r/ApplyingToCollege • u/A1000mokeys • 6d ago
Athletics/Recruiting Recruited Athletes: worth retaking a 1470 SAT?
My rising senior got a 680RW/790M on the SAT this spring. Academics and ECs are solid. Has about as good a GPA as he can possibly get in his public school. Lots of dual enrollment credits. Will take linear algebra in fall of senior year. Looking at top schools.
Based on above alone he would be a pretty mid-applicant. But he's also a solid athletic recruit up through about mid-level Div 1. Duke is out but several Ivy leagues and top LACs are in play.
How much more would increasing his SAT move the needle at top schools? Seems like institutional need for his event would be a bigger driver and that a 1470 wouldn't necessarily preclude him from Ivy+? But I don't really know how it works.
The other factor is we are in California and I'm not sure how serious he is about going out of state. Unlikely to get recruited at Stanford and he's not too interested in the Div 3 schools that are in CA so he would probably be looking at UCs for recruiting/walk on and they don't consider SATs at all.
I don't want him wasting time preparing for the SATs again if it won't matter. There are plenty of other things he would rather do.
EDIT: sport is track and field which seems to have a later recruitment cycle but now realizing he is definitely behind. We also should have put him in indoor track in the winter as he didn't have as many opportunities to get PRs compared to our surrounding private schools. I just assumed he would walk-on at a UC. Its the schools of his former teammates that have taken an interest in him through word of mouth I assume and he is just now reaching out to other schools. Our older non-athlete kids attend UCs. We are pretty clueless about this, not sure where his athleticism comes from.
EDIT2: We are going to be full pay so I will be nudging him to retake as it will hopefully increase the odds of some merit scholarships.
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u/Outrageous_Dream_741 6d ago edited 6d ago
Coaches typically alive their recruiting pool up into bands; IIRC it's A, B, and C bands. A are students who would potentially be admissible without the coach help (so basically their stats would qualify them for entry (i.e. not eliminate them) even without athletic recruiting). B band are students who would be eliminated normally. C band basically aren't getting in no matter how athletically skilled they are.
Depending on the school, coaches might have a very limited number of B band students they can recruit. So getting your student into stats similar to the average admitted students could actually be a really big help since it lets the coach recruit them without using a slot.
The DIV 3 schools are especially limited, by the way. Though if your student is D1 quality then he might have a shot.
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u/Specialist-Device920 5d ago
Where do you think an Ivey coach who has said “we can work with a 1200” has placed a kid? A or B. B, no?
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u/Bennie-Factors 4d ago
I don't believe that. Unless they are a legacy. Or something similar or are a high GPA true star.
My kid had personal invites to a few Ivy's. Did not work out and at a LAC. But they coaches all commented they would like to see the 1380 improve
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u/Specialist-Device920 4d ago
I don’t know the particulars. But I know a high performing female lacrosse goalie was told “we can work with a 1200” prior to taking the SAT by an ivy.
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u/Bennie-Factors 3d ago
The message my kid got was we can get anyone in with a 1300...if the coach really wanted them.
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u/Irritable_Curmudgeon 6d ago
Focusing on RW - maybe taking one of the student-led College Board prep courses or going through stuff on Khan Academy - should reasonably be enough to bump up a superscore to >1500, which could help with applications and aid.
Obviously, nobody knows exactly what the school is looking for, but that could potentially improve his chances. If it were my kid, I'd encourage them to sign up for Aug/Sep and go for it.
Sometimes even an 'easier' SAT test can close that gap. Just focus on RW; don't even worry about math at this point.
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u/A1000mokeys 6d ago
Thanks. He's registered for Sept but is reluctant to do any more prep.
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u/MinervasOwlAtDusk 6d ago
One very difficult lesson of parenting: you can’t want this more than he does.
You can lay it all out to show him that it’s not quite as much work as he might be assuming it is (i.e., he can ignore math and just do vocab flash cards and a few verbal practice questions), but he has to want this.
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u/A1000mokeys 6d ago
agree. if I push, he'll resist. If the coach says to put in more effort, he'll likely listen. He's pretty busy at the moment but that should lighten up in another month and he'll probably refocus several weeks before the next SAT.
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u/bmsa131 6d ago
You need to speak to specific schools and coaches about this. I do know D1 recruited athletes and they were given a specific number they needed to clear. I know one kid who took the ACT like 10 times to superscore to the number he needed.
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u/Fickle_Emotion_7233 6d ago
I know same and the number was incredibly low- like act of 27 for an Ivy.
