Recruited athlete- Official Visit Question

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Aug 27, 2022
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I’m taking an official visit very very soon. Does anyone has any insight on what usually happens during one of these? Will I receive an offer at the end like what happens on other official visits? For context my application is 100% finished and I’m officially medically qualified. I only need a nomination.

Thank you.
 
I’m taking an official visit very very soon. Does anyone has any insight on what usually happens during one of these? Will I receive an offer at the end like what happens on other official visits? For context my application is 100% finished and I’m officially medically qualified. I only need a nomination.

Thank you.
Just be clear an “offer” from a service academy relates to being invited to join the team and is not necessarily the same as a guaranteed offer of appointment. Admissions has to find you fully qualified academically/scholastically, physically (good your DoDMERB is done), athletically (CFA) with a nomination from either a source you applied to or another. (Read the Sticky at the top of the Nominations forum).

If you are a “blue chip” athlete, that certainly smooths the path to an appointment, and being a “regular” recruited athlete can also add extra wind to your sails.

You are in great shape. Enjoy your visit. Focus on your desire to be an Army officer, what career paths are available after graduation, be clear on the service obligation, and assess whether a full-on service academy is your path and your people. You already know you want to continue playing your sport. It’s a tough road to play D-1 sports and grind through a service academy at the same time, but the former SA athletes I know have no regrets.
 
Just be clear an “offer” from a service academy relates to being invited to join the team and is not necessarily the same as a guaranteed offer of appointment. Admissions has to find you fully qualified academically/scholastically, physically (good your DoDMERB is done), athletically (CFA) with a nomination from either a source you applied to or another. (Read the Sticky at the top of the Nominations forum).

If you are a “blue chip” athlete, that certainly smooths the path to an appointment, and being a “regular” recruited athlete can also add extra wind to your sails.

You are in great shape. Enjoy your visit. Focus on your desire to be an Army officer, what career paths are available after graduation, be clear on the service obligation, and assess whether a full-on service academy is your path and your people. You already know you want to continue playing your sport. It’s a tough road to play D-1 sports and grind through a service academy at the same time, but the former SA athletes I know have no regrets.
Thank you!
 
If they are inviting you in for an official visit then you might get an”offer” at the end of your visit.

Both of mine made official visits but they were still in the college recruiting process. Still making up their minds. They knew the SA wanted them, and they took some time to decide.

I have been thru this several times as a parent, friend, and coach. Once the coach makes an “offer” and you say yes your recruiting days are over. Or should be. You have made a commitment. And the coach has made one to you.

Since the coach will have an idea of your medical and your grades etc about the only thing that can keep you out is you.

Dont do anything stupid.

I had one player that got an “offer” said yes, and then things went south. And they went bad because of a medical test that was ordered and they failed the test. And at that time no waver could have been given.

Other than that if my child had an”offer” from a coach at the SA and they said yes, I would assume they were in that SA unless they ended up doing something stupid.

Or their medical blew up badly enough so that the SA doctors would not give a waver. In
one case the applicant knew there would be a medical waver granted , well before they were ever given an initial DQ for the medical.

And while they will push you to get that nomination , they really push, if you don’t get one, one will be found for you.

The coaches have to know they can get you in when they make those “offers” to the players.

And worse come to worse and you application falls short——-there is always the Prep School.
 
My first one knew it was going to be the prep school right from the start. So they were saying yes to prep school.

Our second one went right down to the last day of horse trading as the academy made its final decisions for the year.

Neither we nor the coach knew for sure if it which it was until that last day. Then we knew it was the prep school. Which was exactly the correct decision right from the start.

Both of mine needed a year of Prep. Many other sports types do as well.

No matter the fact you have an offer it’s still a nerve racking, stressful, application process
 
My first one knew it was going to be the prep school right from the start. So they were saying yes to prep school.

Our second one went right down to the last day of horse trading as the academy made its final decisions for the year.

