NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

      During college visits, one particular resource that can provide some of the most helpful information during the recruiting process is often overlooked. This resource is made up of the current team members at a college. By communicating with these team members on a personal level, you can not only develop friendships, but get a true sense for the school you are thinking of attending, as well. Those athletes are currently going through what you will, if you choose to attend that school, and they can give you their insights on what really goes on. Below is a list of questions that might be helpful to ask an athlete at the college you are visiting.

1. What do you like/dislike about this school?
2. What do you like/dislike about the coaches and team you play for?
3. What types of classes are you in, and what do they involve?
4. If you were in the recruiting process all over again, would you pick this school and why?
5. Do they feed you well? (These types of things are important, too!)

A lot of these questions may seem simple, but they really can be quite useful if you work to get something out of them. Ask questions that you are really curious about and don’t be afraid to dig deep!

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President

There is always a lot of buzz this time of year as recruited prospects who are targeted by colleges begin to line up their “official” campus visits.

It’s exciting because the college pays the travel costs for those visits, and they indicate a strong interest by the coach who is recruiting that athlete.  Official visits don’t get offered to every recruit, so it’s a real honor when you get asked to take an official visit to a campus.

But there is another side to the recruiting visit coin that a lot of recruits overlook.  Besides taking an “official” visit to a campus you might be considering as your college choice, you can also choose to go on an “unofficial” visit to the school.  An unofficial visit has the same purpose as the official visit, except that the student-athlete pays for all of their own travel costs to the school. 

For larger schools, this is an option that some coaches urge their recruits to take because they are limited in how many official visits they can pay for in a season (contrary to popular thought, college athletic programs don’t have an unlimited supply of money for recruiting).  For smaller schools, like those at the Division III level that don’t offer athletic scholarships, most recruiting trips to a school are paid for by the individual student-athlete and his or her family.  The exception would be those individual schools that have funds to bring in the athlete for an official visit, which is allowed by NCAA rules.

In each of those examples, the student-athlete prospect is still getting recruited.  They are still getting the campus tour, meeting the team, and talking to the coaches about opportunities at the school.  Aside from not having your travel paid for by the school that is recruiting you, everything else is the same.

Which brings me to the warning that I have for you, or your son or daughter, as the recruiting process unfolds: Be proactive and don’t limit yourself to only “official” visits to schools.  Everyone loves the “all expenses paid” trip, but this process is less about a free mini-vacation and all about searching for the perfect fit for your college education and athletic career.  If you are interested in a school, and they haven’t offered you an official visit, take the initiative and schedule a unofficial visit with the coach so that he or she knows you are serious about their school. 

Obviously, the ability to take a trip like that (and the number of trips) is going to depend greatly on your available family finances.  I understand that, as does my staff here at NCSA, which is one of the reasons we work hard in trying to bring as many interested college coaches as possible to you versus you having to search for them one-by-one on your own.  However, once a school expresses interest in you – or you have an interest in that school – it’s important to try and get on campus and get face to face with the coach.

Here’s a quick list of when you might want to consider taking an ”unofficial” visit to a campus:

• When you’ve been recruited by a coach, but haven’t been offered an “official” visit to the school by late Fall of your Senior year.
• When you are looking to attend a Division III school that doesn’t offer athletic scholarships, and can’t pay for “official” visits to their prospects.
•  When you and your family are going to be in the area that where a college is located, and would be convenient to visit (like during a family vacation).  That way, there is little or no additional expense in visiting that campus.
• When you are interested in a program, but that program does not know about you or is not seriously recruiting you.  Making a personal appearance shows a coach that you are a highly interested prospect.

Obviously, the more schools that know about you give you higher odds of being offered an official visit by a school.  However, if you feel like you need to be more proactive in getting coaches to seriously consider you as an option for their college roster, few things can be as valuable as arranging an unofficial campus visit.

