Recruiting Advice 2021

Were the school specific camps Ivy camps? If yes, any feedback? All looks good so it's a matter of communicating with the schools and hoping they like your pitching. If they do they will ask for a summer schedule so they can come see you play.

Just noticed you said PSAT. Take the SAT ASAP. A 30 ACT may be slightly lower than a 1430 SAT. If you score 1430 on the SAT then I think you could be in the mix.

Top 5 list

1) Communication - Be proactive.  Send an introductory notes to the RCs with highlighted metrics, pitching video link, and follow up with a phone call.  Be persistent.   If your travel coach/high school coach is involved in your recruiting efforts include them.  They can help.

2) Academic Metrics - Ivy coaches are not going to seriously consider or recruit you until you have the necessary metrics that they can run by admissions.   PSAT means very little unless you are throwing 90+.   Based on your current velocity (not projected) you probably need to score higher on your SAT/ACT.   This is all about peaking their interest and using your academic and athletic skills as a "hook".   The quicker you are able to get your academic numbers in line the better your chances and timing for the coaches.

3) If you were my son, I would suggest that you get the idea of "I have to go to an Ivy League school" out of your head.   You have a lot to offer.  You're a smart kid.  The Ivy League is an athletic conference...these schools are very different from each other.  Look at other options that meet your life goals.  There are plently of awesome schools out there that want to recruit students that also want to play baseball.   The ivy schools just happen to be 8 schools that are pretty darn good.   There are more, many more.

4)Keep improving and working on your academic #s and pitching technique.   I've been there.  My oldest son worked hard at it, and then finally one day it happened.   He threw 90 in an indoor bullpen session before his junior year season.   He figured it out, and was able to hit 90+ in a game with college coaches watching.  His simple secret...relax.

5) You need help.  Is your travel coach, high school coach able to help you open recruiting doors?   It is one thing to talk about yourself (some people are very uncomfortable with it), but to have somebody with a baseball background vouch for you takes it to another level.   Don't try to do this all by yourself.  Seek advice from people that can help you navigate this.   It is very difficult and maddening process.

As always, JMO.  Good luck!

I think you will find that the information you seek is already on this site.  Utilize the search component.  Try words like  "Ivy" "HA" (high academic) and maybe some of the specific schools you're looking at (there is a thread on Brown going on right now, the last post was a few hours before yours).

Here are a few quick words (I have a 2022 in CA that is also interested in high academic schools):

Get your measurables documented.  If you're in the North half of CA you can do it later this month via PBR.  Not sure about SoCal, I think they may be done until June (Post CIF season).  Sign up for either Headfirst or Showball camps (search these as well on the boards) or maybe even Stanford Camp.  All of these list the coaches that are attending.  If you're in SoCal someone had a thread about Quakes Ivy Camp recently, looks like they have almost all the Ivy's coming. I would suggest sending film and stats to these coaches prior to attending camp.  Do whatever you can to get on their list to watch and then find a way to play in front of them.  Are you attending the AZ Fall Classic? Find a way to do that too. If you do sign up for the Academic Game Tryout (search that on this site as well)

These boards are goldmines of information, better than any recruiting how-to book out there.  Unfortunately you have to do a little work to access the information.  Pull it up on your iPad when you have a couple hours and just start reading threads.

Good Luck!

ABSORBER posted:

 

Just noticed you said PSAT. Take the SAT ASAP. A 30 ACT may be slightly lower than a 1430 SAT. If you score 1430 on the SAT then I think you could be in the mix.

RHP21 - 

Two points from me here - the concordance tables (from 2018) equate a 1430 SAT with a 32 ACT so it seems you might want to focus on the SAT.  Second, and I could be wrong, isn't the PSAT off a 1520 scale - therefore a 1430/1520 is equivalent to a 1500 out of 1600.  I could be wrong on second point or you might have already made this adjustment... A 1500 = 34 ACT.    I could be way off on point #2 but your scores look like they will be very good non the less.

By now you should have completed recruiting questionnaires for each school (Ivy and other HA) where you have interest. You will find links on the school websites.

Then send a video of your pitching with a radar gun in view. (Others with pitching son's can chime in here). With each video contain something about you in the subject of the email. (Position/Graduation year and something that will grab them). For my son it was his 60 time and GPA (which yours is high too)

Events where the HA's gather (Headfirst/Showball) are good, but it is nice if you are on their clipboard as a player to follow (given previous correspondence).

I'll piggyback on Fenway South's Bullet point #1--communication. I used to remind my son to send the school's a note when something new (test score, game highlight, academic award) came up.

