NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

My experience with NCSA was amazing and I owe my success to them. I decided to sign up with NCSA because I live in a small town in Wyoming and knew I wouldn’t get much exposure to college golf coaches. Once I signed up, I immediately received several emails from coaches all over the country!! It was exciting but also challenging as I knew I needed to respond to each and every contact I received. It was time consuming but it all paid off in the end. By talking to the coaches and researching several colleges, I was able to narrow my choices and went on a week long trip to visit the colleges I was most interested in. I ended up finding Northwestern College, a pearl in the sea of colleges that I never would have found if it weren’t for NCSA. NCSA matched me with the colleges that fit my academic and athletic goals. I wanted to golf at a private, liberal arts school that had a Christian foundation and that is exactly what I found! The support, guidance and information as well as the many tools and resources offered such as the profile, the huddles, and the To-Do lists were extremely helpful. My advice to high school students is to work hard not only on the course but in the classroom as well. The coaches are more interested in a well rounded individual rather than just an athlete. Also, the more time and effort you put into NCSA the more they can work for you and help you to be successful. I fully recommend that any student athlete who wants to play at the collegiate level give NCSA a try. Signing on with NCSA was one of the best decisions I have ever made and was an investment that will benefit me for a lifetime!

Coach Taylor – What should my son’s GPA and ACT/SAT be to get a scholarship?

This is a tough question to answer because it’s not quite as simple as it would seem.  If you would like to check out the minimum requirements then I encourage you to visit the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Below is GENERAL table that can serve as minimum target goals for an elite athlete.  As we have talked about, this will vary based on a number of factors including athletic ability and the specific academic institution. 

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator here or calling 866-579-6272.

Ask Coach Taylor – I feel like I am playing out of position on my high school team because they need me in my current role.  When do I need to decide my college position?

In most cases, the college coach will make that decision for you! 

It is not uncommon for an athlete to be playing a different position in high school than they will play in college.  For example, a men’s basketball player might be a 6 foot small forward in high school, but would be more of a fit at a guard position at the collegiate level.  Here are a few pieces of advice:

- Understand what college coaches are looking for at each position and division level.  You can visit our recruiting guidelines by clicking here.
- If you feel like you are playing out of position, make sure you have developed the proper skill set for the position that you feel will be your best fit at the next level.  This will make you a more versatile and attractive athlete.
- Build relationships with the college coaches so you can communicate and market your abilities properly.  Many will evaluate your ability and realize that you are “out of position,” but it will never hurt to market your diversity when proactively reaching out to coaches.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator here or by calling 866-579-6272.

Ask Coach Taylor – My daughter wants to retake the ACT and SAT.  When is it too late?  Does this need to be done before signing day?

What matters most is when the application is looked at by admissions.   If the athlete is borderline academically and needs higher scores than they need to have them in by the time the application is put in.  The signing of the National Letter of Intent really has nothing to do with admissions.  If the athlete did not get into the school, the NLI becomes null and void.

One other important note is if the athlete improves the test scores after admissions they MAY be eligible for more academic aid.  That can be raised up until the first day of class.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator here or calling 866-579-6272.

Ask Coach Taylor – My son plays both basketball and football and wants to play at the college level.  He hasn’t decided if he wants to pursue basketball or football.  We are preparing resumes to send out – it is proper to send for each sport, or should we focus on one?

If your son or daughter has any interest in playing one of two sports in college, I would strongly recommend sending resumes for each sport to the respective coaching staffs.

Many athletes excel in multiple sports during high school and some are unsure which one they want to pursue at the next level.  Remember that there will be two separate recruiting processes at the beginning for each sport since the coaching staffs and timelines will vary.   In an effort to keep all options open, it is a best practice to develop a relationship with the coaching staffs for reach sport.

This will allow the athlete to make a decision based on the factors important to their personal recruiting goals. 

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator here or calling 866-579-6272.