Next week:  I’ll give you more details on the subject, including what you will need to give a college coach before you arrive on campus, as well as the right questions to ask a coach once you get to campus.

 We’re just about wrapped up with the first month of the high school season. Many seniors have built relationships with college coaches throughout the country, but have not received a full-ride scholarship offer. What many high school athletes are asking themselves is: just how interested is a college coach in offering me a scholarship? With where we are in the calendar, it is late for a Division 1 school to offer. But don’t close the door on a school just yet.

Here are some different examples of how college coaches express interest:

1. “We want to see senior footage of you”

This is a way of telling a student-athlete we haven’t seen enough of you to make     an offer. It can also be a nice way of saying “we’re not interested.” College coaches can be apprehensive about hurting a kid’s feelings. But they have to do what’s best for the program. My best advice would be to play hard on every play and show your athleticism on the field. Help the coach who is recruiting you by getting the film in early and asking if he needs any additional information. Then ask where you stand on a coaches recruiting board. Right now, yes and no’s, are your best friend. This way you know where you stand.

2. What happens when you call?

Making a simple call to a coach can be a way of gauging interest. If the coach is interested he will stop a meeting to talk to you. However, if you are constantly getting voicemails and getting the secretary you should understand that you are lower on a school’s need list.

3. What happens on a visit?

If you are getting offered to take a later visit date, this means you are probably number 2 or 3 on their need list. Don’t take this personally. College football is a big time business and this is just another way of expressing where you stand on their board. Also, are you getting a tour to see the locker room after a game? If not, then this may be another way to see how interested a school is in you.

These all may seem like minimal situations, but they could help define where you plan on playing. There is nothing wrong with moving down a division to compete. A question I ask my student-athletes is “Would you rather play at a smaller school?” or, “Do you want to sit and wait at a bigger one?” The question is for you to decide. I recommend you go somewhere where you’re wanted. This will make for a great college experience.

 Have you checked your mail box today? If not you should. The fall is an exciting time in the recruiting process and it brings with it a lot of opportunities to build upon your relationships with college coaches. One item that may show up in your mail box a few times this fall is an invite to a game. It’s ok to feel confused about what you’re next steps should be, most families have little to no experience dealing with these sorts of events. It’s important you handle this opportunity properly; this article should help you with the basics on visiting a school on game day.

The first thing you need to do once you receive an invite is to decide whether or not you want to go. Pretty basic I know, but all too often most recruits waver on whether or not they are going to attend and unfortunately end up throwing in the towel on the event before they’ve thought through whether or not they want to go. I know there’s a lot of logistics to work out with attending an event like this, but trust me it will be worth it in the long run. Take your time, think about whether or not you can go and more importantly fill in the coach on your decision.

The most common mistake recruits make when dealing with game day invites is to not communicate effectively with the coach. I speak with recruits on a daily basis, and everyone is always searching for a reason to get in touch with a coach. You won’t really come across an easier scenario to contact a coach. So call them up, talk about the invite, and ask if they have any advice to give regarding your travel plans. Use this as an opportunity to get in a personal touch with the coach. It will help you build your relationship with them.

Now if you can’t make the trip for any reason I don’t want you to worry. You probably have a good reason why you can’t attend, and you shouldn’t by shy about that. If you can’t make the event it is even more important that you contact the coach. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard college coaches tell me how interested they were in a prospect but things died out because they never responded to anything they sent them. Don’t let this happen to you. Call the coach, explain that you can’t go, and more importantly, tell him that you are still interested in their program.

Once you’ve decided to attend the event it’s important that you review the information thoroughly. You don’t want to mix up dates or times of the games. Ideally the materials will include some sort of itinerary for the event, if it doesn’t you should call the coach and ask for one. Keep the materials with you on the day of travel. Save any phone numbers that are included in the materials. It’s important that you know where you’re supposed to be and when you’re supposed to be there. In many cases this might be your first face to face meeting with the coaching staff, don’t be the guy walking in an hour late because you couldn’t find the building.

