@TerribleBPthrower posted:How often do coaches tell a kid they should be good with admissions and then they aren’t? Seems like the coaches my son has interacted with have a good grasp on the minimums.
My son's experience was that schools asked for a pre-read before they get serious about recruiting. Your son submits his transcript and test scores and the admissions office tells the coach whether he is likely to be admitted (or not likely, or definitely won't be). A player who has a successful pre-read and who a coach agrees to support should be admitted as an ED applicant, assuming nothing significant changes, like the player being suspended or failing a class. At some schools, a coach can get a small number of players admitted who aren't quite up to the usual academic standards--so if your kid is a lefty throwing 90 mph, it may be OK if his ACT is a couple of points lower than if he's a righty topping at 86. In that case, too, the pre-read process should tell you where you stand.
It's important to ask directly whether the admissions office has given a coach a "tip" he will use for your kid. Don't settle for just "we'd love have you as part of our program." But if your son has a coach's support, then you can feel confident he will be accepted. Coaches will warn you that nothing is guaranteed, but I have not heard of players being rejected after a successful pre-read and a coach's tip (and no significant change in the applicant's situation).