College Recruiting

Choosing a college is a major decision for most students and parents. When looking to attend college as a student-athlete, the number of questions easily just doubled… When do I contact a coach? What should I ask about the school/program? Do I have to apply to the school if I’m an athlete? Do schools only look at test scores? Should I hire someone to make a professional video? The list goes on and on.

Understand at the start that the path you choose is never the same as anyone else. School size, setting, coaches, etc. are all different, so you have to pick the best path for you. But, how do you know what that is? While this information cannot provide a step-by-step guide to committing and applying to a college, it can help you chart the course on how you wish to proceed through.

Most programs will encourage you to find schools that fit comfortably for you, your major, the location, networking opportunities, etc. If you enjoy business, and your development charts in high school show you enjoy business, then find a school with a strong business program. After you’ve identified a rather extensive listing of schools (some suggest as many as 50 schools), search for those that have a soccer program where you can develop and enjoy yourself. You can like a school, but if the soccer program isn’t making you happy, then you’re not going to enjoy year-round training and conditioning, exhibitions, weight training, etc.

Schools will look long and hard not just for good players, but good students as well. With limited scholarships to provide from the athletic department, having a strong academic background will allow you to apply for academic scholarships and grants as well. And the time to start is your freshman year of high school, as your GPA is cumulative and every semester counts! Also, be realistic about your opportunities. Ask your coaches for an honest evaluation of you as a player and person. This feedback will help guide you to the proper level of competition.

There are more than 380,000 high school soccer players; yet only 5-10% of these players will continue to play in college. The competition is tough…and so is the financial assistance in each program. Having a strong GPA and ACT/SAT score will hopefully provide additional assistance.

Being a collegiate student-athlete is hard work, both academically and athletically. Becoming better at time management and organization will help you focus on your collegiate opportunity.

The NCAA rulebook is thicker than the yellow pages. Following some basic rules will keep you out of trouble. However, you do need to understand some specifics of person-to-person contact.

Telephone calls

In all sports other than football and basketball, phone calls FROM coaches can take place on or after the following dates.

NCAA D1 – College coaches can place 1 call weekly starting July 1 after junior year.

NCAA D2 – College coaches can place 1 call per week starting June 15th after completion of your junior year.

NCAA D3 – Unlike D1 and D2, there are no restrictions as to when a D3 coach can call a prospect in high school. The NCAA feels that smaller D3 schools do not have the time, money, or resources to abuse this privilege, which will often be true.

Note: In any grade, coaches may RECEIVE calls from students who are paying for the call at ANY TIME. However, if a message is left, the coach cannot return the call until the proper time.

Official visits

Division 1 – You are allowed 5 official visits to different schools of your choice (provided the school has invited you). In order to go on an official visit, you need to provide the college your current transcript on an official school document and your PSAT/SAT/ACT score. Official visits are paid for by the school and include round-trip transportation, lodging, food, and tickets to a game for you and in some instances for your parents. Official visits cannot exceed 48 hours.

Division 2 – The same rules apply for official visits for D2 schools. Regardless of the division classification of the schools you visit, you are allowed 5 total official visits at the NCAA D1 and D2 level. As long as you only use five official visits, they can be broken up as you chose between D1 and D2 schools.

Division 3 – You are allowed the same expense paid official visit to a D3 school as to a D1 or D2 school. While you can only make 1 per school, you can visit as many schools as you would like, as the limit of 5 does not apply for D3 schools. Many D3 schools cannot offer paid official visits due to the expense of bringing a student athlete to their campus.

Athletic eligibility

The NCAA Clearinghouse processes ALL inquiries regarding an individual’s initial eligibility status to play NCAA D1 and D2 athletics. If you have aspirations of playing college athletics you MUST register with the NCAA Clearinghouse by the end of your junior year. NO EXCEPTIONS!

The quick facts

NCAA D1 and D2 have standardized minimum academic requirements for S-A’s entering college. If you want to play, you have to register and qualify according to the requirements. No one is exempt! (Except D3 bound S-A’s, they do not have to register with the Clearinghouse) 

Register at the end of your Junior Year by going to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and/or working with your HS guidance counselor to get all the necessary documentation.

If you attended more than one HS, you need official transcripts from each school, mailed directly to the Clearinghouse. Don’t mail them yourself.

The Clearinghouse is in NO way part of the admissions process to a particular college.

NCAA member institutions (schools recruiting you) will request your information from the clearinghouse, you will never send it to anyone yourself.