It’s important to note that typically most game day visits are considered an unofficial visit to the campus. The college or university will not pay for transportation to or from the event, any meals that are served or any lodging that is required. If you are unclear on whether or not this visit will be considered an unofficial or official visit make sure to ask the coach directly. He will clear up any confusion that you have.

At this point you’re probably wondering what actually happens on the visit. Typically most events you attend will be run the same way. They involve a tour of the facilities with a host, a lunch in the players club or at the stadium, and front row seats to the game (often times you will find yourself on the field). What most visits don’t include is a lot of one on one time with the coaching staff. This is normal; their number one concern that day is to win the ball game. So don’t be offended if you can’t spend as much time with the staff as you would have liked. I can guarantee you, they don’t mean to offend you, it’s just apart of the process.

You’re probably asking yourself, “If I’m not going to be spending time with the coaching staff, what should I be concentrating on at the event?” The answer to this question is, gathering up information. Take note of who’s in the stands. Does the school have the sort of following you’re looking for? Is the game day atmosphere up to par with what you were looking for out of your college experience? Drive around campus before and after the game. Take note of the setting the school is located in. This trip will tell you more about your future athletic experience then just about every other event you will attend during the recruiting process. So keep your eyes and your ears open. Take as much away from the event as possible. It will help you make a more educated decision as to which school is truly the right fit for you.

Unofficial visits, official visits and even talking to a coach can be a lot to handle. Not only are you tackling the serious business of actually discussing your future, but the schools drop a lot of information on you in such a short period of time. And if you take my advice and get as many schools on your side as early as possible, it could very well be information overload.

But Shannon Smith, a freshman lacrosse player at Northwestern University, shares her experience as a highly sought recruit in an article for Lacrosse Magazine.

With regards to staying organized, Smith had a simple, yet in my opinion, effective way of keeping track of the schools she would visit.

I tried to narrow down my colleges of interest in the summer of my junior year and tried to attend those college camps so that the coach could see and get to know me. After each visit, I would write pros and cons about each college.

Here’s an example of something you could do:

University of Serio

Pros
+Prestigious program
+Large student body
+Close to home

Cons
-Won’t get much playing time
-Classes might be too big
-No scholarship opportunity

Namon College

Pros
+I prefer smaller classes
+Chance to start as a freshman
+Run an option, which is the offense I like

Cons
-Only won two games last year
-A little far from home

Another suggestion for organization is by creating categories that are important and commenting how each school either fulfills or fails your criteria. Example:

Sorenson State University

Scholarship opportunities
Coach has filled 3 of 8 open scholarships

Academics
SA Graduation rate- 81% — Very good!

Early playing time
I’d be on the bench for two years because there’s a all-conference junior ahead of me.

Proximity to home
An hour away, so not terrible

Competitiveness
Team should compete for conference title

Obviously, these are just suggestions — feel free to use your own way to be organized. Just be organized! It’s going to help make your final decision that much easier!

Do you think the college athletic recruiting process should provide you with the highest number of opportunities? Do you think understanding college athletics recruiting can reveal the perfect college fit for you? How do you go about increasing your opportunities? What system should you employ to make sure you are selecting the right opportunity for you?

College coaches begin by initially contacting 1,000 or 2,000 or even 10,000 (depending on the sport) student athletes by sending them camp brochures, emails, questionnaires, etc. Those same college coaches are clearly not recruiting all of those student-athletes. Why do they start with such a large pool? They are following the advice of Marketing 101: the more kids who they find out about, the better chance they’ll find the really quality student-athlete who will help their program. If that’s a good strategy for college coaches, shouldn’t a student-athlete use the same strategy? Doing so will increase your number of opportunities.

