Class of 2025 recruits

I believe the W are all in the google sheet

I know this has been asked before, but have we received a definitive answer? How does one “commit” to the Ivies when early decision admits are not announced for another 6 weeks? Have the recruits been told “you’re in, don’t worry about it?” Does the x-c /
track coach or A D have this much pull with the admissions office? Or have they
been told something like “based on your high school grades, your SAT scores in
your junior year of high school, and your running times, you are very likely to
get in?” I think the Ivies are not allowed to reveal acceptances before Nov 15th.

Somehow I can’t imagine Jeannie Jock committing to Harvard on Instagram on October 4th, and then ending up at U Mass. And once she commits to Harvard, other coaches
have to stay away, no? Or is all that in the past and she can go directly to the transfer portal?

Does it take a school compliance officer to figure this out?

Genuine questions.

Good questions. I’m not the expert, but the Ivy commitments I’ve seen say “verbal commitment to the application process” or some such blather. And it’s always coming from the kid, not the school. So I’m thinking the kid is applying ED but won’t get a likely letter until November.

I can help out here as we just wrapped up this process. Basically recruiting started at end of junior year from 5 of the Ivies. Only one super interested in pursuing. A few phone calls, opening XC season, we move to the next step which is submitting all transcripts. Once assessed, after Coach offers a spot on the roster, we fill out an extremely thorough financial assessment document, to the point we almost reached out to our tax attorney. At this point you get your package/financial need based number. If you agree to those finances you are then allowed to commit verbally like any other D1 and post on social. There is none of the financial aspect with ACC, SEC or Big 10.. you simply get your offer.

What this means is that you are applying ED and the coach is providing a "likely letter." You are going to be accepted to the school and you're agreeing to its financial aid decision before you know what it is.

For the ivies, even before the likely letter, they have thoroughly reviewed your Sat/ACT scores; your GPA; your full transcript; the strength of your course load since freshman year; the strength of your school and your senior year before you even move forward with an official visit.

Thanks, Stumpy - And all those who answered above. I think we are getting closer to an understanding of the process. But Stumpy, who is "they" in this case? The athletic department / coaches or the admissions office or both together? Also, when and what is the "likely letter?" Does it say "you are likely to be admitted?" and if it does, does the candidate accept this at face value, without seeing any financial aid offier? I'd like my son/daughter to be enthusiastic about the possibility of being admitted, but as dad, I'd certainly like to see the fin aid package before the famly jumps for joy.

Ivy coaches reached out due to performance and met a couple at outdoor championships. The one school we ended up going furthest was a combination of recruiting questionnaire. I want to state this clearly: all P4+ recruiting the questionnaire on site is vital to getting in the conversation. Have your kids fill out the programs they want to talk to and update as PRs improve.

The coach pulls in admission office and we communicate all transcripts, etc. while Coach is copied on all emails until green light to move to financials.

There is no “letter of admission” as the coach is allotted spots on the team.

No, the communication after admissions and financial teams are involved is only with the head coach, but this is also the same at P4s

I would also suggest the student doing the questionnaire early in junior year if your child’s academics (maybe you see the PSAT score coupled with their GPA/rigor of course load and get a sense if an Ivy would be feasible) and track and xc times that are in range. Then your child should follow up directly (no parent involvement) with an email to the coaches stating their interest in the school and hopefully spark an ongoing dialogue so the coach can follow their progress but in both the sport and academics. You want to be on the radar well before summer going into senior year. The pre-reads will start happening in the summer at some places and that is when the coaches will share a potential student athletes credentials as outlined above directly with admissions. Then the OVs come next if you pass that hurdle and are invited, then the ED spots, then the likely letter and finally formal admission.

It sounds like you have prudent dad concerns around financial aid. You could go on right now to the net price calculator and see what your family would likely have to contribute even before you got into convos with financial aid and decide if you think an Ivy would be the right place or if your child’s academics rather pursue a P4 or mid-major where you will get traditional athletic scholarship. Google the particular college and net price indicator. Hope that helps.

All of these announcements are coming from the kid so it doesn't matter what the kid posts. It's just being done for their friends to like.

They are all verbal and none of it is official because nothing can be signed until mid-November. The schools can't announce anything until something is signed. And know this, any of these kids can change their mind at any time (until something is signed).

I am speculating you don't have much experience with this. They are submitting ED applications that are binding if they are accepted and probably don’t post until they've done that. They are also informing/shutting down recruitment with other programs/coaches by making the post which is the right thing to do on all sides.

Oddly, my last post was deleted even though I said nothing more harmful than your post saying I don't have 'much experience with this' so I will try it this way.

I will be the first to admit you are correct if any of the schools have posted anything on their official accounts about these recruits being committing to their schools. Have they?

They haven't because it's not official yet and won't be until mid-November.

Hence, to answer the above poster who asked 'how does one commit when early decision admits are not announced for another 6 weeks?" it's not an official commit because nothing is signed and they are not admitted yet. It's a verbal commit and it can be changed.

Never saw what was deleted. Again, it is different in the Ivy League. You never sign anything like a NLI in the Ivy League (not even six weeks later…) hence why I speculated that you didn’t have exact experience with the Ivy League and the differences. You do sign (a parent or guardian) that you are committing to the ED and only applying there and that is binding if you get in. You “sign” that before you get your likely letter and if you already that far down the path you have a pretty good sense that you have your spot, so, no, you really can’t change your mind.

You and I are making two different points. I am not saying that the recruit (or the coach for that matter) do not have a good sense that there is a spot for the kid.

I am simply answering the question from the poster who asked how they could post they are a commit before they are admitted, and it's because it's a personal IG account not an official post from the school. (There are circumstances where either the recruit or the coach could change their mind regardless of their good sense in October.)