You must submit a final transcript of your HS grades to the Clearinghouse when you graduate.

How is eligibility calculated?

The NCAA Clearinghouse uses a sliding scale that compares your GPA and SAT/ACT scores. Unfortunately, most schools have far higher standards than what the NCAA Clearinghouse sets, so it’s possible to be eligible according to the NCAA Clearinghouse, but not get accepted to many individual colleges. The NCAA Clearinghouse doesn’t make admission decisions – only schools make admission decisions.

Core course requirements

In order to be eligible, you must also complete 16 core courses in high school, as follows:

4 years of English

3 years of math (Algebra1 or higher)

2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab)

1 year of additional English, math or natural/physical science

2 years of social science

4 years of additional courses (from any are a above or foreign language, 
non-doctrinal religion/philosophy, computer science)

You must earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches your core- course grade-point average and test score sliding scale (for example, a 2.400 core-course grade-point average needs an 860 SAT).

Note: D2 eligibility is slightly different, requiring 3 yrs of English and 2 yrs of additional English, math or natural/physical science as opposed to 4 and 1 listed for D1, as well as 3 years of additional courses.

**The NCAA Clearinghouse Web site has a list of all high schools and approved core courses at those schools. If you are in doubt about a particular class, research your school and classes online or ask your counselor.

Junior College Requirements. You need to graduate from high school.

NAIA Requirements. You need to meet of the following criteria:

Score 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SATs;

Have a GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale;

Graduate in the top 1/2 of your high school class.

Financial Aid is often a resource that many families fail to take advantage of.

There is far more money in financial aid and grants than there is athletic scholarship money. There are many types of aid, so don’t dismiss any school due to cost until you have explored all the financial possibilities at your disposal. While there will be many schools out of your reach financially, you may also find many colleges offering generous financial aid packages based on your need and your academic record. Smaller and less well-known colleges will often offer more aid to students in an attempt to attract more talented students to their school.

The Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) has established a number for more assistance. Their number is 1-800-433-3243. They also publish The Student Guide:  Financial Aid from the US Department of Education, which can be obtained free of charge. The FAFSA Web site will also have detailed information on the process.

Grants are free money based on your FAFSA, your interests or your merits.

Institutional scholarships. Check out what kind of grades and test scores you need to be automatically qualified for merit scholarships. You may be eligible for full rides at some schools.

Private scholarships are those that you may spend hours searching online. Apply for as many private scholarships as possible, including local and national awards.

Financial aid federal loans

Apply for federal money by filling out the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st of your senior year. Don’t borrow more than you need!

PLUS loans are loans your parents take out to put toward your higher education. They may borrow up to the full amount of your education, incl tuition, books, travel, and fees.

Private loans

Like federal loans, private loans help you pay for school that you have to pay back. Apply through banks or loan company.

Where can I get the FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?

You can get the FAFSA form at Federal Student Aid website and apply online.

When does the form need to be submitted?

A soon as you can “after” January 1 of your senior year. Colleges will need your financial aid information with your application!

What type of information will I need to provide with the FAFSA form?

Students Social Security Number

Student’s income tax returns, W-2, & 1099 Forms.

Parent’s income tax returns, W-2, & 1099 forms for previous year.

Bank statements and mortgage information.
- Records of untaxed income.

Information regarding stocks, bonds, & mutual funds that your family holds.

Information on childcare costs, medical expenses, and other unusual family expenses.

One of the common misconceptions in recruiting is believing that athletes are discovered. While the very best high school athletes that play in high level traveling programs and showcase camps may be discovered, most college coaches rely on student-athletes contacting them. The most successful recruits are usually those who possessed a combination of athletic skill and academic talent and worked hard to research different colleges that might be a potential fit for their skills and desires. As we stated earlier, there are over 1,000 NCAA colleges at 3 levels, and it’s important to explore all your options. The goal of the recruiting process is not simply to get recruited by colleges, but to recruit your own schools. You are as much a part of the process as the coach is.

At the end of the day, finding a match is about answering YES to the following questions:

Can I be accepted to this school based on my academic record?

If you cannot get accepted, your recruiting process is over. It doesn’t matter how good you are or how much the coach wants you. Most coaches won’t even talk about athletics until they have qualified you academically!

Do I have the athletic skill to play for this school?

If you don’t have the skills to play for a certain program, it doesn’t matter how badly you want to go there, no one wants to get cut or sit on the bench. It’s important to find programs that fit your level of athletic play.