To give you an idea of how some Ivy's make their decisions- there are usually 7-8 spots per year. My son's RC/HC where he landed I think saw him play 7 times  between showcase events, American Legion games and HS games. His RC told my son that he was at events, that son didn't even know RC or college were present.

Also having the test scores (SAT/ACT) in the forefront is good, as you clear the first hurdle of HA schools. You should have copies of an official transcript from your guidance counselor handy.

As for the timeline, you are a little behind if you haven't reached out to the schools yet for Ivies. They are going over the list of candidates on their "board" based on need. Fortunately pitching is always needed and is usually half of each recruiting class.

Make sure you have a backup plan and have touched based with other HA (D3 tend to make their decisions after the Ivy League. Son kept in contact with 3-5 of D3 schools before he received his Ivy offer. Has your HS, Travel, Legion coach every had another player land in the Ivy League--does he have contacts with any? Those contacts were beneficial to son whose Legion coach had played baseball on a team with the RC of one school and had traveled to many showcases (Legion mgr was working at a college at time) with another.

Good luck, and LOUSYLEFTY's advice to seek past threads is a good one.  A plan is definitely needed. Time to get to work with set goals with dates.

Given that you went to 2 HF camps (many schools in attendance). Did you receive any feedback? For a RHP if would say you probably need to "Sit" where you maxed, in terms of MPH.

Great advice given.

Broaden the target lists; spend money to raise the test scores. Have a plan if your scores are static.

I don't know if you're taking the most rigorous HS curriculum your HS offers. If you dont know, ask your Guidance Counselor. If you're not able to check that box, unless you're the single best recruit, admissions will be tough.

While "demonstrated interest" isn't a factor in Ivy admissions, stopping by a school for an informal meeting with some coaches does put a face to an e-mail; if you do that, have your academic resume in hand to give out. The coach may be able to give you an indication of its viability.

As others have noted, admissions is somewhat of a sliding scale (i.e., a 95 mph pitcher has more academic wriggle room than an 88 mph pitcher).

This site has a large number of posters with actual knowledge of the Ivies; so, ask away and good luck!

You're right there and have good metrics. I would recommend an event to nut up on a 0-2 or 1-2 count and throw a 4 seamer outside the plate to get the Velo captured. It doesn't have to be a strike to count (hint, hint!).

Definitely grab video with a good radar gun (not ball coach) in your video to avoid question. It's pricey but a Stalker Pro 2 is a great investment and brings validity to a pitching video and velo. Also better to get velo from a Perfect Game event or tweet from a 3rd party.

You have to be above 90 as a RHP to get serious looks from Top D1s.

NOT Ivy.

Definitely use FlatgroundApp and other retweeting websites to amplify your reach. Include your metrics (Class, height, weight, GPA, Scores, and velo). BookwormBall Players, Mound Prospects are some others. Bookworm will retweet above 3.5 GPA. 

You have the minimums for Stanford 3.8 and 1300, but Stanford is done with 2021 class as are MOST of the big D1 Schools. My son was in a battle for their last arm slot in October. He ultimately chose Georgia Tech. 

Brown, Columbia and Harvard are still recruiting and you meet their standards to get in as an athlete if you feel you have to go Ivy. 

Headfirst Camps are a great exposore option for HA kids, but it's late in the game for the big Schools for 2021, not the Ivys.  I'm asssuming everyone holds off a spot for a potential "phenom" or "gamechanger" should they appear but like others have said. 2021 class for most of the big schools are full.

• UVA is practically done. We were there in Nov and they were down to their last spot.
• Vandy has 20 commits already.
• Duke has 12.
• UNC has spots and recruit up to 2021 start. 
• There are exceptions.
• Texas only has 6 commits and normally takes  13-15+ .
• Notre Dame had a complete coaching staff change this past summer and were recovering on recruiting and playing catch up but see they have 12 for 2021.

Check https://www.perfectgame.org/ra...uiting/Rankings.aspx a lot of schools are mostly full for 2021 by this past fall for the 2021s. Some are already getting full for the 2022s!!!

Expand list to D2-3s, JUCOs and go where you can play. JUCO transfers are huge at places like Texas A&M, Arkansas, and other places. 

Good luck and keep working toward your goals. You got this!

Ivy recruiting also has the Academic Index to contend with.  Once you are identified by the school(s) the RC/HC should be able to tell you what your score and grades should be.  I know an average baseball player with 5.0 GPA and 1600 on SAT who commited early to top Ivy which then allowed the school to then go after a recruit with a lesser AI.  My 2015 was recruited by a top Ivy and was told after his pre-read during Junior year of high school to get a certain ACT score and he would be in.  If you are 6'3, 210lb and can "go yard" or if you throw 90+ then scores and grades are negotiable!