A savvy student-athlete will learn as early as freshman year that they need to develop trust-based relationships with college coaches. This can only happen through communication. Since the NCAA restricts the amount and timing of contacts initiated by college coaches, the student-athlete must be proactive. Unfortunately, the 14 or 15 year old student-athlete doesn’t have the life experiences or the maturity to begin building relationships with adults. The good news is they can be trained in that skill set. It’s like interviewing for a job. 

College recruiting boils down to trust-based relationships between college coaches and student-athletes. What college coach is going to make a significant investment in a student-athlete unless they know a lot more about that student-athlete than her/his performance on the playing field?

If you agree with playing the numbers game and building trust-based relationships with college coaches, have you thought about how you would do that? If you’re a student-athlete reading this, do you think your parents can do this for you? If so, you better forget about playing sports in college. Do you think your coach can do this for you? Again, if so, you better forget about finding the perfect college fit for you. You are the one that needs to take charge. You can only do that if you develop the skill set to do so. Who will teach you that?

Finally, if you do all of the above correctly, how do you determine the right fit? There are many different factors including: academic quality of the school, size of school, location of school, financial aid package, level of competition, opportunity to play early, getting along with the coaching staff and players, receiving tutoring help (if necessary), etc. There is a way to logically sort out all of those factors. If you need help, go here.

Are you a student-athlete who is on a mission to play college sports? Are you a student-athlete who has played your sport for years? Imagine your first sport season after high school and you’re not playing. What would that feel like?

Most student athletes and their families are unaware of how early college recruiting begins. Or the reasons it begins so early. The problem is that 93% of high school students who go on to college are applying through the academic door. They begin researching colleges late in their junior year or early in their senior year. They listen to the high school guidance counselor who advises them to apply to several schools. They place these schools into 3 categories: 1) Reach schools (if I’m lucky, I’ll get in.) 2) Stretch schools (I’m pretty sure I’d get accepted to half of these I apply to.) and 3) safe schools (I’ll get in no matter what.) Make sure you have all of your applications in before Christmas break.

Unfortunately, student-athletes and their families think that college athletic recruiting operates along the same time-line. It doesn’t!  If you wish to apply through the athletic door, you need to understand the different calendars and timelines.

Different sports have different recruiting calendars and time-lines. However, all sports have the following in common:

1. College coaches would love to find out about you early. In some sports that’s as early as 7^th and 8^th grade, other sports it’s by 10^th grade. Waiting until the beginning of junior year begins to reduce your opportunities.
2. A college student athlete has a certain athletic profile. For example, in baseball, a student athlete needs to have a certain 60-yard dash time, a certain overhand throwing velocity, a certain bat-speed, etc. For very competitive schools, those metrics need to be achieved by the end of junior year. If not, many college coaches will refuse to evaluate a student-athlete. It takes time to develop physically and student-athletes need to train to that level early to ensure they reach that level on time.
3. College coaches only give scholarship money to student-athletes they know, like, and trust. Those trust-based relationships take time to build. Because of the recruiting restrictions placed on college coaches, it’s important that a student-athlete begin to build those relationships as a freshman. Most don’t know how to go about that.

If you’re serious about being a college student-athlete, you need to implement that game plan that will get you there. Knowing what to do is as important as doing it. If you don’t know what to do, you should contact an expert for an evaluation. You can do that at NCSA.

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President 

 College coaches have one thing on their mind as they launch into a new season of recruiting athletes:

You.

How to get your attention, how to sell their school to you, how to get you on campus, how to get you to commit.  In college coaching offices around the country, it’s all about you.

However, recruiting is a two-way street.  They know what you are looking for from them.  But do you, as a high school prospect or the parent of one, know what coaches are looking for when it comes to recruiting you? 

Sure, great athletic ability and a commitment to training is something every coach looks for in a prospect.  But there are some other factors that they look for, as well.  These factors can set one recruit apart from another, and be a big difference when it comes to who gets an offer and who doesn’t.