Neither we nor the coach knew for sure if it which it was until that last day. Then we knew it was the prep school. Which was exactly the correct decision right from the start.

Both of mine needed a year of Prep. Many other sports types do as well.

No matter the fact you have an offer it’s still a nerve racking, stressful, application process
Thanks for the thorough response. I don’t think I would get a place in the prep school as my sat is in a range that the coach said is perfectly acceptable and I’m in the top 10% of my class in a large public school. You never know though and if I was only offered a spot at the prep school I would take it over any other offer to another school!
 
If they are inviting you in for an official visit then you might get an”offer” at the end of your visit.

Both of mine made official visits but they were still in the college recruiting process. Still making up their minds. They knew the SA wanted them, and they took some time to decide.

I have been thru this several times as a parent, friend, and coach. Once the coach makes an “offer” and you say yes your recruiting days are over. Or should be. You have made a commitment. And the coach has made one to you.

Since the coach will have an idea of your medical and your grades etc about the only thing that can keep you out is you.

Dont do anything stupid.

I had one player that got an “offer” said yes, and then things went south. And they went bad because of a medical test that was ordered and they failed the test. And at that time no waver could have been given.

Other than that if my child had an”offer” from a coach at the SA and they said yes, I would assume they were in that SA unless they ended up doing something stupid.

Or their medical blew up badly enough so that the SA doctors would not give a waver. In
one case the applicant knew there would be a medical waver granted , well before they were ever given an initial DQ for the medical.

And while they will push you to get that nomination , they really push, if you don’t get one, one will be found for you.

The coaches have to know they can get you in when they make those “offers” to the players.

And worse come to worse and you application falls short——-there is always the Prep School.
Thanks for this STB. The detail is helpful. It confirms what my daughter heard from a current soccer player at USNA regarding nominations. She is, of course, still going through all the steps, but it does take some pressure off.

For additional color, my daughter got a text from USNA coach, last September, asking to speak later in the evening. That resulted in a visit invitation. At end of visit, there was no offer, just a desire by the coach to see more of her. Fast forward 2 weeks, she attends a camp at the Academy on a Saturday. Monday the coach calls and extended the offer. My daughter was literally shaking with excitement.
 
Thanks for this STB. The detail is helpful. It confirms what my daughter heard from a current soccer player at USNA regarding nominations. She is, of course, still going through all the steps, but it does take some pressure off.

For additional color, my daughter got a text from USNA coach, last September, asking to speak later in the evening. That resulted in a visit invitation. At end of visit, there was no offer, just a desire by the coach to see more of her. Fast forward 2 weeks, she attends a camp at the Academy on a Saturday. Monday the coach calls and extended the offer. My daughter was literally shaking with excitement.
Great news. And an excellent soccer program and coaches.
 
Thanks for this STB. The detail is helpful. It confirms what my daughter heard from a current soccer player at USNA regarding nominations. She is, of course, still going through all the steps, but it does take some pressure off.

For additional color, my daughter got a text from USNA coach, last September, asking to speak later in the evening. That resulted in a visit invitation. At end of visit, there was no offer, just a desire by the coach to see more of her. Fast forward 2 weeks, she attends a camp at the Academy on a Saturday. Monday the coach calls and extended the offer. My daughter was literally shaking with excitement.
Since she attended a USNA camp I will guess you might be somewhat near the Yard?

My advice above about not doing anything stupid

If you are close by Annapolis I have one piece of advice.

Do not let her attend senior week at Ocean City Md.

They have an “ultra aggressive” anti drinking approach to the summer activities. Kids have gotten a criminal charge for drinking, while not drinking m while sitting on a porch next to someone quietly drinking an under age beer.

One got a charge while sleeping in bed because their room mates had been quietly drinking.

Those summer police are like sharks constantly hunting. And they are very aggressive. You don’t want to be trying to cram in community service or worse as they are packing for pleb summer.
 
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