Applying to College as a Sports Recruit

As a recruit the college process will seem to have started months or even years before you actually apply. But you will still have to go through the traditional application process like everyone else. Though there may seem like a lot to do, planning ahead will help you navigate this fast and furious process, and not only get accepted, but get whatever you need to make that school the right school for you.

What is the process to apply to college?

College admissions is broken down in to several stages. First it begins with submitting a complete application to the school. There are many components to the application and a school will only consider an applicant who has submitted everything for review. After this the application will go into a review stage which can take weeks or months for colleges to determine which students they will actually accept. Students will eventually receive decisions from the admissions department, complete with financial aid packages for those students who are accepted, and you will have a period of time to determine which school you will actually choose. Although recruits “commit” to colleges and even sign letters of intent, you are officially a member of the incoming student class when you have submitted a deposit to the school which reserves your spot for the fall.

Checklist for Applying to College

1. Create a profile with the NCAA Eligibility Center if you are considering D1 and D2 schools, or the NAIA Eligibility Center.

2. Take the SAT or ACT and submit the scores to schools and the NCAA or NAIA. (Note some colleges are test optional)

3. Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

4. Submit completed college applications to schools

5. Obtain final amateurism certification through the NCAA Eligibility Center (If applicable)

6. Submit proof of graduation to the Eligibility Center

7. Officially submit your acceptance to the college with a deposit

Registering and taking the SAT and ACT

Up until recently the SAT or ACT was required for all recruits. Now the NCAA no longer requires a test score submission. But many colleges still require either exam, either for admissions, or scholarship eligibility. To be on the safe side, you should look to take either exam so you are able to accept any offer. 

Standardized tests are very competitive so you should look to prepare with official prep courses, and use online resources like Khan Academy and others to study. The better your scores, the easier it will be to get money to make college affordable.

I recommend taking either exam during your junior year. Both tests are given six to seven times a year and you can also request fee waivers if cost is an issue for you and your family. You can officially register for either exam online.

What is the role of the Eligibility Center?

The NCAA Eligibility Center exists to process the paperwork for every D1 and D2 recruit so that they can be certified as eligible to compete in college. The NAIA Eligibility Center does the same thing for all of their institutions.

Most of what you will need to submit will be academic transcripts and test score information which will need to be completed officially. Transcripts are sent by your current school while test scores can be sent online using the 9999 for the NCAA and 9876 for the NAIA. Without the Eligibility Center coaches cannot seriously recruit you or offer you visits as you head into your senior year.

If I am being offered by a coach do I need to apply to college?

Yes you do. Even though a college coach may be able to offer you a scholarship, everything is contingent upon your actual acceptance to the college. You will still need to submit a complete application and receive an acceptance from the school to make joining the college team official. You should tell the coach when you submit the application so they can follow up with admissions..

When is the right time to apply to college?

Fall of Senior year is generally when colleges begin accepting applications for the following year. The general deadline for regular decision applications is January 1st and early admissions deadlines are around November 1st. The earlier you get your application in the better your chances of getting accepted, and getting maximum amounts of financial aid. If you start in August of your senior year you should have plenty of time to submit applications on time.

How many schools should I apply to?

If you are being recruited, you should apply to any school that you are considering competing for entering your Senior year. Even if you are still in the beginning stages of talks with college coaches, you can’t accept any offer if you don’t apply. By using the common application you can normally apply to many schools all at once, making it easier to get everything done, so long as you pay any outstanding application fees.

What choices do I have when I apply and what are the deadlines?

The different types of applications you can send in are the following:

• Early Action – When you find out early from the college if you are accepted, but are not obligated to attend. (Deadline is normally at or around November 1st)

• Early Decision – When you find out early from the college if you are accepted, and are obligated to actually attend in the fall. (Deadline is normally at or around November 1st)

• Regular Decision – When you apply with general applicants and are given months to decide on a final school. (Deadline is normally at or around January 1st)

• Rolling Decision – When you apply after a traditional admissions deadline and the school continues to review applications on a progressive basis. (Not all schools offer this, and typically this would come into play sometime after January 1st.

Are there benefits to Early action and Early Decision?

Yes there are. The first is not a binding contract so if you can prepare early to apply you will get an answer sooner rather than later. Colleges generally give financial aid preferences to students who apply early as well. You can apply to multiple schools this way so there are really no negatives, you just have to get your applications in on time.