What are some of those “other factors” that get coaches really interested in a prospect?  Glad you asked!  Here are five big ones that I have heard coaches mention over and over again through our years of working to help match them with the right prospects around the country:

1. Contacting the coach first and telling them that you are interested in their program.  You, as a prospect, love it when a coach comes after you and expresses their interest in you as an athlete.  On the flip side, coaches are waiting to see who is really interested in their program and wants to be there.  Coaches will usually spend time with the athletes they know they have a good shot at getting, and if you are one of the athletes who goes out of your way to let that coach know that you are ready to listen to them, and have a strong interest in their program, you will get their attention.
2. Taking a campus visit at your expense.  This is different than the much publicized “official visit” where a school pays for an athlete to travel to a campus and visit the school.  Those happen, but there are limits to how many of those types of visits are feasible for most programs.  They just don’t have the budget to bring in everybody they want to recruit.  What should you do?  Determine what kind of budget you have to visit some campuses, and then schedule a time to visit the coach and take part in their tour.  I know that this might be a stretch for a lot of families, but that kind of commitment on your part shows a coach that you are serious about what their program has to offer.  Plus, you will get a good look at the campus and program to see if it really is a place you want to be for the next four or five years.
3. Opening-up and really talking to a coach.  One of the frustrations that coaches have when they contact athletes is how little real information they get from the prospect they are recruiting.  If you are a teenage prospect who is shy, or nervous about speaking with a coach, you’ll need to practice (yes, practice) giving good, detailed answers to questions you would get over the phone.  Practice with a friend, practice with your parents, but just make sure that you are engaging in a conversation with the coach who is calling you.  Most athletes these days don’t do a good job of verbal communication over the phone.  Try to be the one who does.  You will really make an impression with the coach who is contacting you.
4. Getting a coach everything they need to evaluate you.  Fill out the questionnaire and return it.  Send them your transcripts when they ask for it.  Take the SAT and/or the ACT tests early, and forward the scores to the coaches who are interested in you.  If they ask for video highlights, get it to them.  And, do all of this right away when they request it.  Nothing frustrates a coach more than waiting for materials they need from a prospect, and nothing harms a prospect’s chances more than waiting two or three weeks (or more) to get back to a coach.  We all know you are busy, but we’re talking about your chance to play college athletics and possibly having part or all of your college education paid for through your abilities!  Isn’t that worth taking ten minutes and filling out the prospect questionnaire you just got in the mail from a college?
5. Not making it all about the money.  Every athlete, and their parents, want a free college education.  When that happens, it’s a wonderful thing.  The reality is, however, that most college athletes do not get “full ride” scholarships.  Athletes and parents that focus solely on the money when talking to the coach end up hurting themselves much of the time.  The coach gets frustrated, the athletes and parents get hurt, and nobody wins.  When you start talking to a coach, understand this:  They KNOW you want as much money as possible.  And, if it were up to them, they would have the budgets to give every one of their recruits all the money they needed for college.  Heck, if that could happen, recruiting would be a snap for coaches!  But that isn’t reality.  Many programs need to split scholarship money between athletes, or have their first year players walk-on and earn money in future years.  Are you an athlete that understands the realities of today’s college recruiting, and is willing to listen to a coach even if they aren’t able to offer you a full ride?  If the answer is “yes”, you’ve just put yourself ahead of other prospects who may have unrealistic expectations about the recruiting process.

I will add one more thing to the list that every athlete needs to keep in mind as they set their sights on playing college athletics: 

Be open to every college’s offer.  You have your favorite “dream” programs that you hope will notice you and make an offer.  If that happens, that’s great!  But in the meantime, make sure you consider every school that contacts you, no matter how large or how small they are. 

There are some hidden gems out there when it comes to colleges and athletic programs, and you need to do yourself a favor and take the time to communicate with them and see if they might be the best fit for you academically and athletically.

Want to improve your chances of getting recruited?  Remember these tips I just passed along as you go through the recruiting process, and don’t forget to give the college coaches what they are looking for when they start recruiting you.

