College Prep Yale Showcase Tour 2011 - Day 4 at MIT

Benny Lin

Founder & Academy Director

College Prep Yale Showcase Tour 2011 - Day 4 at MIT

This morning I took the kids to one of the best if not the best science and math school in the world – MIT. Our team met with both Men’s and Women’s coach; coach David and coach Carol. Both coaches gave us so much information on how to apply to MIT through tennis channel. Since this is a top academic school, SAT score in particular math subject must be at least 720 to stand a chance being accepted by MIT.

Today’s campus tour and Q & A with both coaches were extremely useful and informative for our team. We got to learn today that MIT coaches tend to support most of tennis players if they could reach 720 or above in their SAT test. Unlike other schools, at MIT academic result and SAT score are the most important factor because MIT wants to make sure every student they accept can cope and survive at MIT. Even Harvard or Yale had accepted tennis players with a SAT score as low as 1600 (great tennis player) because their teams use the average team SAT score so if that same year Harvard or Yale accepted a tennis player with high SAT score they can also accept another player with lower SAT score. This kind of admission standard does not apply at MIT. The good news is MIT coaches tend to support everyone who can play decent tennis (at least at our elite level player) and they can support as many as they want as long as you have strong grades in math, science and over 720 in math section of SAT test. Unlike Harvard or Yale, where each year they may only recruit 1 – 3 tennis players or not recruit at all.

Admission policy for student athletes vary and different from school to school. The good news is most school will lower or bend their requirement if you are a good tennis player. Also you can apply through the head coach and he/ she will fight for your admission if he/ she finds you a suitable player for his/ her team. If the head coach submitted your application it could also mean the school wants you. Every coach has different level of influence/ power over admission’s final decision but every coach has face time with admission officers and the coaches are very honest and straight forward after they have reviewed your tennis and scores whether you are a good candidate for their school or not. Usually the coaches will come and talk to me first if they are interested in my players and we discuss his / her grades, tennis, SAT scores and attitudes. Also, unlike regular applicants, tennis players get second chance for example after the admission reviewed your application with the coach, they may ask you for more reference letters or take another subject tests, etc., which regular applicants do not get.

Yesterday at Columbia and today at MIT we saw many campus tour organized by the school and I told the kids that we are extremely privileged and lucky because our campus tour was done by people who are also the decision makers. I reminded the kids that this is because they have tennis. If not they could only tour the campus with freshman or sophomore students. And imagine the magical power of relationship and networking because by meeting these decision makers (coaches) you have been given an extremely rare opportunity to connect and leave a good/ strong impression.

After meeting both coaches and touring MIT campus I organized a practice session on MIT courts. Our team had a 2-hour workout working mostly in how to play aggressive and modern game as at the showcase coaches are looking for players with potential to further improve their game for 4 years of college tennis. I clearly pointed out and coached the kids how to play aggressive game so at the showcase they can impress the coaches who come to watch them play. We also worked on doubles game.

Before we ended our practice I worked the kids hard today on their fitness as I want them to be fit for a possible brutal scheduling at the showcase where a player may play 2 singles and 1 doubles in 1 day. The kids responded well to my coaching today and they all pushed themselves to their limit and thus I know today they have got stronger physically and most importantly – mentally too.

The Yale Showcase will be organized from 5th – 7th of July with over 180 players and 100 coaches attending. I am pleased to announce that the showcase organizer has invited me to be one of the few coaches to conduct the training for the showcase players. Coaching at the showcase will be a great benefit for our college prep program and players.

Tomorrow we are heading to Harvard and Wellesley. In the evening we will drive to Providence to visit Brown.

I have posted today’s pictures on our facebook account: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hong-Kong-International-Tennis-Academy-HKITA/134959733197513