Does the coach have the ability to evaluate my skill somehow?

If a coach cannot physically see you play through an actual game or through a video, they may have a difficult time feeling confident in your ability and might lean towards other recruits who they have seen perform.

 Is this coach truly interested in having me play for their program?

Some coaches encourage kids to “try out” or “walk on.” You need to know if a coach is interested in you as a person and as an athlete.

Can I afford to go to this school?

The national tuition average for private college is over $19,000 a year and some are approaching $40,000 per year. College is not cheap and despite your desires and the availability of financial aid, there will be some colleges you cannot afford to attend. This is a reality that needs to be accepted, and you need to apply your energy to other schools that are more affordable. It’s important to note that you should never dismiss any school because of cost until you have explored all your financial options with the coach and with the institution.

Does this school offer academic programs I am interested in?

If you want to be an architect or an engineer, it’s important to find schools that offer those programs. If you have no idea what you want to do, it’s important to find schools that have a wide variety of programs that you can explore. You are going to school for an education & to enter the working world after college, so it’s important to find school that offer academic programs you are truly interested in. Don’t settle for less!

Will I be happy and successful at this school?

This is a difficult question to answer until you actually arrive at school. Schools may look great on paper or in person and then after a semester you might not like the players on the team or some other aspect of the school. When visiting and evaluating colleges, we try to encourage families to ask as many questions as possible from coaches, players, other parents, students, teachers, and anyone else you can find. Only then will you get a sense of the school before you actually enroll and arrive. The national graduation rate for students who enroll in 4-year institutions is 60% from the institution they first enrolled in, so at some point, 40% of all college students transfer or drop out of the school they enrolled in. Much of that can be traced back to their decision-making before they enrolled. Wanting to participate in college athletics makes finding a match that much more difficult.

Many families falsely assume that their high school coach or club soccer coach are responsible for their child’s recruiting process. However, the recruiting process is ultimately your responsibility.

You are responsible for:

• Researching and evaluating schools
• Contacting college coaches
• Visiting schools and making decisions along the way

Your coaches may help with the process by determining where your skills fit in with different college levels and programs, writing recommendations, and even placing phone calls on your behalf to college coaches after you have initiated contact.

Be proactive

Now that you know the process is your responsibility, it’s important to be proactive and research as many schools as possible. The recruiting and college selection process is not something that should sneak up on you senior year. Success in recruiting is about matching up your academic talents, athletic talents, and desires with a given college program. The families that come the closest to finding an athletic, academic, and social match are the one’s who usually have the best success in the recruiting process. They have already done much of the work for the college coach, and the coach has confidence in recruiting a smart and talented athlete who wants to attend their school. There are over 1,100 NCAA colleges at the D1, D2, and D3 level, and 500+ Junior College and NAIA schools.

Be realistic about your options

Many students put themselves in a position to fail by only applying to popular schools. The problem is that everyone is applying to these schools and competition for admission is extremely difficult. Harvard annually receives over 20,000 applications and admits roughly 10% of applicants each year. Despite your academic record, Harvard is going to turn down over 18,000 students each year, some of them being incredibly smart and gifted students. Make sure to do your research on all different types of schools as there are many quality ones out there.

The love, time, money, and passion you have poured into your son or athletic career can often cloud your judgment of their potential for a college scholarship. Most parents’ are not realistic about the chances of receiving athletic scholarship money. While your talents may garner some athletic scholarship money, after D1 football and basketball, there is very little scholarship money to go around. Most coaches, even at the D1 level, have a limited amount of money for their team that they divide up amongst 10-20 players.

There is far more money in the form of grants, merit aid, outside scholarships, institutional aid, and federal financial aid, than there is athletic scholarship money. You need to explore your options at all programs and not focus your search solely on an athletic scholarship. You also need to seek out people that can give you a realistic evaluation of your son or daughters ability and how it applies to different levels. Ultimately, only a college coach can determine whether or not you can play for them.

Educate yourself

There are a lot of confusing topics and terms that you will come across in the recruiting process: official visits, red shirts, scholarships, head-count sports, NLI, clearinghouse, dead period, and so on.

Your job is to learn the basics, understand your role in the recruiting process, understand how coaches recruit and what they look for, and understand what admission departments and schools look for. It’s not about rules; it’s about understanding and working with the process.

For elite athletes and those wanting to continue playing their sport in college, contacting the coach of your prospective school is usually the first step to securing a college scholarship. Writing an email to a college coach may seem intimidating at first, but with these helpful hints you’ll be sure to make a good impression.

