[metsjetsfan]

Former Alabama commit talks about his top choices, including a preliminary top 3...

Seems like he has offers from all of the SEC, Stanford, ND, U$C, UCLA, and Cal.

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/co...&PT=4&PR=2

[metsjetsfan]

Former Alabama commit talks about his top choices, including a preliminary top 3...

Seems like he has offers from all of the SEC, Stanford, ND, U$C, UCLA, and Cal.

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/co...&PT=4&PR=2

[CornFed]

Wow!  In every mention in which he had a choice, Stanford was the immediate first thought in his mind.  That's great.  The guy interviewing must be from Georgia.  When he asked if Demetris felt he would be OK going away that far to school the answer was immediate and affirmative.  Stanford was explicitly his first choice when asked to name three in order of preference.  That's really fun.  Seems like a very nice guy, at least that was my first impression.  Is his sister a 5-star equivalent in track?  What is her event?  Would the track opportunity at Stanford be attractive to her from that perspective?

[CornFed]

Wow!  In every mention in which he had a choice, Stanford was the immediate first thought in his mind.  That's great.  The guy interviewing must be from Georgia.  When he asked if Demetris felt he would be OK going away that far to school the answer was immediate and affirmative.  Stanford was explicitly his first choice when asked to name three in order of preference.  That's really fun.  Seems like a very nice guy, at least that was my first impression.  Is his sister a 5-star equivalent in track?  What is her event?  Would the track opportunity at Stanford be attractive to her from that perspective?

[metsjetsfan]

I dug up this article that mentions her sister: http://www.scout.com/story/1479617-a-wri...ecruitment

Unclear whether she'd academically qualify for Stanford, but her athletic achievements could suffice? “She won state last year in track, in the 100 (meters), 200 and long jump”

Still a long way to go until Signing Day so a lot could change - he was "100 percent committed to Alabama" just a few months ago in March. But it does sound like Stanford may have played a big part in his de-commitment from Alabama.

[metsjetsfan]

I dug up this article that mentions her sister: http://www.scout.com/story/1479617-a-wri...ecruitment

Unclear whether she'd academically qualify for Stanford, but her athletic achievements could suffice? “She won state last year in track, in the 100 (meters), 200 and long jump”

Still a long way to go until Signing Day so a lot could change - he was "100 percent committed to Alabama" just a few months ago in March. But it does sound like Stanford may have played a big part in his de-commitment from Alabama.

[BobK]

Georgia has many divisions for state track. This year the sister ran 13.4 in the 100.  She is not a college prospect based on anything I've seen.

[BobK]

Georgia has many divisions for state track. This year the sister ran 13.4 in the 100.  She is not a college prospect based on anything I've seen.

[TrumpCard]

He would be the top WR or CB recruit to choose Stanford since . . . ?
That 3.2 is still a big hurdle though.  Let's hope he follows Ben Edwards' example.

[TrumpCard]

He would be the top WR or CB recruit to choose Stanford since . . . ?
That 3.2 is still a big hurdle though.  Let's hope he follows Ben Edwards' example.

[OutsiderFan]

Does admissions give any deference to a Top 10 in the country football talent?  I mean maybe a Rivals #237 doesn't get in with a 3.2, but maybe a Rivals #6 does, because admissions is considering how gifted the athlete is in the overall decision process, maybe even how badly he wants to be at the school?  They do always say there are no hard and fast minimum GPAs and test scores.

[OutsiderFan]

Does admissions give any deference to a Top 10 in the country football talent?  I mean maybe a Rivals #237 doesn't get in with a 3.2, but maybe a Rivals #6 does, because admissions is considering how gifted the athlete is in the overall decision process, maybe even how badly he wants to be at the school?  They do always say there are no hard and fast minimum GPAs and test scores.

[socalstanfan1]

I have kind of mixed feelings about this story.  On the one hand: GREAT that a kid with this level of talent really wants to join Stanford for the combination of athletic and academic opportunities.  On the other hand, if he is really committed to the idea that his sister and he will both go to the same school, then we essentially have TWO hurdles to get over.  Even if Demetrius works like crazy, does the 2-AP schedule and does great on his standardized exam, his sister will have to do essentially the same thing.  Now, maybe she's an even stronger student than her brother.  But given how challenging the whole process is, this is like a double opportunity to stumble. 


I certainly hope they both are committed and make it through the whole process.  Or, if only one of them makes it, I hope they consider carefully before giving up on Stanford entirely, and maybe reconsider the dual-committment thing. But, I understand how strong sibling connections can be, so we shall see.

[socalstanfan1]

I have kind of mixed feelings about this story.  On the one hand: GREAT that a kid with this level of talent really wants to join Stanford for the combination of athletic and academic opportunities.  On the other hand, if he is really committed to the idea that his sister and he will both go to the same school, then we essentially have TWO hurdles to get over.  Even if Demetrius works like crazy, does the 2-AP schedule and does great on his standardized exam, his sister will have to do essentially the same thing.  Now, maybe she's an even stronger student than her brother.  But given how challenging the whole process is, this is like a double opportunity to stumble. 


