Princeton University and baseball in 2005,2006,2007 and 2008

beenthere...

i am very interested in taking my skills to the next level. just interested, but what are the academic requirements for princeton. I have yet to take my ACT or SAT, in which i will be taking them in the upcoming semester. any info would be great, thanks


injuns3

First off Beenthere, congrats to you and your son.

I don't talk too much on here and usually keep my thoughts to myself, but I am an avid reader and enjoy learning from your wealth of baseball knowledge. Right now I'm a sophomore and since last year I've really set my mind on playing Ivy League ball, especially at Princeton. I'm just writing to say that I think it is great that there is someone on here as a future reference and that your willing to help others out. Thanks.

Injuns, WY and 06...

Just so no one misconstrues the purpose of my post...

I am not affiliated with Princeton University in any way shape or fashion, except that I have now become a big fan of the school and of the baseball program having gone through the recruiting process with my son; and, specifically having had a ton of telephone conversations with their personable head coach, Coach Scott Bradley ( a former Chicago White Sox and a Seattle Mariners player). I have not met Scott in person and plan to visit with him and say hello to him this spring (on the weekend when my son has his prom and there are no LWE games played).

As a parent, I believe that it is important that the program that your son commits to attending, has quality people and quality baseball. While relatively far from the "big boys" of the SEC and ACC and PAC 10, and likely to struggle in a 10 games series, I would guess that while playing a 3-game series against the best team in the Ivy League, whether Harvard, Princeton, Cornell or Dartmouth (Actually I don't know much about the NCAA tournament appearances of any of these teams, if any), anything can happen. In the past couple of years, the Princeton program has had a couple of stud pitchers and I would think that they might have one or two this year, too.

That said, I can help you with what worked for my son including competitive summer baseball; taking the ACT and SAT multiple times beginning with the sophomore year; going to select summer camps, etc.

As important as all that is, it is likely more important to associate yourself with someone who has lofty baseball goals and becomes your baseball workout "partner". Just like that blonde or brunette on your arm, everyone should have one.

06...I appreciate your giving me your email address, but I would prefer that you email me with your questions and get your mom or dad's permission to do so...Just so someone doesn't get the wrong idea about the an adult contacting a minor.

My email address: jbp224aol.com and home telephone number is: 815-469-4520. We live in a Southwestern suburb of Chicago. Best time to call is evenings after 8. If I don't have an answer for you, I will likely be able to get one within 24 hours.

WY...Are you the righthanded pitcher?

It is my understanding that Coach Bradley will be writing some sort of "Release" for the kids that have committed to him and have been accepted Early Decision for the Class of 2008.

I know that they picked up Christian Staeheley (spelling) from Texas; Micah Kaplan from Texas; Ryan from Lincoln Way East; and, I don't know about the young rhp from Chet Lemon's Juice team in Florida. I do know that they "lost" Will McDaniel, a rhp, from Houston Episcopal HS, who was outstanding for me as a member of the 2002 Upper Deck Cougars, to Rice University in Houston.

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When Ryan made his official visit, he stayed with Tim Lahey, sr, 3b/c. He absolutely loved his visit, the campus, the coach and some of his new "teammates-to-be"...Nevermind that to many, it is regarded as one of the finest undergraduate programs at one of the finest universities in the world.

Although not Princeton specific, I can offer our first-hand recent experience on certain aspects of these collective inquiries. Our son was recruited to play baseball in one of the Ivy League schools and was accepted ED, Class of 2008. He also turned down a scholarship offer from another D-1 school to go to this Ivy League school.

He took the SAT tests 3 times: (1) Soph-- to get his bearings (1300's) (2) Jr.--to hit his stride (1400's) and (3) Sr.--to hit the jackpot (high 1500's). Between the "stride" and the "jackpot" scores he was told/we were told by the coach that he did not have to take the test again. By then, he had already taken the SAT IIs and scored very high there too- he never took those but that one time. I do not believe his highest SAT score had any real bearing on his admission. He just wanted to take it again, and we are glad he did, as the higher score may help as we troll the earth in search of a little scholarship $$$.... On his official visit, the subject of the scores came up among the players and there was a range of scores, not necessarily a broad range; where one might be able to fall within that range depends on a host of variables. We live in the South where the ACT seems to be the preferred test, but he never took it. Select one test type and work on that one. The SAT is changing formats, but even the new parts are similar to certain material that has been tested on before i.e., Writing (like the PSAT Writing Section or the SAT II Writing Section.)

Equally important were the scads of AP courses he took in HS and how he did on them. I lobbied him not to take that rigorous a curriculum, because I figured he had demonstrated enough initiative in this area, and I felt the household would capsize under the pressure of the courses and the baseball (yes, I know,...it was his work to do, but everyone feels the pressure....)

We went to some very good events, PG National, Area Code Games and Stanford Camp. If I had found this site sooner, we might have learned of and gone to one of TR Hit's Northeast events. I personally saw 5/8 Ivy League schools represented at Stanford's camp. As many experienced posters will note, there are different ways to go about the process, but I would suspect the different ways each share a few common "ingredients."

Thanks for the post, Pen. Precisely the kind of information that the kids and parents need to help make some of their own decisions.

Just a note. I have it on good authority that 1250 and 3.5 w/ allpossible honors classes will get you in to play baseball at even the toughest Ivy. If you are THAT kind of player.

Interesting, sox.

I referred a couple of kids that had better numbers to the coach and he said that that was not enough.

Oh, well.

if the coach really wants you those numbers will put you in the team picture at Harvard,but since the admissions office has the only say,the deck is still stacked against you-but a possibility.