First, whether this is your first email or tenth email, it is always important to be professional when contacting the coach. Always address the email using the coach’s last name. Taking the time to look up their name shows the coach that you are truly interested in the school and the program. Including the coach’s name, as well as explaining why you are interested in the school and what attracts you to the program, will help keep the email engaging and personal.

Remember, coaches love to hear from student-athletes, but they’re also extremely busy people. Keeping your email short and to the point will not only show the coach that you respect their time, but will also make it interesting and professional. Include things like your current grade and grade point average, SAT/ACT scores, position, sport stats (goals scored, starts, etc.), team name, and what tournaments you will be attending in the future. A coach can easily verify these points so be sure not to exaggerate. Being completely honest and confident in your abilities will make the best impression.

In addition to your accomplishments and abilities, providing the phone numbers of your club and high school coaches or a website link to a scouting page will give the coach a better idea of how you play.

Lastly, don’t be discouraged if you don’t receive a response immediately. NCAA recruiting rules prohibit coaches from sending personalized emails to prospects until September 1st of your junior year (NAIA coaches are allowed to contact players at any time). Before then, coaches may only send you questionnaires and sports camp brochures. If you are eager to talk to a coach, but still in your freshman and sophomore year, remember that coaches are still able to take your phone calls.

Below is a letter template to a Coach . Copy and paste into your own email.

Division I

Division I schools must sponsor at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six for men and eight for women), with two team sports for each gender. Each playing season has to be represented by each gender as well. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria. For sports other than football and basketball, Division I schools must play 100 percent of the minimum number of contests against Division I opponents — anything over the minimum number of games has to be 50 percent Division I. Division I schools must meet minimum financial aid awards for their athletics program, and there are maximum financial aid awards for each sport that a Division I school cannot exceed.

Click here for a list of member schools/sports.

Division II

Division II institutions must sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women, (or four for men and six for women), with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria. For sports other than football and basketball there are no scheduling requirements. There are not attendance requirements for football, or arena game requirements for basketball. There are maximum financial aid awards for each sport that a Division II school must not exceed. Division II teams usually feature a number of local or in-state student-athletes. Many Division II student/athletes pay for school through a combination of scholarship money, grants, student loans and employment earnings. Division II athletics programs are financed in the institution’s budget like other academic departments on campus. Traditional rivalries with regional institutions dominate schedules of many Division II athletics programs.

Click here for a list of member schools/sports.

Division III

Division III institutions must sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women, with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. There are minimum contest and participant minimums for each sport. Division III athletics features student/athletes who receive no financial aid related to their athletic ability and athletic departments are staffed and funded like any other department in the university. Division III athletics departments place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators. The student-athlete’s experience is of paramount concern. Division III athletics encourages participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities available to students, placing primary emphasis on regional in-season and conference competition.

Click here for a list of member schools/sports.

NAIA

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has different eligibility requirements for student-athletes. To be eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics as an incoming freshman, two of the following three requirements must be met:

Have a 2.0 (C) or higher cumulative final grade point average in high school.

Have a composite score of 18 or higher on the ACT Assessment or an 860 total score or higher on the SAT I on a single test administered on a national test date.

Have a top-half final class rank in his or her high school graduating class.

Student-athletes must also have on file at the college an official ACT Assessment or SAT I score report from the appropriate national testing center. Results reported on the student’s high school transcript are not acceptable. Students must request that their test scores be forwarded to the college’s admission office.

If you have additional questions about NAIA eligibility, contact them at:

NAIA

23500 W. 105 Street

P.O. Box 1325

Olathe, Kansas 66051-1325

413-971-0044

www.naia.org

Click here for a list of member schools.

NJCAA

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing body of intercollegiate athletics for two-year colleges. As such, its programs are designed to meet the unique needs of a diverse group of student-athletes who come from both traditional and nontraditional backgrounds and whose purpose in selecting a junior college may be as varied as their experiences before attending college.

Click here for information on schools and eligibility requirements.

Click here for a list of member schools by gender and sport.

NCCAA

The National Christian College Athletic Association was incorporated to provide a Christian based organization that functions uniquely as a national and international agency for the promotion of outreach and ministry, and for the maintenance, enhancement, and promotion of intercollegiate athletic competition with a Christian perspective.

Click here for information on schools and eligibility requirements.