I certainly hope they both are committed and make it through the whole process.  Or, if only one of them makes it, I hope they consider carefully before giving up on Stanford entirely, and maybe reconsider the dual-committment thing. But, I understand how strong sibling connections can be, so we shall see.

[FarmBoy]

I would expect Stanford to give more academic leeway to the #10 rated pianist/debater/programmer/artist than they would give the #500 rated. So I would hope/expect the same to hold true for athletes as well.

[FarmBoy]

I would expect Stanford to give more academic leeway to the #10 rated pianist/debater/programmer/artist than they would give the #500 rated. So I would hope/expect the same to hold true for athletes as well.

[PrinceLightfoot]

I will share some information without revealing everything that was provided since the individual is no longer the assistant dean of admissions at Stanford. She is a close personal friend and was my RA sophomore year.

Admissions looks at an applicant's academics first. They have to meet minimum qualifications once all things are considered  such as SAT, ACT, a common GPA because not all high schools are on a 4.0 scale; some are on a 3.5 and others 6.0. Once the academic hurdle is crossed, weights are placed on how well they did in academics, athletics, the arts, leadership, community service, application essays, and other unique characteristics, activities or accomplishments. They look for something that makes the student stand out and would add value to the Stanford community because almost every applicant has a stellar academic profile and is involved in multiple activities. The following are just examples based on my understanding:

Example #1: GPA 4.0, ACT 33, SAT 2250, football (captain of team, all-region wide receiver, 2 years varsity, not a college prospect), has been social dancing since he was five years old and competes semi-professionally (one level below the top level, pre-champ, and has won a few competitions), president of FCA and Student Body treasurer, organizes food bank drives regularly, eloquently written essays, ringing endorsements from interview and recommendation letters.

Example #2: GPA 3.7, ACT 26, SAT 1850, football (captain of state championship team, all-American linebacker ranked #2 and the #15 player overall in the nation , 4 years varsity, pursued by multiple universities), secretary of Honor Society, has coached at multiple football camps for youths in geographic region since sophomore year in high school, does well in his first semester senior AP courses, has well written essays, has received endorsement from football staff on character and fit, and recommendation letters support that he is a very helpful, humble, intelligent individual.

Both examples are ideas of profiles that are likely to be admitted. Example #1 rarities are being a semi-professional dancer and being actively involved in community service/charity along with strong academics. Example #2 holds a unique quality of being one of the best in the nation and probably the world in his sport coming out of high school while having adequate academics.

A scholarship-offered athlete has the potential of raising Stanford's profile publically and positively (usually) both immediately and for years to come, so the weight coming from the athletics portion of this equation especially for someone ranked near the top in the nation/world is very high. The issue with applicants with this profile almost always falls on academics.

[PrinceLightfoot]

I will share some information without revealing everything that was provided since the individual is no longer the assistant dean of admissions at Stanford. She is a close personal friend and was my RA sophomore year.

Admissions looks at an applicant's academics first. They have to meet minimum qualifications once all things are considered  such as SAT, ACT, a common GPA because not all high schools are on a 4.0 scale; some are on a 3.5 and others 6.0. Once the academic hurdle is crossed, weights are placed on how well they did in academics, athletics, the arts, leadership, community service, application essays, and other unique characteristics, activities or accomplishments. They look for something that makes the student stand out and would add value to the Stanford community because almost every applicant has a stellar academic profile and is involved in multiple activities. The following are just examples based on my understanding:

Example #1: GPA 4.0, ACT 33, SAT 2250, football (captain of team, all-region wide receiver, 2 years varsity, not a college prospect), has been social dancing since he was five years old and competes semi-professionally (one level below the top level, pre-champ, and has won a few competitions), president of FCA and Student Body treasurer, organizes food bank drives regularly, eloquently written essays, ringing endorsements from interview and recommendation letters.

Example #2: GPA 3.7, ACT 26, SAT 1850, football (captain of state championship team, all-American linebacker ranked #2 and the #15 player overall in the nation , 4 years varsity, pursued by multiple universities), secretary of Honor Society, has coached at multiple football camps for youths in geographic region since sophomore year in high school, does well in his first semester senior AP courses, has well written essays, has received endorsement from football staff on character and fit, and recommendation letters support that he is a very helpful, humble, intelligent individual.

Both examples are ideas of profiles that are likely to be admitted. Example #1 rarities are being a semi-professional dancer and being actively involved in community service/charity along with strong academics. Example #2 holds a unique quality of being one of the best in the nation and probably the world in his sport coming out of high school while having adequate academics.

A scholarship-offered athlete has the potential of raising Stanford's profile publically and positively (usually) both immediately and for years to come, so the weight coming from the athletics portion of this equation especially for someone ranked near the top in the nation/world is very high. The issue with applicants with this profile almost always falls on academics.

[Stymie]

I would expect Stanford to give more academic leeway to the #10 rated pianist/debater/programmer/artist than they would give the #500 rated. So I would hope/expect the same to hold true for athletes as well.