 Why do high school student athletes want to play collegiate athletics?  I speak with so many student athletes who express that commitment on a daily basis and often times I wonder if they truly realize the advantages of being a collegiate athlete. Outside of love for their sport which is the best reason to want to continue to play at the next level, I believe that if student athletes realized the ancillary benefits of partaking in collegiate athletics, their desire to maximize the recruiting process would increase significantly. 

I have often contemplated writing a list of all the rewards that accompany playing collegiate athletics to pass along to prospective student athletes, but quickly realized that it might take hours if not days.  Secondary advantages such as an immediate community of possible friends on a new college campus all the way to an instant alumni network for career opportunities after college fall into this extensive list that student athletes should think about.  I believe it will inherently create more value on the goal at hand and thus a greater attention to the steps required to achieve that goal.   

Student athletes should realize that a love for their sport should serve as their main motivation for working hard in the classroom, on the field, and throughout the recruiting process.  However, they should also understand the ramifications of taking part in collegiate athletics and how that might change their entire life.  Knowing what’s at stake, every student athletes should make sure to maximize this process.  What are some other advantages that college athletes receive?  I think that is a topic well worth a discussion…

Congratulations! You’ve just won a new bedroom! Pick which room you want!

A)  

or

B)

Wait, you didn’t chose “B”? Why not?

“Because it’s small, dark and ugly and ‘A’ is large, bright and beautiful!”

OK, point taken. If given the choice between round steak and fillet mignon, which one are you going to choose? Obvisiously, the one with the fancy french name.

The same definitely holds true with college recruiting. While program prestige, playing time and philosophies are all important to prospects, so are the facilities in which they’re going to be spending the bulk of their time — weight rooms, recreation centers, natatoriums, practice facilities, stadiums and arenas. As a result, colleges are constantly trying to make their playing spaces the most luxurious and most updated. Recently, Michigan State spent almost $100 million for renovations to their football, basketball, field hockey and track facilities.

“From a recruiting standpoint, it takes us to the top of the Big Ten,”  head football coach Mark Dantonio said in the article. “I think it presents an image.”

More than just the aesthetic facet, a college’s facilities are a great indicator of the state of the program. In most cases, schools with a lot of recent success while be undergoing various facility improvements. For example, Northwestern University’s women’s lacrosse team, which just won their fourth straight national championship, played a big role in the construction of Lakeside Field, which is also used for soccer. NU’s softball team, which played in the Women’s College World Series two years ago and was nationally ranked this year, had renovations performed to its field in 2006.

It’s not just Div. I institutions that are getting in on the Extreme Makeover: Athletic Facility Edition (FYI: not a real show). From an article written by Eric Kelderman from the Chronicle of Higher Education:

“With more than four score cheering alumni and administrators watching, Gettysburg College last month broke ground on a $25-million athletics facility that will feature an eight-lane competition pool, a four-lane warm-up pool, and a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy spa to soothe sore muscles.”In recent years, several of Gettysburg’s athletics competitors have built similarly impressive new facilities. Last year McDaniel College, in Westminster, Md., opened a $4-million fitness center, with roughly 9,000 square feet for exercise equipment and weights, as well as spaces for dance and aerobics classes.”Haverford College, in Haverford, Pa., opened a $28-million athletics building in 2005, with three competition-level basketball courts and a fitness room with nearly 100 aerobic and strength-training machines. “And in 2001, Ursinus College, in Collegeville, Pa., opened a $13-million field house big enough for two full-size batting cages, four basketball courts, three tennis courts, a volleyball court, and a six-lane, 200-meter track.

“Welcome to the Centennial Conference: 11 small, private liberal-arts colleges in the mid-Atlantic region that belong to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III …”

So when doing your research or taking unofficial visits, take the time to look at the facilities and ask about recent or upcoming renovations to see exactly how important your sport is at the college.

Make your own bed. You’re going to be the one sleeping in it.