The Student Athlete's Role In Choosing A College

Courtesy of www.thesportsource.com.

The diversity and abundance of opportunity for selecting one college program over another can be overwhelming if you consider the number of college and university programs available. Each school is unique in three key areas: academic, social and athletic. The result of a comprehensive search is a positive match for the prepared and well-informed student-athlete.

The recommended process involves a focused effort in three areas. They are simply referred to as THE THREE P's.

1. Be PROACTIVE: Take a proactive approach to gathering information beginning your sophomore year. This should involve a system for evaluating and prioritizing choices and a constant evaluation of personal and academic goals.

2. Be PERSISTENT: Once prioritized, be persistent in communicating your goals and personal interest to the programs that interest you.

3. Be PREPARED: Prepare to meet the academic requirements, and if you plan to participate in college sports, prepare to meet the eligibility requirements.

If college football is in your future, you will need to know that each Division (I-A, I-AA, II, III) of the NCAA has some differences in their eligibility requirements. The NAIA and NJCAA eligibility requirements also differ significantly from those of the NCAA. The admissions requirements for various colleges and universities may also be unique, but it is possible to generally view the following as essential elements for admission to most colleges:

Rules for NAIA and junior college associations are different. Therefore, the recruit should always seek advice directly from the association's governing body if something seems too good to be true. Also note that NCAA Division III rules vary from NCAA rules at other levels. If a recruit has questions, he/she should obtain a current copy of the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete which is published annually by the NCAA. You can also go on the Internet and visit the NCAA at www.NCAA.org.

Choosing a college or university is a big decision and should not be taken lightly. As a student-athlete, you need to enhance your opportunities for recruitment by helping in the process. The more knowledgeable and organized you are, the better your chances will be. Obviously, this process doesn't take the place of pure athletic ability and hard work, but if you have the talent and dedication to play at the collegiate level you need to freely communicate this to interested coaches.

Admissions Steps

Standardized Test Results: (SAT or ACT) These standardized tests represent common admission criteria that must be met to be eligible for college entrance. It is recommended that as a student-athlete, you take the preliminary (PSAT or PACT) exam as a junior for two very important reasons. One, students have a tendency to improve their scores by repeated attempts at the exam, and two, the exam is a prerequisite to an official campus visit to a NCAA Division I or II school.

Photocopies of Unofficial High School Transcripts: Once you have established an open dialogue with a coaching staff member, you should provide a copy of your academic history. Many athletic departments have access to qualified people who will analyze these transcripts and assess the probability of admission to the school well in advance of the official notification.

The Admissions Application: This step must be completed during the first few months of the senior year. College coaches are not the admissions officials; the final decision for admissions is done through the admissions office. Do not rely on a college coach to ensure you are going to be a student in their college unless you apply yourself. College coaches are delighted to learn a prospective student-athlete has taken responsibility for completing all the necessary applications and forms to become part of their program.

Be aware that some applications are "coded" by the athletic department in order to speed or, in some cases, to aid in the admissions process. This is a specific question that should be asked of the coaching staff prior to making application.

Editor's Note: This is an excerpt of The Sport Source Official Athletic College: Football.

The Sport Source has a mission "to provide the perfect link between a student-athlete, a specialized sports program and a well-rounded college education." Since their inception, The Sport Source has developed numerous strategic alliances with high schools and national/international youth sports organizations that have encouraged them to introduce new services and continue to help improve college guidance and scholarship opportunities for students.