I think that might be true if LSJU had a 100+ strong piano team, and actively recruited 25 players/year to that piano team (or artist team, programmer team, debater team, crossword puzzle team, etc.).  In such a hypothetical, that #10 pianist might be important enough to the "team" to give him (or her) some admissions slack, but I doubt if it would be very much slack at all.

[Stymie]

I would expect Stanford to give more academic leeway to the #10 rated pianist/debater/programmer/artist than they would give the #500 rated. So I would hope/expect the same to hold true for athletes as well.

I think that might be true if LSJU had a 100+ strong piano team, and actively recruited 25 players/year to that piano team (or artist team, programmer team, debater team, crossword puzzle team, etc.).  In such a hypothetical, that #10 pianist might be important enough to the "team" to give him (or her) some admissions slack, but I doubt if it would be very much slack at all.

[Hulk01]

I like how someone succinctly described Stanford admssions.  They are looking for "two excellences."

The applicant who is merely a greater student no longer gets in. And a merely good student's second excellence can be so compelling that there is reason to conclude the applicant should be admitted. 

This seems to favor Robertson. He's the most athletic-looking, serious Stanford candidate that I've seen on film.  He's American Pharaoh.

A case of a slightly different kind could have been made for Trent Irwin, whose skills reflect a relentless drive and work ethic.

[Hulk01]

I like how someone succinctly described Stanford admssions.  They are looking for "two excellences."

The applicant who is merely a greater student no longer gets in. And a merely good student's second excellence can be so compelling that there is reason to conclude the applicant should be admitted. 

This seems to favor Robertson. He's the most athletic-looking, serious Stanford candidate that I've seen on film.  He's American Pharaoh.

A case of a slightly different kind could have been made for Trent Irwin, whose skills reflect a relentless drive and work ethic.

[CTcard]

I like how someone succinctly described Stanford admssions.  They are looking for "two excellences."

Cool.
I think that was I - though I took it from an admissions officer.

However with top football recruits that is irrelevant - or perhaps more correct to say that the second excellence is covered by virtue of being a top football recruit. In that case the decision basically comes down to whether they think he will survive/thrive with the academics at Stanford.

[CTcard]

I like how someone succinctly described Stanford admssions.  They are looking for "two excellences."

Cool.
I think that was I - though I took it from an admissions officer.

However with top football recruits that is irrelevant - or perhaps more correct to say that the second excellence is covered by virtue of being a top football recruit. In that case the decision basically comes down to whether they think he will survive/thrive with the academics at Stanford.

[Mick]

I think that might be true if LSJU had a 100+ strong piano team, and actively recruited 25 players/year to that piano team (or artist team, programmer team, debater team, crossword puzzle team, etc.).  In such a hypothetical, that #10 pianist might be important enough to the "team" to give him (or her) some admissions slack, but I doubt if it would be very much slack at all.

When I was a student, a professor in the Communications Department told me that the Admissions Office sent over some applications every year, asking, what do you guys think of these? The professor understood that to be asking what the department thought of the communications-oriented achievements and/or potential of the applicants. I've always assumed that other departments were similarly solicited.

Of course, that was a long time ago. Things could have changed.

That definitely happened with my sister's application to SUSE (Stanford University School of Education).  Graduate admissions distributed the application to several profs who actually reached out to my sister and asked her to explain her somewhat odd background, which she did to their delight and ultimately, to her acceptance.

[Mick]

I think that might be true if LSJU had a 100+ strong piano team, and actively recruited 25 players/year to that piano team (or artist team, programmer team, debater team, crossword puzzle team, etc.).  In such a hypothetical, that #10 pianist might be important enough to the "team" to give him (or her) some admissions slack, but I doubt if it would be very much slack at all.

When I was a student, a professor in the Communications Department told me that the Admissions Office sent over some applications every year, asking, what do you guys think of these? The professor understood that to be asking what the department thought of the communications-oriented achievements and/or potential of the applicants. I've always assumed that other departments were similarly solicited.

Of course, that was a long time ago. Things could have changed.

That definitely happened with my sister's application to SUSE (Stanford University School of Education).  Graduate admissions distributed the application to several profs who actually reached out to my sister and asked her to explain her somewhat odd background, which she did to their delight and ultimately, to her acceptance.

[CTcard]

Graduate admissions distributed the application to several profs who actually reached out to my sister and asked her to explain her somewhat odd background, which she did to their delight and ultimately, to her acceptance.

While I am sure there is variation, in my experience graduate admissions are primarily handled by professors in the department to which one is applying - though you usually have to get by graduate school gate-keepers first. Undergraduate admissions are primarily handled by 'professionals' in a centralized office who may occasionally reach out to professors to evaluate specific credentials.

[CTcard]

Graduate admissions distributed the application to several profs who actually reached out to my sister and asked her to explain her somewhat odd background, which she did to their delight and ultimately, to her acceptance.

While I am sure there is variation, in my experience graduate admissions are primarily handled by professors in the department to which one is applying - though you usually have to get by graduate school gate-keepers first. Undergraduate admissions are primarily handled by 'professionals' in a centralized office who may occasionally reach out to professors to evaluate specific credentials.