College Athletics: Advising the Non- Recruited Student-Athlete Gregg Murray Associate Director of College Counseling Viewpoint School
Getting Started Student-athletes may want to continue playing sports at the collegiate level They may base their college decisions, in part or entirely, on the availability of a strong athletic program and their eligibility to play their sport(s) at a particular college or university The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules on athletic eligibility, recruiting, and financial aid for college sports Colleges are members of specific divisions (Division I, Division II, and Division III) depending upon the size and scope of their athletic programs, and whether or not they provide athletic scholarships
NCAA Division I (DI) Highest level most recognized and competitive Athletic scholarship awarded Schools with Football programs are IA or IAA o categorization is based on quality and depth of athletics and financial commitments to programs Enormous time commitment o no off-season year round play o athletics is your job o pressure to perform
NCAA Division II (DII) Smaller schools with lesser-known athletic programs Feature local or in-state athletes Pay for education w/combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and jobs Substantial time commitment Local examples include: o San Francisco State o UCSD o Sonoma State o Cal State LA
NCAA Division III (DIII) Largest number of colleges & universities within NCAA No scholarships related to athletic ability Time commitment not as large as DI or DII Athletes play for the love of their sport Highly skilled and competitive Ability to play two sports Local examples include: o Cal Lutheran o UCSC o Chapman o Pomona-Pitzer Some schools maintain membership in 2 different divisions o Johns Hopkins: DI in Men s lacrosse - DII in other sports
Club Sports In intercollegiate club sports, there are no athletic scholarships, no adoring crowds, and minimal adult leadership An estimated two million college students play competitive club sports compared with about 430,000 involved in NCAA and the NAIA A small number of high school graduates, fewer than 5 percent, are good enough to play a at the DI level The ability to balance academics, athletics, and social life is a draw for the club sports model Being active in the leadership of a club sport teaches a wealth of real-life lessons that college students might not learn anywhere else With no single national governing body for all club sports, teams operate differently from institution to institution Some report to Athletics, while many report to Student Affairs, which doles out money to individual clubs that apply with their financial requests
NCAA Eligibility Center Responsible for determining the eligibility of every college-bound student-athlete in Divisions I and II Academic Certification: Does the student athletes meet the minimum academic requirements? Amateurism Certification (Sports Participation): Has the college bound student-athlete jeopardized his or her amateur status?
NCAA Eligibility Requirements Graduate from high school Complete NCAA-approved courses and earn minimum GPA Requirements similar to A-G Division I 16 core courses Division II 16 core courses Division III Must gain admission to school; no athletic scholarships; No NCAA certification required Be careful with online and remediation courses! Utilize NCAA High School Portal Earn required SAT or ACT sum score
NCAA Eligibility Center www.eligibilitycenter.org First steps: Set up account Pay $75 dollar fee o Eligible for fee waiver if used for SAT and ACT Submit OFFICIAL transcripts SAT and ACT scores must be sent directly from testing center o Test Code: 9999
The Admission Process Can my athletic talent help me get into college? What s more important grades or athletic ability? Will I be able to know all of my options before I decide? Early Decision I Early Decision II Ivy League Academic Index o Class Rank Conversion/Rigor (20-80) o SAT (20-80) o SAT Subject Test (20-80) o 171 minimum; 200+ average for admitted student-athletes NESCAC Bands
Admission Reading and Evaluation Players are identified as recruits Focus immediately turns to the transcript and scores Admissions does communicate with coaches on recruits June-August coaches and liaisons are meeting on early commits and they meet throughout the year Admissions may also inform the coach of strong admissions candidates that might be decent players Well written and executed applications are important o A poor essay can be devastating to a case
Understanding Athletic Admission If coach identifies a player of interest Coach presents a list prioritizing needs and sometimes will rank order the top recruits on the list Some schools will have an admission liaison pre-screen scores and a transcript to see if the case is in the ballpark Sliding Scale Model: The stronger the player, the greater possibility for admission Being a recruit can heal the sick, it can t raise the dead C s on a junior year transcript may put you out of the running at schools such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Amherst, and Williams Cs from earlier in HS might be explained if you show growth
Intangibles Athleticism and Coachability sport-specific skills competitiveness and physical/mental toughness athletic ability (i.e. skills, size, strength, speed, quickness, agility) potential to grow and mature team players, not players whose personal goals supersede team goals Character personal references work ethic leadership Intellectual Strength potential for academic success ability to graduate on time provide a positive image for the school
Standardized Testing Plan Advising students on appropriate times to take standardized tests is important The onus should be on students to communicate with high school and college coaches Some sports may require students to test sooner than expected o Example: lacrosse players might be better positioned to sit for standardized tests during fall/winter of junior year o It can be helpful for spring sport athletes to sit for earlier testing if they are well-prepared by the curriculum Other time-based sports may not impact a student s testing plan at all
Freshman & Sophomore Year Establish a 4-year plan for NCAA Eligibility Maintain at least a 2.3 GPA Talk to coach about opportunities to increase exposure in your sport Attend summer ID camps, showcases, and clinics Film games/matches Create an athletic resume Keep records of athletic achievements, articles, extracurricular activities, etc. Fill out prospective athlete questionnaires on college websites
Junior Year Ensure academic NCAA eligibility or DII competitiveness Develop a standardized testing plan o Send test scores to NCAA 9999 Attend college admission info sessions on HS campus or local area Visit college campuses Register for NCAA Clearinghouse in spring Develop initial college list individually and/or with college counselor Update athletic resume Get an honest evaluation of talent from coach Send resume and cover letter to coaches/fill out athletic questionnaires Attend ID camps Keep a file on each school that shows an interest in you Film games send DVD or link to YouTube to prospective coaches Attend college games to assess level of play
Senior Year Continue to work hard in academics, 1 st semester grades can impact outcomes greatly Retake standardized tests if necessary check with counselor & college coaches Finalize athletic resume File college applications/review with counselor before submission Continue to write, call, text, and e-mail coaches Be prompt in responding to coaches Visit campuses official and unofficial visits Attend sporting events/demonstrate interest
Group Discussion What have you experienced with the athletic recruitment process? What advice can you offer other counselors facing large case loads? How often do you promote club sports as an option for students who prioritize a DI campus? Which parts of the process create the most confusion for your students? Do you communicate with coaches directly or provide them with college admission guidelines and advice?