Question: What’s the current minimum number required to meet the Ivy League Academic Index (AI)?
Answer: 184
AI calculations are different this year as a result of the pandemic and optional test scores, so this may change again when (if?) things get back to normal. Still, it’s good to know what the minimum is, even if the calculations are more convoluted than ever.
The link below is for a spreadsheet showing statistics from this week’s 2020 NHL draft. The information includes a breakdown of high school, prep school and college players selected.
Question: Given that the Ivy League is test-optional for applicants this year, is the league still requiring test scores (SAT or ACT) for athletes as part of the Academic Index?
Answer: No, test scores are not required for athletes as part of the AI.
On the surface, this appears to make it easier for some students to be admitted who wouldn’t have been admitted if a test score were required. (The case for removing what is generally perceived as a socio-economic barrier.) There’s certainly some truth to that. However, as a result of removing the test scores, transcripts, classes, etc. are getting closer scrutiny, so the reverse could also be true. While meeting the AI minimum was never an automatic pass, if you hit the numbers, your chances were very, very good. You didn’t have much else to prove. Without the test score, it seems to be more subjective. Therefore, it’s possible that it won’t be any easier, and may even be harder, for athletes, especially low band, borderline ones, to be admitted.
Bonus Question: If you have a test score, can your AI be calculated using the test score? In other words, can it be calculated the old way?
Answer: Yes, and the higher of the two AI calculations (with and without the test score) will be used to make the determination.
I think a PG year is by far the best choice, no matter what D1 offers he gets. Every year athletes who graduate from my high school drop out of college during their freshman year. They are good kids and good students but they drop out because they aren’t equipped to handle the overall transition to college. This kid is not ready to survive in college.
This from a longtime Athletic Director at a very poor and low performing urban school district talking about a D1 scholarship talent football player.
This email is from a parent interested in a post-graduate year for his child:
Mike,
Two more questions/comments for you about a PG year.
First, a question. In a post-grad year, how do schools tailor the education plan? Is it based on each student or is it just as if he were taking HS/College type classes? To say it another way, in Oscar’s case, his biggest focus is test scores, so would they simply shove him in a closet and give him a test review course? For the record, I am fine with and endorse shoving him in a closet with a SAT review book and laptop.
Now, a comment. While we would most certainly welcome a D1 offer if that was the result of us choosing prep school (I mean who wouldn’t), that would just be a bonus. To us, a D3 offer at a high academic school is more than a win. I think Oscar is a bubble recruit right now at D3 schools like Case, Rochester, Franklin and Marshall, Dickinson, Washington and Lee and Union. If a post grad year could flip a couple of these from the their “nice to have list” to their “must have” list, then that would certainly be a successful PG year for us. Williams College is on it’s own list. They really seem sincere in wanting him, but just cannot get him in with an 1150 SAT. They have really made it clear that a 1350 SAT and he’s getting in, and at 1300 they can probably use a token. I’ve used too many words to make my point here……. which is we would have reasonable expectations going into this.
Thanks.
Matt
My Response:
Matt,
Your overall goals for a PG year are perfect. (You’d be amazed at how few times I get to say that to parents.) I love your honesty (if not your priorities 🙂 ) and sense of humor regarding PG classes vs test prep. That kind of straight feedback is worth more than you know – to me, to prep schools and to the colleges recruiting your child.
Here’s the answer to your question. If you send him to a basketball factory, he has the option of just studying for the SAT. If you send him to any kind of a real prep school, he’s going to take a full schedule that includes the next level of classes from what he’s taking now. If he’s taking pre-calculus now, he’s going to take calculus as a PG. If he’s taking Spanish 4 now, he’ll take Spanish 5. That doesn’t mean all his classes are completely by the book. One of the best things about a PG year is the one-time opportunity to explore electives or classes the student wouldn’t normally try. There is flexibility in class choice based on the individual student.
A real prep school is what you should want, for several reasons.
Remember, the best prep schools have tremendous clout with the top level colleges. Why not take advantage of that? In other words, if you understand the facts, there’s no reason to think you have to sacrifice. You can get everything.
Your comment about PG year outcomes shows me your awareness as a parent is right on the money and ahead of the curve. Normally, when a parent tells me how reasonable they are, I can be pretty sure they’re not. In this case, your expectations and goals are very reasonable. I would add that if using a PG year to get him to the top level academic D3 schools is a successful outcome for you, then prep school is probably what you should do next year, regardless of what happens the rest of his senior year. I think it’s just about that simple. While we’re discussing awareness, let’s remember almost every family would give an awful lot to know their child was going to be admitted the schools with the academic rating of those on your list. You’re in a very good position.
Thanks.
Mike
Question: What was the median family income of Yale College students in 2016? (This is presumably similar for most Ivy League schools.)
