9/24/2003

Dear Prospective Slugs, Parents, Coaches, and Supporters,

It is a beginning of another year. The team is back in the water, and after 10 days it is already obvious that this year's team is going to be the best ever. It is possible that every women's team record will be broken, and many of the men's. I feel we have a very good chance to add a couple more names to our list of National Champions. Time will tell.

Included in this newsletter is a list of times. These times are what we feel it will take to be a member of the team next year. Due to the quality of this year's incoming class and the size of the team, we have recently had to change the women's times. We are graduating 7 senior women and are hoping for 8-10 women to replace them. We will not be able to take more then that, due to space in the pool. Keep in touch with the coaches as to your chances. If you have the times, there will be a spot. If you are close, there will probably be a spot. If you are several seconds away in your best event, we will try to let you know your chances before you decide on what college to attend. I want to avoid having a swimmer that is planning on swimming at UCSC, attend, and not have a chance to swim. We are not at the same crowded situation for the men, therefore we can remain a little more flexible on those times.

There are a few dates to keep in mind.

Applications are accepted November 1-30. It is best if you apply on-line. (Starting next year you will have to apply on-line). If you are late, you will not be considered. Last year there were 27,000 applicants. This year, Admissions is anticipating 30,000. You must have all the required classes. Check with admission requirements on the UCSC website to make sure you have all the required classes and needed GPA and test scores. Admission requirements are very strict. There are no exceptions to any of the requirements. This year we are in what is called "Selection". That means having the requirements do not necessarily mean you will be accepted. If you have any questions about your chances of getting into school please call me, or e-mail and I can probably give you some idea. For those hoping to transfer into UCSC from another school, please contact admissions directly to get that information. Transfer information/requirements change each year and I am not sure what they are.

Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay Swim October 4^th . The third annual Bay Swim is scheduled for Saturday October 4. UCSC will have two relays this year, joined again by the Santa Cruz Masters Team. This is a great fundraiser for us, besides a great time. Any donations are accepted.

Alumni Meet October 11^th. Starting at Noon on Saturday the 11^th is the third annual Alumni Meet. We finish with Pizza for the team. This is a great time for the team and Alumni.( Alum's pass the word around.)

In the following Newsletters you will receive
   -Top Ten List
   -Meet Results
   -Summaries
   -Items of interest

As the season progresses, I will talk about the recruiting process and application process. For instance, at this point you should have a good idea about your top 3-4 schools. You should be making a list of positive things about the schools and negative things about the schools. Try to visit all the schools that you are interested in and get a feel for the teams. The more information you can gather, the better.

I want to remind you that this is not a life or death decision. It may be the biggest decision of your life, so far, but if you make a mistake you can always transfer, take time out from school, work awhile, or several other options that are out there.

UCSC is a great place to go to school. We are ranked in the top five in several categories, and in the top twenty in almost any category or ranking done. UCSC is a great school. We offer a great swim program. These two things combined make UCSC the first choice for many swimmers.

I hope that you enjoy the newsletters and that it helps in your selection of a school. If you have any questions, your best bet is to get hold of me by e-mail at kmusch@ucsc.edu.

Kim Musch
UCSC Swimming and Diving