I would highly reccomend NCSA. The tools such as the coach calls are very beneficial. I hopped on a call one night with the Elmhurst coach just to hear about the recruiting process and what college coaches look for and little did I know I found the school I ended up at. The way NCSA makes your report and your profile really gives you a platform for colleges to see you and start contacting you. I had many coaches regularly calling me and emailing me along with sending mail. If you have the desire to play at the next level and put in the work NCSA will elevate you above the rest of the normal high school athletes and get you looked at. I had numerous NAIA and D2 athletic offers however I decided to go to Elmhurst based on the great education, the beautiful facilities, and the classy, personable people. I would say you have to get out and visit at least three of your top schools that you are considering so you can get a good fit for where you belong but NCSA has done great things for me and I’m sure it would for you. I’m leaving the great state of Texas and going to play in Elmhurst, Il.

Trevor Spaulding 2010 kicker

In case you were unable to watch live last night, check out Coach Taylor’s webcast about “The Recruiting Realities of Camps and Combines.”

Getting verified results from combines can be critical in the recruiting process, but the key is to make sure your measureables get in front of college coaches through trusted online sources.

If you want to get the most recruiting value out of your camp and combine experience, call the NCSA Scouting Center at 866-579-6272 or click here.

Are you deep in the college admissions process?

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Three pieces of advice for students preparing for both SAT and ACT:

1.)   Prep for one test at a time.  The material will be somewhat similar but the timing and strategy can be very different.  Preparing for both simultaneously can make it tough to keep things straight.
2.)   Make sure to take practice tests in a “Test-like” environment like a library or a study hall.  Part of these tests is being able to block out distractions and focus on the task at hand.
3.)  Spend time getting familiar with question formats and pacing for the tests.

Think you know it all?  Take this quiz! (Answers below…don’t peek!)

Q1: How many sections are on the ACT?

Q2: How many sections are on the SAT

Q3: How long is the SAT? ACT? Subject Tests?

Q4: Which test(s) deduct points for wrong answers?

I. SAT
II. ACT
III. SAT Subject tests

a. I only
b. II only
c. II and III
d. I and III
e. I, II, and III

Answers:

A1: 4 and an “optional” writing section.

1. English – 75 questions, 60 minutes
2. Math – 60 questions, 60 minutes
3. Critical Reading – 40 questions, 35 minutes
4. Science – 40 questions, 35 minutes

A2: 3 categories (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing) with 10 sections:

1. 3 Critical Reading Sections
a. 24 questions, 25 minutes
b. 24 questions, 25 minutes
c. 19 questions, 20 minutes
2. 3 Math Sections
a. 20 questions, 25 minutes
b. 18 questions, 20 minutes (includes grid-ins)
c. 16 questions, 20 minutes
3. 3 Writing Sections
a. 25 minute essay (always first section)
b. 35 questions, 25 minutes
c. 14 questions, 10 minutes
4. 1 Experimental Section
a. # of questions varies, 25 minutes

A3: These tests are not short.  The SAT and ACT are nearly 4 hours long and the Subject Tests are an hour long each.  This means that mental endurance is going to be a huge factor in your success on these tests.

A4: The answer is d.  The SAT and SAT Subject Tests will deduct ¼ of a point from your raw score for each question you answer wrong, whereas the ACT will not.  This means that guessing is good on the ACT, but you have to be careful when you guess on the SAT and SAT Subject Tests.

To learn more about these tests and how you can maximize your score, go to revolutionprep.com or call them at 1-877-738-7737.

NCSA is constantly traveling across the nation educating athletes at high schools, camps and combines. To bring NCSA Recruiting Education to your event you can contact us HERE.