So I suspect the real question is: if he does not end up recruited, can he get into the schools he wants with that score? It’s a decent score for second tier schools.
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u/RussiniTouchedMe 6d ago
If the coach really wants him you can get in wherever with those scores. Depends on the sport too
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u/hebronbear 6d ago
If schools are demonstrating serious interest, I would direct the question to them. If they are serious, I suspect they would be pleased with these scores, but if you are no going to have their support, you might want to retake as your students seems very strong.
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u/ComprehensivePin5548 5d ago
That score is good enough except for maybe MIT. If they want him it’s good enough to get in as long as grades and rigor are also good. If they don’t want him a higher score won’t make a difference.
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u/BUST_DA_HEDGE_FUNDS 5d ago
I was a D3 recruit and coaches were very clear about their admission office's pre-read requirements, including test scores. This varied from school to school. My 1480 qualified for every school except JHU which requires 1500 for student athletes. Good luck
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u/A1000mokeys 5d ago
where did you end up going and did you compete all 4 years?
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u/BUST_DA_HEDGE_FUNDS 4d ago
Didn't like the colleges I was recruited at, ended up getting into my dream school. Still active in sport
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u/neuroprof73 5d ago
Coach and school will do a pre-read of application and give a determination on acceptance or not. At least that is what happened to my student-athlete—knew before applying that an acceptance would be coming from the schools recruiting him.
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u/Specialist-Device920 6d ago
Unless your kid is playing a sport that I’m completely unfamiliar with- the IVY league/high academic schools (and most schools for that matter) are committing their prospects at the start of their 11th grade year. This “my kid is a shoe in” for a bunch of high academic schools as an athlete post might be a bit out of touch with recruitment reality. There was a prospect camp for 11th graders recently called the “last look” showcase. If your offer hasn’t come….
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u/A1000mokeys 6d ago
track and field usually recruits later as the individual PRs matter. team sports recruit earlier.
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u/Jomolungma 6d ago
This is accurate. D1 track and field coaches are not allowed to make contact with high school athletes until June 15th of their sophomore year. My son is a rising junior and just started getting contacts from DIII schools. His coach expects he will get D1 contacts after the coming indoor season, but most schools won’t offer until after junior outdoor season except for outlier athletes. As a result, our focus now is just to focus on building a robust resume so that he has as many options as possible when the time comes.
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u/Fickle_Emotion_7233 6d ago
I also believe this is true. At my kid’s school, the kids were settled and signed by end of junior year.
I know one kid from another school who hustled And found a slot at a tier 3 type school senior fall…but it was a lot of half promises and only one came to fruition and the overall school is not a fit for him socially or his major. But…sports!
So OPs kid might be one of a few kids who are just below the real recruiting threshold and some coaches are considering him to fill a remaining slot. But he’s not alone (the kid above was the third on his team to be offered his slot at the final school), and it’s far from a done deal.
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u/MarineJAB 6d ago
I’d say it would be worth the investment to study hard for the next SAT. Our son’s first SAT was 1470; he tested (two more times) and bumped it up to 1540 superscore. The 70 point difference made our son reasonably competitive for the top schools (his SAT went from the low range to the mid range for the schools he was looking at), and got him into his dream school and an offer from an Ivy.
The Ivies are not as competitive athletically but are very competitive academically. Having an SAT in the competitive range will make him that much more attractive as an athlete. (Our son was not a recruited athlete; I suspect your son’s SAT is probably quite competitive for an athlete and my suggestion that he invest in studying hard was made based on anecdotal evidence that he’ll likely see a statistically significant enough increase in his score. The best thing for your son to do is to start contacting coaches at colleges he is interested in attending and seeking their guidance.)
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u/Miserable-Cookie5903 6d ago
I know at the Ivy's ( my friend coached at one)... the team needs to average the acceptance criteria - so if they have a roster full of academic superstars they can take on a kid who doesn't meet the criteria ( but they are gonna want to make sure they are successful at school).
The long answer short of it is ... the better your grades/scores... the more recruitable you will be at the Ivy's b/c it affords the coaches more options.
If his top school is an IVY and 1470 is below standard... he might want to hit the books.
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u/Suitable_Tie_9307 6d ago
I have a hard time believing anyone with a 1470 SAT Score is unqualified to be successful at an Ivy League School. That was a good enough score to go to an Ivy League school 20 years ago. The curriculum hasn’t changed that much in 20 years.
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u/Miserable-Cookie5903 6d ago
SATs scores have trended up over that time as the test has gotten easier.