Early Decision is however, a binding agreement so only do it if you are certain you will attend the school. But it also comes with financial aid benefits, and if you are already committed to the school, many coaches will expect you to do this anyway, since choosing not to essentially tells them you are still considering other options.  

What is the Common Application used for?

Normally it is referred to as the “Common App” and it is used to apply to many colleges all at once. Schools do not look down on using it, so it is a great advantage to start with completing your Common app first so you don’t have to do double work for schools that are a part of it. You will however have to pay separate application fees.

What should I consider when I write a college application essay

The college application essay will be the only time that you get to speak directly to an admissions office most of the time. So the essay should be taken seriously and can be the swing factor on an application. Take care to choose a topic that shows who you are, perhaps even something related to how sports have impacted you. Always get help from a teacher or tutor if possible and make sure that the essay is clear about who you are and what you can bring to the college. For more on how to approach your college essay check out this article

What is FAFSA?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or “FAFSA” is a document submitted that qualifies all students must complete to receive financial aid. Even if you are in the fortunate group of athletes (less than 2 percent) who will receive full-ride athletic scholarships, colleges normally require the FAFSA to be completed. If you are on a partial scholarship or receiving no athletic aid, you will not be eligible for anything without completing the FAFSA.

What you need to know about FAFSA

The FAFSA becomes available on October 1st, and the sooner you complete it the more aid you are likely to be awarded. You will also need to have it forwarded to every school you apply to. FAFSA reads are linked to your parents tax filings from prior years, so it is not a good idea to try to manipulate your information. If you report the wrong information, you run the risk of getting flagged where you will not be able to receive any financial aid at all! 

What is Amateurism for the NCAA?

To compete in the NCAA you will need to be certified as an amateur. There are certain questions you will need to answer and by doing so you, will be approved to become a college athlete. April 1st is the first day that you can request your certificate. This matters most for D1 and D2 level recruits. If there are any issues with your eligibility center account they will need to get resolved before you can get the certificate where you will be allowed to actually compete.

What do I do after I complete my application?

After you complete your application be sure to let the coach recruiting you know. Coaches generally work closely with the admissions department. By telling the coach they can vouch for you with admissions, and follow up to make sure everything goes smoothly. If you are trying to walk-on to the program then you should make them aware you have applied so that they can take you more seriously as a potential athlete.

What do I do after I’ve been accepted to the college and committed?

Your transition to college athletics will not be complete until you do something very important. You will have to submit a final transcript through your high school to the NCAA. This will validate your proof of graduation so that you can begin your college career!

How will a college coach work with me when I apply to the school?

College coaches do not control who gets into the college but they do work closely with their admissions department. If you are a top recruit the coach will likely advocate for you to be accepted. Athletes offered full-rides will typically get this type of treatment. But everyone else will normally not have the luxury of the coach doing much more than recommending you for admissions.

Coaches will likely prequalify you as a recruit so they will have more confidence in your ability to gain acceptance. This means that coaches may also turn you away, not just because of your talent level, but perhaps for your academics. If they know you won’t get into the college there is no point in recruiting you.

If you do receive any athletic scholarship, the coach should have control over that amount. They can choose who gets what and why. But be aware many college coaches do not give out full-ride scholarships to most of their recruits so you should be prepared to consider partial scholarship offers.

Coach Rob’s Note: Don’t go under-recruited! I put in the hard work for you to know exactly which colleges might be a good fit, both athletically, and academically. Book a meeting with me, Coach Rob, and see how easy it can be to get the offers you deserve!

What should I do after I am accepted?

Your acceptance to the college is your formal invitation to the school. There is always a deadline after you are accepted to let the college know you will be coming, and you will have to submit documentation, normally with a deposit to hold your spot. If you fail to do so there will be little the college coach can do to get you back in.

What should I do if I am being recruited late during my Senior year?

College application deadlines do close in January for many schools, but others have deadlines that either linger, or offer rolling admissions. If a coach is reaching out to you, after the traditional deadlines and you did not apply, hear them out. The coach will let you know what you need to do in order to get in an application so you can still be considered for the fall.

Coach Rob is a recruiting expert and the Founder of SCA Recruiting. He is also the author of the book Winning the Ship: How to Win the College Athlete Recruitment Game. Available now on Amazon.