EMH Sports and Fitness Institute, Murrieta Location CA Camp 3/8/2010 Marcus Price
Merrill High School WI School 3/8/2010 David Carl
Mount Zion High School GA School 3/8/2010 Joe Burns
Brazosport College Career Fair TX School 3/9/2010 Je’Mone Smith
Middleboro High School MA School 3/9/2010 Brent Williams
Sheboygan South High School WI School 3/9/2010 Cecil Martin
Spanish Springs High School NV School 3/9/2010 Chad Hermansen
St. Patrick High School IL School 3/9/2010 Bob Chmiel
Western School of Technology MD School 3/9/2010 Howard Stevens
Apollo High School AZ School 3/10/2010 Derrick Mayes
Centennial High School NV School 3/10/2010 Chad Hermansen
Dover-Sherborn High School MA School 3/10/2010 Brent Williams
Hodgson Vocational Technical High School DE School 3/10/2010 Howard Stevens
Lawton Chiles High School GA School 3/10/2010 Joe Burns
Los Altos High School CA School 3/10/2010 Julian Jenkins
Marist High School IL School 3/10/2010 Bob Chmiel
Mt Zion High School IL School 3/10/2010 Randy Taylor
Somerset High School ID School 3/10/2010 Othello Henderson
Syracuse High School UT School 3/10/2010 Paul Putnam
Judge Memorial High School UT School 3/11/2010 Paul Putnam
MacArthur High School IL School 3/11/2010 Randy Taylor
Mesa High School AZ School 3/11/2010 Derrick Mayes
Miami High School FL School 3/11/2010 Phil Clarke
Oregon High School WI School 3/11/2010 Cecil Martin
Rio Rancho and Cleveland High School NM Online Event 3/11/2010 Marcus Price
Sayville High School NY School 3/11/2010 Roman Oben
Turner Falls/Great Falls High & Middle School MA School 3/11/2010 Brent Williams
FBU – Phoenix, AZ AZ Camp 3/12/2010 Derrick Mayes
New Brighton Senior High School PA School 3/12/2010 Jai Hill
Schuman NUC – Dallas, TX TX Camp 3/12/2010 Je’Mone Smith
Schuman NUC- Jackson, MS MS Camp 3/12/2010 Joe Burns
Anderson Sunshine House Junior SC Club 3/13/2010 Brandi Jackson
Boys & Girls Club of Geneva NY Club 3/13/2010 Tony Collins
VA Elite HS Exposure Camp VA Camp 3/13/2010 Nicole Watson
NIKE – Charlotte NC camp 3/13/2010 Cecil Martin
NIKE – Atlanta GA camp 3/14/2010 Phil Clarke
Taylor Mehlhaff Kicking WI Camp 3/14/2010 David Carl
Under Armour – San Diego CA camp 3/14/2010 Marcus Price
Belleville High School WI School 3/15/2010 David Carl
Elmira Free Academy NY School 3/15/2010 Tony Collins
Hofball National Classic – St Pompano Beach FL Club 3/15/2010 Rich Hofman
Ellwood City High School PA School 3/16/2010 Jai Hill
Little Chute High School WI School 3/16/2010 David Carl
McDonogh High School LA Online Event 3/16/2010 Phil Clarke
Randallstown High School MD School 3/16/2010 Howard Stevens
Robert E. Lee High School VA School 3/16/2010 Nicole Watson
South San Francisco High School CA School 3/16/2010 Julian Jenkins
Lake Michigan Catholic High School MI School 3/17/2010 Charlie Adams
Lone Peak High School UT School 3/17/2010 Paul Putnam
Lusher High School LA School 3/17/2010 Phil Clarke
Paul VI Catholic High School VA School 3/17/2010 Bob Chmiel
Pro Teach Baseball Academy- FL Camp 3/17/2010 Rich Hofman
Thomas A Edison High School VA School 3/17/2010 Nicole Watson
Family Network VA School 3/18/2010 Bob Chmiel
Friendship Collegiate High School CA School 3/18/2010 Nicole Watson
Peach County High School GA School 3/18/2010 Joe Burns
West St. John High School LA School 3/18/2010 Phil Clarke
Schuman NUC – Lexington, KY KY Camp 3/19/2010 Je’Mone Smith
MidEast Volleyball Qualifier MO Club 3/20/2010 Charlie Adams
Ambassadors of the Game tryouts FL Club 3/20/2010 Rich Hofman
Schuman NUC – Jacksonville, NC NC Camp 3/20/2010 Tony Collins
Schuman NUC – Tampa, FL FL Camp 3/20/2010 Joe Burns
Football University – Miami FL Camp 3/20/2010 Phil Clarke
Under Armour – Santa Monica ca Camp 3/21/2010 Marcus Price
All Sports Expo 2010 PA Club 3/21/2010 Mike Tomczak
Ambassadors of the Game tryouts FL Club 3/21/2010 Rich Hofman
Paye’s Sports Performance Camp CA Camp 3/21/2010 Julian Jenkins
NIKE – Chicago IL Camp 3/21/2010 Randy Taylor
Chris Sailer Kicking TX Camp 3/21/2010 Othello Henderson

**Note:  Many of these events require registration.  If you have questions about how to get to a camp or combine approved by NCSA call 866-579-6272**