Prospective College Athletes

Steps to Being a Recruited Athlete

Junior Year

Determine the appropriate NCAA Division level at which you can compete

1. Seek the advice of your coach

2. Compare your athletic experience to these very general guidelines:

To compete at the NCAA Division I Level you must:

• be actively recruited

• have been all-state, all-conference, or all-league champion

• have qualified to compete at a junior or senior national meet

• train, cross-train, or compete year round and include weight/fitness training as part of your season and off-season program

• participate in summer camps at which recruiters are present

To compete at the NCAA Division II Level you must:

• have been part of a successful team program

• have competed at a regional level

• train in your sport seasonally and never have medaled beyond state competition

To compete at the NCAA Division III Level

• compete only during season at your high school

• have never qualified for state competition

• be a good athlete, choosing to enter training in sport for which you have no previous experience

Contact college coaches by phone and email

• Send an email introducing yourself along with a copy of your athletic resume (see attached), and your unofficial transcript and SAT scores.

• Consult the National Directory of College Athletics for phone numbers, emails, addresses and coach’s names along with the websites’ of the colleges.

• Be honest with colleges about your grades, course selection and SAT/ACT scores, especially if you know that your academic profile is below that of the typical admitted student. By not being up-front, you risk wasting your time and the coach’s time.

File the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Form

• If you are planning to play DI or DII athletics, you must complete this form to be declared eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse.  You should file this form at the end of your junior year. Contact the college guidance office at Sem to request that your transcript be released to NCAA.

• If you attended another high school, you must also send that transcript.  NCAA prefers you to complete this form on line and print out copies for your high school(s) to mail.

Senior Year

• Create a video that includes a section on your skills, yourself in competition and yourself in training. Different sports may have different preferences.

• Consult your coach about specifics for your sport

• Mail a copy of your competition schedule – junior year for Spring sports and senior year for Fall and Winter sports

• Make it possible for college coaches to observe you in competition

• Keep in contact with your college counselor about your athletic search

• Explore colleges to which you can gain admission without the help of an athletic coach

BE REALISTIC throughout the process

• While coaches are typically individuals of integrity, they are actively recruiting many students.  When you walk through the door, you may very well be the best goalie/pitcher/ forward/etc.  that they have ever seen, but you must realize that tomorrow someone better may walk through their door, and suddenly you are not their first choice. Coaches cannot assume you will commit to their school so they must recruit others. Indications of interest from a coach do not always result in an offer of admission.  Ask coaches questions such as:

• What level of influence do you have in the admission process?

• Where do I rank in your list of desired athletes?

• Will you use your influence in admissions to help me gain admission?

• Will you take my transcript and SAT scores to the admission officer who is your liaison and get an early read on my chances for admission?

How to Register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse

Student Release Form (U.S.)

In order to participate in Division I or Division II athletics and receive athletically-based financial aid you must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and meet eligibility standards. If you wish to register on-line with the Clearinghouse, you must have a valid VISA or MasterCard. If you received a fee waiver for the ACT or SAT exam and are requesting a waiver of the Clearinghouse fee, you may indicate this in Section VI.

NOTE however, your registration will not be processed until the Clearinghouse receives a waiver confirmation from your high school counselor. If you are seeking a waiver, you should talk to your high school counselor to determine if you are eligible for the waiver. If so your counselor will need to submit a waiver confirmation for you. High school counselors who have been issued a secure PIN may submit such confirmations through the High School Administrators section of the website. Individuals unable to file electronically should complete a paper version of the Student Release Form available from your high school counselor, the NCAA or logon to

https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/student/index_student.html

This link provides information about initial eligibility requirements and the rules of college recruiting:

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=263

Please Note:

• Once you complete the on-line registration, you must authorize Wyoming Seminary to send your transcripts to NCAA.

• If you attended another high school besides Wyoming Seminary, you must mail a copy of this transcript request form to your previous school.  All transcripts sent to the Clearinghouse must be official transcripts!

• You will not be cleared to participate in college athletics until you graduate from high school and your final transcript is received by the Clearinghouse.

• All Post-Graduate students should have already filed this form and been cleared by the Clearinghouse.  PG coursework will not affect your eligibility.