My experience is much like Gov's, though the schools are different, so I'm editing his where there are differences.
- which coach's (schools) have pull, slot, tips - or whatever name is given - with admissions;
- Son is first year at D3 high academic NESCAC - HC had about 8 slots to support players through admissions. Do not know about preferences that Gov describes.
- how many kids show up each fall to tryout;
- 40 kids showed up this fall, including 6 walkons, none of whom made the team. Coach cut to 30 which may have included kids who were given tips. Uncertain about that.
Where and when (his HS yr) was your son seen:
- Know he was seen at HF Sacramento in June rising senior summer, followed by Stanford camp a couple days later. May have been seen the fall of Jr. year at HF Florida, but school was not on son's radar at that point. Email/film contact began in spring of jr. year, with HF Sacramento event a few months later.
- Son started emailing video and interest in spring of Junior year, based on sons emails, the HC followed him at Stanford, after the RC followed him at HF; they talked extensively through the summer, and invited him to campus in August after a pre-read. Offer made at August meeting with ED app requirement.
Can a kid be in the lower half of the incoming academic class stats:
- Coaches leaned heavily on the middle 50% of accepted ACT scores for that school. If the player has a 31, and the middle 50% is 31-33, the coach was then comfortable supporting the player. Son's scores/grades were right at 50%tile, for the prior admitting year. Turns out for his admit year admissions was more competitive and he was at about the 45%tile. My understanding is that scores HAD to be at 25%ile or above.
- Son is playing in Japan next summer, organized by coaches in our community. Approved by HC, who seems pretty flexible.
- A note I find interesting. Son had several offers from similar schools. Visited each one of them after offers were extended from coaches and pre reads were done with admissions, all with green light. NO coaches added any extra pressure, other than ED app requirement for their school. They were friendly, but not pushy, and they all told him he was their #1 OF recruit. I don't think that was true anywhere, frankly, and what I still don't quite get is their patience with him. I'm not sure he was one of their top picks the coaches had to use admissions credit with. It may be that he would have been admitted anyway or it may be that the schools he was interested don't beg players to come there because they don't need to. Not that I wanted son to begged to go. I was just surprised that none of them put a deadline on when they needed his commitment. I know other players who were given a week to decide. Son was given three months. Makes me think he was NOT the top choice, and was more likely insurance.