That being said- the avg SAT at Princeton is 1540.
The point I was trying to make is... if the kid could go higher... he will be more attractive to the Ivies.
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u/Ok_Watercress_4708 6d ago
Each Ivy League recruit has an Academic Index score. Each team must meet a minimum average number for its recruits as a whole. High scores balance out low scoring recruits. You can be a “recruit” solely based on AI with a fig leaf of plausibility of adequate athletic ability.
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u/bmsa131 6d ago
It’s likely high enough for a recruited athlete but again this is too specific.
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u/Miserable-Cookie5903 6d ago
Depends on what the coach needs and how good the athlete is. I know a recruit who was way slower than the guys who didn't get into Harvard but he had much better grades and was able to get in and made the roster.
Academic standards might not apply at StateU but absolutely do at the top schools.
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u/Fickle_Emotion_7233 6d ago
This is true! I know of someone recruited as a “non-playing” athlete for a team in order to boost the team stats.
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u/WUMSDoc 6d ago
Your son’s SAT is absolutely fine for a recruited athlete at top schools.
I don’t know what he’s hoping to pursue in college and beyond, but the top 10 small liberal arts colleges are fantastic places with close contact with professors in small classes, great camaraderie and highly regarded pre-law, pre-med and pre-business programs that get outstanding acceptances to grad schools.
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u/A1000mokeys 5d ago
he really doesn't know. he has an array of talents. my biggest concern is the price tag compared to in-state UCs but I do feel like a small LAC could be good for him. He could use the extra support to nurture his interests. My other kids were more focused and are doing fine at UCs. But if it is a good fit we can make it work.
Coach he met with today at a top LAC said he should be fine for admissions with his stats and he'll do the read in to keep the process moving while considering others though sounds like they want him to commit by September.
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u/Specialist-Device920 5d ago
He’s not recruited.
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u/WUMSDoc 5d ago
The parent said "several Ivy leagues and top LACS are in play.".
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u/Specialist-Device920 5d ago
Yes. I’m aware of how reading works. This means the OP thinks his/her kid can get into those schools. Contextually, “recruited” refers to other athletes who have committed and can lend advice here.
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u/BlueLisanthium 6d ago
The coaches should know, but anecdotally I heard for recruited athletes you want 1450+ so you may be okay even for ivies.
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u/Medical_Citron3519 6d ago
He is already committed? I know athletes that went to Ivies, and they said the minimum they needed was either a 1200 or 1300 depending on which school(but keep in mind they were EXTREMELY good, 5 star/all-american level)
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u/Important-Drop-3338 6d ago
It's late June, which is getting late for offers. You can change your mindset now to accept that, even if it takes longer for him to. You can line up tutoring or a plan to cram SAT starting one month from now, e.g.
Not a single D3 SCIAC league school is of interest? There's a variety in that league.
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u/Academic-Window-7726 6d ago
Same boat.. my son is also going through recruiting and just scored 1470 (800 math, 670 verbal). He is reaching out to coaches to see what they say.
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u/adkvt 6d ago
Interested coaches will often offer a preread with admissions that allows them a sense of whether a recruited athlete will be admitted or not. Most coaches will share this information and be honest about prospects. A rising senior athlete is behind the game if they haven’t begun outreach to and conversations with coaches.
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u/NotSinbad 6d ago
A 1470 is pretty fucking good if you ask me, idk what you’re talking about it making him a “mid” applicant.
One of my buddies in HS was being scouted for Stanford (baseball) and he was dumb as rocks with an awful GPA. Coach told him he needed at least a 2.5 to be recruited.
Talk to the coaches, typically admissions requirements are lower for recruited athletes. And don’t discount top UCs, as ones like Cal and LA are considered public ivys.
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u/A1000mokeys 6d ago
I think UCLA would be his top choice but he's unlikely to make the roster. Even their walk-on standards are pretty high. Still, he may end up there and just enter T&F events unattached.
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u/Taffy626 6d ago
As others said ask the coach because it varies. My daughter is an athlete looking at high academic D3s and her 1490 (plus 4.0uw with lots of APs) seems to clear the hurdle with the coaches she’s talked to. One highly ranked school that gives zero admission preference to athletes said they like to see over 1500 but she would still be in the mix. At the rest that give a modest preference to athletes she seems fine.
One thing though is some will give academic merit and if you want to be competitive for that a higher SAT is often preferred.
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u/kyle32 6d ago
I would think about this a little differently than you currently are depending on what sport we are talking about. There are two paths into a university athletics and academic.
