may be the case, what do you think will happen with the rising seniors  (class of 2021)? I'm guessing that coaches will have to make decisions using the information they already have. Thoughts?

Yes or in the cases of MANY schools, early decision candidates will be the biggest part of the incoming classes.

[Another Mom]

Posting just to say that my son's recruiting journey has finished, as he committed to a great school a couple of weeks ago. He and I have learned so much along the way, I would be happy to share what I know. So any other parents out there feel free to PM me or post on the board so others can learn too.

[Ommadawn]

Congratulations to your son and you! Here's wishing you both a great experience in the years ahead (after what promises to be an "unusual" year for most college students and their parents). 

[Another Mom]

Thank you! Fingers crossed that by the fall of 2021 there's a season, right?

[Hillcountryview]

I'm noticing that most of the NESCAC, UAA, and ODAC colleges are choosing to stay "test-optional" for 2024's. Having a 2024, we've been on quite a few college tours, and admission officers are stressing that students "may" submit test scores; however, students will not be penalized if they choose not to submit scores.

The big question is- does this apply to athletic recruits? Are coaches at NESCAC schools still asking for test scores?

I think it's safe to say that a student-athlete who wants to apply to a top academic D3 school knows what it takes to get into one of these schools. However, it would be a huge relief if he could scratch test prep off his list and continue focusing on his soccer, academics, and other application pieces.

Any wisdom or experience would be appreciated!

[Another Mom]

The best thing to do is to ask coaches. Your son should be in correspondence with a bunch of coaches if he is a junior. They will always be your best source because only they know  for sure.

My son was a '21 and went through recruiting in 2020, when schools were test optional. He happened to have taken the SAT after sophomore year. He didn't get a great score (for selective schools) but was planning to retest when covid shut things down. Every single coach wanted the score, and it was submitted for all his prereads. He passed the prereads. However, when he applied ED he did not submit the score. Even though the Admissions Office had already seen it for the preread.

[Yankeesoccerdad]

In our son's experience, every coach asked for test scores also.  There isn't really any downside to taking the standardized tests and it keeps all your options open.  Bear in mind you have to win over the coach before you win over the admissions office.  A strong or average test score can make it more likely the coach sends a player's file for pre-read.  Coaches know what schools are looking for and can give you feedback even before the admission pre-read.

The entire college application process is subject to a lot of silly games relating to rankings, and you see some of that here.  We know several athletes at top academic schools who tested well by normal standards but below the average for the school they applied to.  After their pre-reads, they were directed not to submit their tests scores as part of their ED application.  Presumably this is because it would lower the school average, but it also could be because schools like to report a higher percentage of students admitted w/o test scores .

[EnmoreCat]

It's probably a little off topic, but I wasn't sure it merited its own subject, but on The Athletic I was just reading an analysis on how TCU made the CFP final and could see some threads of interest to our universe.  TCU relative to the Michigan team it defeated, was "ranked" a fair way lower, but what it has done, was bring in.a large number of transfers, ostensibly to fill gaps.  So, a little different to straight HS recruiting as these players have more of a visible college record and of course film and stats can be devoured to extreme levels to facilitate decisions.  I guess, but don't know, that the team's success this year may assist in recruiting, others will have better ideas on TCU as a destination.

It got me thinking about D3 soccer and how it's quite a different landscape where as has been identified, a potential recruit's academic performance is almost more important than their actual playing given the hoops a coach has to jump through to bring someone in.  I know D1 soccer teams are already well down the transfer path, but am curious as to how that gets balanced out by freshmen recruiting, it feels pretty tricky to me.  I know there will be instances of D3 teams having larger freshmen classes as part of a rebuild, but the nature of the division makes me think that whilst there will be targeted transfers, I can't imagine more wholesale ones like TCU has done.