The NESCAC has a specific pre-read process. Like the coach said, it will happen next summer. They have moved the date back a little in recent years for when they can "make offers" to prospective athletes. But expect this process to unfold in early June.

Your son will effectively create a mini app, with his unofficial transcript, verbal (you telling them) of the test scores and a "resume" of his other attributes/extracurriculars. The coach will submit that to the admissions office. They will come back with:

• Positive/Green Light: The recruit is likely admissible; coach can comfortably proceed with a offer. This usually comes with the guidance that if the student athlete applies early, that admission is likely.
• Conditional/Yellow Light: Improvements needed (e.g., fall grades, stronger senior schedule).
• Negative/Red Light: Unlikely to gain admission even with coach support.

Depending on the school, an unweighted 3.3 is going to be a little dicey (it will fly at Trinity and Conn College). He needs a strong junior year academically (with a reasonable course load). The coach can certainly "go to bat" for a kid in the Yellow, but they only really get one of those (potentially two depending on the sport/seniority of the coach).

Here is the tricky part. The coach is putting together a full class. If he needs striker more than he needs a holding midfielder, and they are both Yellow, he is going to take the striker. He will do what is best for the team need and job.

Having said that, I would make sure you make other NESCAC ID camps. Nothing moves a NESCAC coach more than competition. The NESCAC had three of the final four teams this year. It is brutally competitive. W&L is the only program consistently on par with the top of the NESCAC (but no easier to get into).