Engaging With Your Target Universities

Once you’ve completed the Lane Line Recruiting Client Questionnaire, your consultant will use our proprietary AI algorithm to generate a personalized list of twenty colleges tailored to your academic profile, swim times, and recruiting goals. Our system analyzes your inputs to identify programs that align with your performance metrics, target majors, and campus preferences. The result is a focused list of schools where you are most likely to succeed both in the classroom and in the pool.

  • Soon after completing your client questionnaire, your consultant will email a list of twenty schools categorized into four distinct groups based on a combination of swim program competitiveness and academic selectivity:

    1. Match Swim - Match Academics

    2. Match Swim - Reach Academics

    3. Reach Swim - Match Academics

    4. Reach Swim - Reach Academics

    What do "Reach" and "Match" mean?

    • Match: Match schools, sometimes called safety schools, are those where your swim times and academic credentials place you comfortably within or above the typical range for admitted students and recruited athletes. For swimming, this means your times are competitive for NCAA conference finals at these schools, indicating a stronger likelihood of being recruited. Academically, your GPA and standardized test scores (if submitted) meet or exceed the average range for incoming freshmen. Applying to safety schools ensures that you have strong options where both acceptance and a spot on the swim team are very likely. Including safety schools in your list is a strategic way to secure opportunities to continue your swimming career while receiving a quality education.

    • Reach: Reach schools are more selective in both academics and athletics. For swimming, this means your times may fall below the average for conference finals, making recruitment more competitive. Academically, your GPA and standardized test scores may be at the lower end or below the middle 50% range for admitted students. Reach schools represent ambitious options—places where getting accepted and securing a spot on the swim team will require standout performances, strong recommendations, and possibly a compelling personal statement. Including a few reach schools in your list allows you to aim high while maintaining a realistic outlook on the competitiveness of the process.

    Why Use This Categorization?

    This system helps you build a balanced college list, ensuring that you have a range of options, from those where acceptance is very likely to those that push your limits both in the pool and the classroom. By categorizing schools as "reach" or "match" for both academics and swimming, you can strategically plan your applications, maximize your chances of being recruited, and reduce stress during the college admissions process.

    Our Recommendation: We suggest applying to a mix of match and reach schools in each category to keep your options open. A balanced approach increases the likelihood that you'll find a school where you can thrive both academically and athletically.

    Important Disclaimer: This list is not intended to be comprehensive of all schools that may be a good fit for you. There are many factors to consider when choosing a college, including location, financial aid, and campus culture. We strongly encourage you to conduct further research and consult with your coaches and counselors to expand your options.

    Furthermore, there is no guarantee that you will be contacted or recruited by any particular collegiate swim team. Recruitment needs vary from year to year based on team rosters and specific event requirements.

    While we strive to provide accurate and valuable guidance, Lane Line Recruiting is not liable for any missed recruiting opportunities due to changes in team needs, coaching decisions, or other factors beyond our control.

  • Unofficial Contact: You can reach out to college coaches at any time via email, phone, or on-campus visits, but they are limited in how they can respond before certain dates.

    Official Contact: Starting June 15th following your sophomore year, NCAA Division I and II swim coaches can initiate personal communication with recruits, including phone calls, text messages, and emails.

    Official Visits: You can start taking official visits to college campuses beginning August 1st of your junior year in high school. An official visit is when the college covers some or all of your travel and accommodation expenses. You are allowed a maximum of five official visits to Division I schools.

  • Throughout the recruiting process, you may receive unsolicited contact from college swim coaches. We strongly recommend considering these opportunities seriously as they reflect genuine interest in your abilities. Engaging with these coaches can open doors to programs that might be a great fit both academically and athletically.

    If, after careful consideration, you decide not to pursue an opportunity, we advise that you always write a thoughtful and professional email to the coach thanking them for their interest while politely declining further interest. This is not only courteous but also a smart long-term strategy: coaches frequently move between programs, and a coach contacting you today at one school might be recruiting for a school you’re interested in next year. Maintaining positive relationships in the swimming community, where connections are close-knit and reputations matter, is essential.

  • Respond promptly and politely to all communication from coaches. If you choose not to pursue an opportunity, always send a professional thank-you email to the coach expressing appreciation for their interest. Remember, the swimming community is small, and today’s coach at one school could be recruiting for another school you’re interested in next year.

    Keep your Swimcloud profile, race videos, and academic information up-to-date throughout the recruiting process.