The 2022 college recruiting class will be loaded with the most talented student-athletes ever. Consequently, the recruiting process will build considerable steam during the next month. Below, are helpful college recruiting tips as prospects target the final charge with college recruiting.
NCAA Eligibility
The Eligibility Center is an organization that collaborates closely with the NCAA to determine incoming college freshman academic eligibility. A prospect who is considering participation in Division 1 or Division 2 college athletic programs MUST register.
Prospects can easily take care of the first part of registration online at https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/. Once completed, the Eligibility Center will generate a PIN to the prospect that confirms initial registration.
In addition, alert your guidance counselor to your interest in playing at the college level. Your counselor will forward core course information, grades, and standardized test results to the Eligibility Center.
Admissions Pre-Reads
Those prospects demonstrating a keen interest in elite academic institutions should request an admissions pre-read. Furthermore, college coaches at these institutions can have significant input in the admissions process.
Provide college coaches with a copy of your transcripts, test scores, and high school profile. They will forward this information to the admissions office for review. Turnaround time is about 5-7 business days, and the results of the pre-read can be vital to your plan of action.
Official Visits
A big part of closing out college recruiting for rising seniors is scheduling and participating in an official campus visit. Prospects are permitted 5 trips that can begin September 1 at the start of the high school junior year.
Subsequently, recruits and their families spend a weekend on campus to get an all-around feel for the institution, coaches, and current student-athletes. They attend classes, observe practice, hang out with the team and attend a home football game. The official visit usually provides “recruiting closure” on both sides of the table.
National Letter of Intent
November 10, 2021 marks the start date for the National Letter of Intent signing period for most prospects (Football, Soccer, and Men’s Water Polo excluded). This is an exhilarating time for recruits who have accepted verbal offers of athletic scholarships, but prospects and families must do their due diligence before signing:
• Line-up your official campus visits before the signing date. This gives you and your family a final “look under the hood” before you make your formal commitment.
• Check with your guidance counselor and the NCAA Eligibility Center and confirm you are on track to graduate with the necessary core courses, grades, and standardized testing that meet the eligibility standards set by the NCAA.
• Speak candidly with the college coach you are committing to and confirm the terms of the scholarship that has been offered.
Early Admissions
There are generally 3 college admission options for senior candidates. Early Admission, Rolling Admission, and Regular Admission. Furthermore, prospects (athletic scholarship candidates or otherwise) who are looking at the early college application period should remain on target with all deadlines.
Priority Application: Prospects will likely have the option to complete an athletic priority application that will separate athletes from the rest of the applicant pool. Coaches representing institutions that do not subscribe to priority applications typically have a system (application coding) that will assist admissions advisors in identifying prospect applications.
Application Deadlines: November 1 is a rough (early) application deadline for most colleges, but individual institutions differ slightly. Visit the admissions website of your top college option and determine all deadlines and stick to them.
Rigorous organization and a detailed, systematic approach is the glue that binds the entire recruiting effort. This will assist prospects and families in targeting the final charge with college recruiting and close in on their top college choice.
Tom Kovic is a former Division 1 college coach and the Founder and Principal Advisor at Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families navigating the college recruiting process. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence,” an educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit https://victoryrecruiting.com.
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