Answer: $193,000
Taylor is a post-grad who got full aid plus spending money and plane fare to one of the top 10 prep schools in the country. He was hoping to earn a college scholarship after his PG year, but wasn’t quite good enough. Still, he and his family got what almost every family hopes for – a very top academic D3 school with a list price of $70,000 for less than $5,000/yr. Instead, he’s chosen to go to junior college. This is a problem for his prep school coach, the prep school admissions office, the prep school college counseling office and the prep school itself. The school’s list of college matriculations is nothing short of incredible. That’s why families from around the world are willing to write the check for $65,000/yr. to attend. The school doesn’t hand out full financial aid so kids can go to junior college when they’ve got infinitely better options. The school knows not everyone’s a scholarship athlete. They’re fine with that. But picking a junior college over a top D3 for no good reason is not acceptable, especially when the family told the prep school twice before being accepted that they would take the right D3 offer if they didn’t get a scholarship. Now that the junior college decision has been made, this family has no qualms or guilt and apparently feels no responsibility to the school or others, especially the next kid who wants the same opportunity and now might not get it .
Haley is a freshman star three sport athlete who gets nearly full aid to attend a very good prep school. She’s already one of the most popular and respected students on campus, both with faculty and other students. When her school deal was originally finalized she said she felt a responsibility to live up to what was expected of her. At the end of her highly successful first year, she was very proud of her success. One of the reasons, she said, was the pressure she felt because she knew she wasn’t just trying to achieve her own goals. She also knew she was representing other people and any future girls who wanted the chance she got. She’d been given something great, something she loved, and wanted to live up to it.
The Patriot League has an academic index (a minimum academic requirement) that athletes must meet to be admissible and eligible to compete. Army West Point and the Naval Academy have fairly unique admissions processes that are much more involved/stringent/difficult than the rest of the Patriot League.
Question: Do Army West Point and Naval Academy athletes still have to meet the Patriot League Academic Index, or is admission to the Academy enough?
Answer: Yes. It’s possible to be admitted to the Academy and NOT be eligible to compete in Patriot League sports, although that would be a rare occurrence.
Bonus question: Do athletes have to meet the AI even if they come through the Academy prep schools?
Answer: Yes, there’s no difference between being admitted directly to the Academy vs entering through the prep school.
These days it’s much more common than it used to be to find kids changing schools multiple times during their high school years. It’s something of an epidemic. I think it’s consistent with the overall mentality of immediate satisfaction in our society today, and it’s not good.
Here’s an email I wrote to some parents whose child must be close to some kind of record for number of schools attended (6 in 3 states), especially for a very good student.
Ron,
For 30 years I’ve guided families through the prep school and college process. It’s my full time job. I get paid to do it. I help families in similar situations every year, and my guidance almost always pays for itself. In your case, I wish I could help, but I can’t.
I’ve watched the highlight videos and I’ve been doing some homework on your situation. The pieces are coming together.
You and your wife are friendly, highly educated people. I’ve always enjoyed the conversations you and I have had, but you completely lost your sense of reality on this topic a long time ago. On my website, there’s a section of blogs entitled “Otherwise likeable, intelligent people”. You’ve made the list. If it’s accurate (or even close) that your son has attended six different schools in three different states since he started high school, that’s a huge red flag. It’s so bad in so many ways, I almost don’t know where to start, but here’s where it ends. I’m going to tell you what you don’t want to hear. You’re a problem parent, and that’s holding your son back more than anything else in this equation.
Your son has scholarship level athleticism (although he doesn’t play the game that well). It’s realistic to think he could get a D2 or NAIA offer, and he still might. However, if his academic profile is as you described (3.4 GPA, 1700+ SAT), the much better choice, the smarter choice, is a very good D3 school (a UAA, a NESCAC or similar school) for the next four years. He’d get a great education, have a great basketball experience, and, finally, get some stability.
Given your history, I expect you will choose a JuCo for a year or two, then yet another school after that. I said at the beginning I’d like to help, but I can’t. I’d have to tell college coaches about your son’s history and that they’re asking for trouble if they take him (although they almost assuredly would know it without me telling them). They’d ask me why. I’d tell them the parents are a big problem. Then they’d ask me why I bothered contacting them in the first place, and they’d be right.
Sorry for being blunt. I’ll call you later to discuss.
Thanks.
Mike
The transfer rate for women’s D1 basketball is up 33% over a ten year period.
In 2003 the rate was 6.8%. In 2013 it was 9.2%. Those numbers are still about 1/4 of the men’s numbers. As with many other parts of the game, the women’s game seems to be following the men’s.
Perhaps most interesting is that 6 of the top 10 rated girls in the 2013 recruiting class have transferred. A number of those 6 committed to colleges as sophomores (also similar to the boys) and some say they now realize that what they considered a dream school as high school sophomores is much different than where they want to be playing as 20 year olds. This is a pretty strong case that kids (and parents) are picking a college at too young an age.