Timing National Letter of Intent and Admission Application

ASAP!!!!

Bob

In our experience (D1 so I don't know if it's different at other levels), the teams gather information (unofficial transcript, SATs, coursework your senior year) and pre screen you with the admissions department so you know that you will get in. You still have to apply but when you sign the NLI they have gotten a provisional acceptance.

If you commit young, they generally let you know what GPA you need, coursework you should take and, if applicable,  College Board scores to get in. Depending on the program, they are given some leeway with a few student-athletes but it's much better to be the guy who needs no help or very little help to get in. For my daughter at Northwestern, she was relieved when she didn't have to retake the SATs (she test exceptionally well) but was ticked that she couldn't drop down from AP Spanish her senior year.

The recruited athletes at my high school almost always apply ED or EA (applications due in October/November). I second Bob...

To answer your bottom line question, it will vary by school.  It is best to ask the coach what they normally do. For example, in our case, (D1) coach wanted all players to apply ED. So we followed the timeline for ED. The deadline for ED was before NLI. Academic/financial aide notification was in March, if I remember correctly. However, it may be different at a different school.

@Francis7 posted:

Related, does the coach contact or work with the admissions department before you even apply to make sure he’s not wasting his time with the NLI to make sure that you will get into the school?  Or, is that on the student to make sure that he’s talking with a coach where he’s going to be able to get into that school once he applies?

You have been given great advice, but I will make it simple for you.

The coach ran your son's  grades and test scores by the academic advisor before he offered.  If he thought there was an issue, he would have discussed.

Have your son text the coach to find out when he should apply, or contact admissions.

I would like to add:  your son should not be afraid to discuss this sort of thing with the coach. He needs to get comfortable talking to the coach. Coach is a man, just like him. Puts his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else. Get to know him. It will improve his overall baseball experience by leaps and bounds!🙂

Related, someone told me that the NLI is loaded to Naviance and the student prints it out. This true?

@RoadRunner posted:

I would like to add:  your son should not be afraid to discuss this sort of thing with the coach. He needs to get comfortable talking to the coach. Coach is a man, just like him. Puts his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else. Get to know him. It will improve his overall baseball experience by leaps and bounds!🙂

Excellent advice!  This is how your son and coach get to know each other. Son's recruits (coach cant initiate call) and commits text him or call frequently, as he did the same when he was in HS.