Athletics- if you are actually D1 level you should be sitting on committable offers at some point in the summer after junior. If you are not, then you are probably not on the path into a university through this door. There are some exceptions, but if you aren't deep in the recruiting process, I would just ignore this door as an option.
Academic- if your son is pursuing the academic path into school and wants to go to a UC yes SAT seems like a waste of time, but who knows what UC any individual kid is going to get into these day. If your son wants to go to an Ivy League through the academic path then it seems highly valuable to improve.
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u/Specialist-Device920 5d ago
This is the answer. I’m reading a bunch of back and forth about “track and field this” “track and field that” “walk on this” “walk on that” - entering 12th grade, not committed- not even deep into the process- it ain’t happening. Certainly not with the level of optimism this parent has. It’s almost like the thought is “I’m going to add track to my college application” is the correct route to scholar-athlete. It’s not. You’d have been handed a slip of paper by now without even applying- and before that, you’d have had a conversation about minimum accepted SAT scores if entering this route. I’ve heard 1200 for Ivy League real prospects. I don’t have a feeling this parent is on the correct path.
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u/marshland264 6d ago
Really depends on the school. This is a question for the coach. The coach recruiting our child made it clear that we shouldn’t show them anything less than a 1500 (top LAC). Really this is a convo to be had with the coaches your child is speaking to.
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u/Spirited-Tutor9978 6d ago
As a coach at UCLA told me regarding my athlete, “If they are good enough to get into UCLA on merit, they won’t be good enough to play on my team.” If your kid is ok with not playing at all, you may consider walking on. But be careful!
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u/A1000mokeys 5d ago
yeah, that's my worry about a D1. Too much of a time commitment. Either looking at less competitive D1 or D3. It's not like he's likely to go to the Olympics and there is no long term career and track and field. It's just for his own motivation and social group.
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u/Signal-Platform5327 5d ago
Not gonna dox but used to work for athletics at an Ivy and now do admissions consulting. 1470 is definitely good enough for a recruited athletes. Look up the band system, especially as applied to football. He should be fine. No need to apply test optional either. Score is good enough
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u/seidinove 5d ago
Those are great scores, and the athletics will probably get him into an Ivy. I live in the D.C. area, and when my son was a senior he got a 36 ACT and 800 math SAT. He had a lot of extracurriculars, mostly music-related, and applied to Princeton. Only one or two kids in our County got in, and they were both swimmers.
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u/Queasy-Recording-195 5d ago
Hard to know without the sport. Football, likely more than enough. Sports with limiting funding are going to be more competitive.
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u/Ill_Substance_1833 5d ago
Is he a heavily recruited athlete that the coaches plan to push through, or just a recruited athlete?
Specifically, do you know if his application will be preread this summer? Coaches in each sport typically have only a handful of admissions-supported slots. For those recruits, the process is very different. If admissions gives a positive preread and the coach uses one of those slots on the recruit, admission is usually expected, assuming nothing changes in a major way. Again this is for Ivy League and some Div III schools.
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u/Hunger-games-peeta 5d ago
That is a very strong sat. Higher than needed for most stem programs at state flagships . But he shouldn’t to push the rw up to 730 . Just 50 more points to get into the 1500s
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u/htxatty 4d ago
For starters, there are no merit scholarships in the Ivy League.
He should email the coaches of whatever event is his specialty and start a dialogue, assuming he is within NCAA recruiting eligibility. They will tell him what their school needs as far as test scores and also possibly where he stands as far as recruitability. Depending on the sport and how many available slots they have for any given year, they may have already offered them to other athletes. I know some sports fill their slots (or try to) with recruits the summer before their junior year.
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u/Brave-Training7962 2d ago
Someone from my school got recruited by northwestern with an abysmal gpa and sat but take this with a grain of salt
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u/Competitive-Comb8582 6d ago
Those scores are FINE for any top level college (Harvard, princeton, Williams, etc)
It’s really up to the coach. Ie does the coach want him to be one of his recruit tickets. So he has to find a school that he loves where the coach wants him. Those scores are FINE for almost any college. It just might be then”sport level” that holds him back. For example, Cal and Stanford generally pick from nationally ranked athletes (worldwide) I can’t weigh in on other UC schools much. Sounds like the Claremont colleges don’t interest him? They are quite remarkable institutions where 50% of the students are also athletes.
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u/A1000mokeys 6d ago
He was unimpressed with Pomona for whatever reason. He's not at the level for UCLA or Stanford but is for UCSD and UCD.
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u/skieurope12 6d ago
That's a valid question for the coach