The Student-Athlete Pathway to College

Colleges like to recruit and admit student-athletes. This is good news for high school students who have devoted years to training for their sport and gone on to excel at both the regional and national level – a just reward for their efforts. Even lesser skilled student-athletes who have performed well in the classroom have the opportunity to enhance their college application as a result of sports participation in high school. Whether you are the nation’s number one basketball recruit evaluating several scholarship offers from top ranked programs, or a field hockey player looking to boost her admissions odds at an Ivy League school, there are several essential points to consider when making the decision to pursue college athletics. Also, the timeline for student-athletes is different and more nuanced so students choosing this route need to be especially organized and strategic in their planning. The NCAA guidelines are both byzantine and rigid and there is no bending of rules when it comes to adhering to the governing body of college athletics and their policies.

Let’s first consider a few key suggestions for useful self-analysis to engage in prior to taking the plunge into the pool of college athletic participation –

• COLLEGE SELECTION

“Fit” remains the operative word when it comes to college choice. Athletic participation should not be the driving force in your selection of a college. As an example – 2 % of college football players will go on to a professional career. Other college sports report even less imposing stats. Hence, it behooves high school student-athletes to take a longer view when evaluating schools. Choose a school that has the academic credentials and social environment that you desire and one that you can afford beyond any athletic financial aid that you may receive.

• RELEVANCE OF PROJECTED POSITION ON THE TEAM

It’s no fun being a “bench warmer” watching your teammates compete while you “ride the pine” on the sidelines. Be realistic when evaluating your skill level in relation to other recruits as well as your future teammates and your ability to crack the line-up.

• MYTH OF THE FULL RIDE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP

There are seven million high school athletes. Just 1 % of those will get a full ride athletic scholarship to a Division I program. Division III and the Ivy League do not offer athletic scholarships at all. There are only twohead count(full ride) DI sports for men – football and basketball. For women there are four – basketball, gymnastics, tennis, and volleyball. The remainder of college sports fall into the equivalency category where a specific number of scholarships – say 11.7 for men’s baseball – are divided among all the players on the team. So, in an equivalency sport like baseball, it’s possible to receive a small scholarship of $1000, barely enough to cover your books. The good news is that there’s lots of need-based and merit aid out there for deserving student-athletes to supplement athletic aid or in some cases substitute when none is offered.

Once the decision has been made to pursue college athletics, taking these three preliminary steps will help facilitate the process and create a smoother pathway for recruitment –

• ACADEMIC PREPARATION

Understand the academic requirements – including grades and standardized test scores – for the type of school you plan to attend. In addition to the basic NCAA academic guidelines, individual schools have standards as well. The Ivy League and selective liberal arts schools typically require their student-athletes to have significantly higher grades and test scores than less selective colleges. I always recommend to the high school student-athletes that I work with to test early, i.e., December or January of the junior year. This way college coaches can provide you with a benchmark if a higher score is needed for admission. Remember – a college coach can recruit you however you must be admitted to the school in order for the athletic offer to be valid. For a more detailed description of academics and college athletics go to ncaapublications.com and download for free the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete.

• ATHLETIC RESUME AND RECORDS

As early as the 9th grade start keeping track of your athletic playing record, scores, and statistics. It’s also a good idea to take advantage of college athletic recruiting services many of which are free. It’s crucial that the college coaches can find youquickly on the internet – a reputable recruiting website will ensure that you have an online presence.

• COMMUNICATING WITH COLLEGE COACHES

It’s smart to be proactive and reach out to college coaches as soon as you have identified a school as a place you would like to attend – email is generally the preferred form of communication for this. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from returning your calls or emailing you until July 1 after your junior year of high school however by initiating contact and demonstrating interest you can begin the process. Recruiting rules and regulations can be found at NCAA.org.

The bottom line – successful high school student-athletes are attractive candidates for colleges. Nearly 1200 Harvard undergraduates – or 20% of the student body – participate in intercollegiate athletics. That figure is even more notable at Williams College where 36% of the students are varsity athletes. Whether your goal is to obtain an athletic scholarship or gain admission to an Ivy League or other highly selective university, college athletics is worth pursuing. To be able to continue to play the sport you love while receiving an education and at the same time developing skills such as leadership and time management is a fabulous opportunity. With a little bit of forethought and careful advance planning the dream can become a reality!