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What is a Wish List?                        Feedback Welcome!

Just like Christmas, a wish list tells somebody what you want. In this case it is a coach telling the admissions what players they really want to have come to school, study and hopefully play.

 

Coach’s are careful who they put on a "wish" or preferred list for admissions. Before a player makes a list he or she must be qualified, just like a sales lead.

 

Why does a coach qualify a prospect?

Depending on recent history, needs of the school, and the needs of other sports, admissions will not always admit an entire list of players a coach provides. There is no guarantee. Being the case, a coach will qualify the wish list based on several criteria.

 

Qualifying Criteria for a wish list.

  1. Coach thinks you can contribute to the program. You have the athletic skills necessary to compete at the schools level and you also fill a specific need in the near future. A program with three underclass divers, punters or whatever, does not want to waste a wish list spot on another one even if they are good enough to play. Why, they already have that need filled.

  2. You qualify academically. You have the SAT, ACT and GPA scores to be considered a strong candidate for admission. The coach knows at what point admissions will accept and not accept a student based on these criteria. Unless you are so gifted and unique in your sport to have sub-standard scores overlooked, you need the grades to be considered.

  3. You meet minimum eligibility requirements. If admitted, the coach wants you to play now, not later. A student, who is admitted but not academically eligible to play, is less attractive and a greater risk compared to a student who can play right away.

  4. Coach feels you will come if admitted. If, based on conversations with you, a coach feels that his school is the number one choice of a student (you will go, if admitted) then you are a good candidate for the wish list. Why? Because admissions rarely, if ever, admits all the players on a coaches wish list. With this situation a coach wants to know that those who are admitted will come. Imagine if only 5 out of 10 were admitted and of those 5 only 2 wanted to come. Problems for sure.

A coach will also "lobby" harder with admissions if he knows that you will come, if accepted. There is nothing written in stone saying you have to come. In fact, the financial aid package might send you elsewhere. However, it is in your best interest to be honest and serious when you tell a coach that you want to enroll, if admitted.

Being on a wish list is not a sure thing. Like most things in life, you will not be guaranteed admission to a school-even if you say you will come. Ultimately, several factors (at times arbitrary and absurd) will dictate your fate. I have heard stories where coaches repeatedly asked admissions if they would admit a student, received positive feedback at each query, only to be stonewalled on judgment day. These decisions which are to the surprise of both the student and the coach are unfortunate, but they do happen. Be prepared for the worst case scenario and keep your options open.

What to say to a coach

Coaches will try to get you to commit verbally to the school. "Do you want to come here?" "Are we your number one choice?" "Where else are you applying" "Have you told other schools that you want to go there?" "Is there any reason you would not enroll here if accepted?"

All of those questions might be something a coach asks of you. What do you say? If you know for sure one way or another it is easy. YES! I will come if accepted. I love your school and want to be a part of it. Or NO! I am not considering enrolling at your school if accepted. That was easy but what if you are on the fence?

Being on the fence.

Generally you can play the financial aid package card when responding to a coach. If he asks "Are we your number one choice?" You might reply, "Coach I really like your school and want to come. However my final decision will come down to financial aid. If you give me the best package then I will come. My decision has to be made on what is the best economic decision for my family."

If a coach says "I need to know right now if you are committed to coming here!" Consider a few things. Any coach who puts that pressure on an 18 yr. old might not be worth playing for and second you could counter with "Coach, right now, if your financial aid package is the best for me then I am coming." Even saying this does not bind you to anything and the coach cannot say to other teams he or she is recruiting against that you committed.

Do coaches talk to each other?

The previous section brings this topic up. Some do and some don’t talk about the players they are recruiting. The truth is that most college leagues are made of schools with very similar student demographics. There are a limited number of student athletes in who fit those demographics and they are the ones all the similar schools are targeting. These factor alone gives the coach a good idea where you are applying and he or she is going to ask you outright where you are going.

Telling several coaches that his or her school is your number one choice can get you into some hot water, if they talk. It is better to narrow your choices to 5 or 6 schools and take the "You are in my top 5 choices and the final decision will come down to financial aid," path.

Ethical and moral discussions aside, the best chance you have for gaining athletic scholarship money is to keep as many schools thinking that you want to go there. How you do that is up to you.

The content piece is not intended to be the final word on this subject. Each case is unique and the behavior of coaches will vary. There is no guarantee that being on a wish list will ensure admission. Narrow your choices down to schools you want to attend by carefully researching each program. This will make your decision easier.