Click here for a list of member schools by region.

In most cases, coaches observing events, league play and or scrimmage games will recruit players’. Sometimes coaches will attend training sessions to see how players do in a more controlled environment. For 90% of the players’, video footage may not be necessary. However, there will be some situations that require a coach needing video footage to evaluate a player due to demographics, time in the recruiting process or institutions travel budget restrictions. If you plan to make a Video, follow the guidelines below.

There are two major categories of video content that might be requested:

Highlight Video

Use clips from various games to demonstrate skill proficiency in all components

Content should include:

Field Players

• Receiving, both in the air and on the ground
• Distributing, different types
• Shooting, both power and simple finishing Dribbling
• Tackles, defensive contributions

Goalkeepers

• Crosses and flighted balls
•  Shot Stopping and reaction saves
• Breakaway saves
• Distribution
• Verbal communication in a game situation

Unedited Game Film

• 10-15 minutes
• Should be from a high vantage point to assess full game perspective

ACT Test – For ACT dates and locations, fees, and enrollment info.

http://www.act.org

AIE – News about the college experience from national publications, financial aid timelines and answers to FAQs.

https://www.aie.org/

All Student Loan – Learn the difference between grants, loans and scholarships & calculate how much $ you’ll need for college.

https://www.allstudentloan.org

BeRecruited - A basic yet free recruiting website that can improve visibility 

https://new.berecruited.com/ 

CollegeBoard – Administers the SAT, visit for testing dates, fees, test-taking advice and prep.

https://www.collegeboard.org

FastWeb – Will direct you to a list of scholarships for which you may be eligible.

https://www.fastweb.com/

FederalStudentAid – A government run site with college planning timelines, access to online version of FAFSA & borrowing tips.

https://studentaid.gov

NCAA Guide for College-bound Athletes (2020-21)

Click here

NCSA - A popular recruiting website that can improve visibility while offering several levels of membership

https://www.ncsasports.org/

PASC College Recruiting Night - How to create a priorities list, communicate with college coaches, and create a highlight video

Presentation

SallieMae – What are colleges looking for in applicants? What scholarships do you qualify for? How to evaluate acceptance letters.

https://www.salliemae.com/student-loans/

Unigo – Charges a small fee to match you to the scholarships for which you qualify.

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships

Academic/admissions

What are your most popular majors?

Are there any majors that are most popular with athletes?

Will my specific major interfere with my athletic schedule?

What are the admission requirements for an athlete?

Is there anything I should work on to improve in order to be accepted to your school?

Does your program have a full-time academic advisor?

Are there team study halls?

Do most of your players graduate in four years (graduation % rate in 4 years)?

Can the application fee be waived for athletes?

Should I apply online or what would you suggest?

Do you recommend an admissions interview?

Athletic

What are the key positions you’re looking to fill in the 20XX incoming class?

Have I been evaluated by your coaching staff? What’s their feedback?

How many players are you recruiting at my position?

What type of player are you looking for at my position?

What is your recruiting timeline? When would you like your recruiting done for the class of 2013?

What is your coaching style/philosophy?

What advantages are there for student-athletes, in comparison to the regular student body?

How many or what percentage of athletes make your team as a walk-on?

What type of off-season activities are expected?

Am I allowed to participate in other sports?

Do you intend to invite me for an official visit?

What is the “day in the life” for a team member of your team during the season? During the off-season?

What goals do you have for you team during the next 4-5 years?

Are student-athletes allowed to be in a fraternity/sorority?

Scholarship

How many scholarships do you still have available for my Class (of 20XX)?

Are you considering me for a scholarship?

What determines if a scholarship is renewed?

What type of academic scholarships are available? What about other grants and aid?

Do I have to apply before a scholarship can be offered?

What happens if I’m injured?

Will I be eligible to receive more money next year?

College life

Are your players close with each other outside of training and matches?

Do teammates typically live together?

What is housing like on campus?

Do many student-athletes live on campus all four years?

Is it realistic to work part time, study and play a sport?

What are the biggest challenges for a student-athlete at your school?

What type of orientation program is offered for incoming freshmen?

Questions a coach might ask a prospective student-athlete

How are you doing in school?

What is your favorite subject? Least favorite subject?

What about our school interests you?

What are you looking for in a school?

What other schools are recruiting you?

Have you visited our campus?

Do you plan to visit?

What is your biggest strength as a player?

What is your biggest weakness as a player?

What do you want to major in?

What is your upcoming schedule?