Survival Packet for our College-Bound. Student-Athlete

Transcription

1 Survival Packet for our College-Bound Student-Athlete

2 Student-Athlete Checklist Track FRESHMEN and SOPHOMORE YEARS Take challenging academic courses and make every effort achieve good grades. Participate on high school athletic teams to increase ability. Keep a record of athletic achievements. Participate in an off-season conditioning program. Establish and maintain a good rapport with the coaching staff. Attend summer camps for your sport. Check with the athletic department to ensure participation is in adherence with FHSAA rules before participating in any non-school lesson, camp, or clinic. Sophomore spring athletes should work with their coach to develop an message of interest to send to college coaches. JUNIOR YEAR Strive for strong academic performance. Plan to take the ACT or SAT in early winter or spring. Set up a meeting with your coach to define his/her role or involvement in the recruitment process. At this time, ask for a realistic athletic evaluation - can you play at the collegiate level, and at which Division--I, II, or III? Meet with the college counselor (in the spring) and your coach(es) to develop a list of colleges to be researched. This will ensure an appropriate athletic and academic match. Be prepared to answer questions concerning academic interest, size and location of college, and the type of environment desired. During the meeting, review your transcript to ensure you are in compliance with the 16 core course rule. Also, be sure to identify schools that meet your academic and career needs in the event that athletic participation does not occur. As you research your list of colleges, record coaches names, office addresses, addresses, and telephone numbers found on the staff directory of each college s athletic website page. Send a personalized letter of interest or to college coaches with your athletic profile. Be sure to include specific details that you know about the school in your message. Follow up with a phone call. Provide your high school, club, and travel coach a list of schools that interest you from the athletic perspective Update your athletic profile frequently. Create a skills video with the assistance of your coach. This video should include: title page of your name, school name, position, your jersey number, and contact information; video footage should consist of highlights that promote your ability and talent. Keep record of the responses you have received from college coaches. Participate in summer tournaments, events, and leagues--college coaches often attend these competitions. Check with the athletic department to ensure participation is an approved FHSAA activity before participating in any non-school lesson, camp, and/or clinic,. Visit a variety of college campuses, if possible, and prearrange a time to meet with the coach. Call at least two weeks in advance. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and/or NAIA Clearinghouse by the end of this year prepare to submit transcripts and test scores as well as pay a registration fee. For NCAA schools send ACT/SAT scores to them by writing #9999 in the appropriate section when taking the ACT/SAT test; and for NAIA schools send ACT/SAT scores to them by writing #9876 in the appropriate section when taking the ACT/SAT test.

3 SENIOR YEAR Review and complete all items listed under the Junior Year Check List. Visit the NCAA website, Read our University School guide for College-Bound Student- Athlete to become familiar with the NCAA and NAIA rules and regulations. Maintain strong academic records. Retake the ACT/SAT in the fall to improve your score if necessary. Continue to discuss colleges of interest with your college counselor and coach. Ensure the availability of your chosen major at the colleges you are pursuing. Apply to at least two colleges that will meet your needs in the event you do not participate in athletics. Check with your college counselor to ensure that you are in compliance with the NCAA/NAIA core course requirements. Continue to visit college campuses of interest (or view their online virtual tour) and be sure to meet with coaches and team members. Send an updated letter of interest or to coaches with an updated athletic profile, skill/highlight video, and the season schedule. Respond immediately to the college coaches whom have shown an interest in you keep all options open. They are recruiting numerous student-athletes. Make sure as you are applying to colleges in a timely manner to meet their respective application deadlines. Complete the online Financial Aid (FAFSA) forms in early January. Wait to commit to paid college athletic visit invitations until you are certain of your top five schools. Reason being, NCAA restricts high school student-athletes to five official visits. Send your final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center and the college you plan to attend before graduation. Parent Checklist Track JUNIOR YEAR Meet with your child s high school coach to assess athletic potential and for pertinent information regarding the intercollegiate recruiting process. Meet with the college counselor second semester to discuss the college search process. Discuss senior year registration with the college counselor to ensure compliance with the NCAA 16 core course requirements. Develop a calendar with your child to ensure completion of all checklist items. If possible, accompany your child on all college visits. Maintain contact with your child s designated college counselor and coach on an as needed basis. SENIOR YEAR See that your child applies to at least one safety college in the event college sports participation fails to materialize. Check with your child s designated college counselor to ensure compliance with the NCAA requirements. Check with teachers to ensure good academic progress. Meet with the coach, as necessary, to deal with persistent recruiters. Revise your child s list of schools to reflect possible financial aid, grants, awards, and/or scholarship offers.

4 What High School Student-Athletes Can Do On Their Own In the Recruiting Process Initiate an unlimited number of telephone calls to college coaches If the answering machine picks up, please leave the following information: student s name, phone number, address, and year in school. College coaches are prohibited from contacting a student by telephone (regardless if they are returning a message) until July 1 st following the student s junior year. Once the student-athlete reaches that point, the college coach is permitted to place only one phone call per week to the prospective student-athlete. Athletes are not limited in contacting the coach. Write letters or s to college coaches indicating interest in their school and athletic program. Student-athletes may write to a college coach at any time during their high school career. If contact is initiated prior to September 1 st of the student-athlete s junior year, the college coach may only respond by sending a questionnaire and letter. NCAA legislation prohibits them from sending further correspondence until September 1 st of the studentathlete s junior year. After September 1 st of the junior year, a coach is permitted to send only those recruiting materials listed in the NCAA manual (i.e., general correspondence, a recruiting brochure or a media guide, questionnaires, summer camp brochures, admissions brochures, NCAA educational materials). Make an unlimited number of unofficial visits to an unlimited number of colleges. An unofficial visit is when a student-athlete visits a college entirely at his/her own expense, including food, lodging, transportation or entertainment. While on an unofficial visit, the student-athlete may meet with any or all of the following: coaching staff, players, academic personnel, admissions personnel. Student-Athlete Contacting the College Coach The most effective way to initiate contact with a college coach is via (preferably by the high school coach initially). Take this time to make a brief introduction, clearly express an authentic interest, articulate knowledge of respective intercollegiate sport/team, and encourage recipient to view the attached profile, video footage link, transcripts and test scores. It is the student-athlete s responsibility to encourage their high school, travel, and/or club coach(es) to contact intercollegiate athletic programs. The high school coach is the best resource to determine which NCAA division (I, II, or III) and/or NAIA program would be the most appropriate fit for their student-athlete. The student-athlete should provide their coach(es) with all the necessary information to ensure that their information is correct and accurate; 1. Profile should consist of: name, jersey number, position, stats, contact information (phone number(s), home address, and address), graduation date, speed, strength, athletic and academic accolades/honors, height and weight 2. Academic information: school s name, address, phone number, college counselor s name, transcript, test scores, and GPA. 3. If you have a video link, list it on the profile and message. (Remember, the resume should reflect the studentathlete s assets to a college s academic/athletic program.) 4. Other interest and hobbies: school activities, clubs, and community service. 5. Media articles, if available: This is an "extra" and not absolutely essential. Once initial contact is successfully executed and the college coach has reciprocated interest, the student-athlete should be educated on appropriate means of communicating with each prospective college team representative. Due to the substantial amount of traffic each intercollegiate coach receives, this could be an emotionally volatile and unsettling experience for a student-athlete. Therefore, please take this into consideration if a college coach of interest has not met the appropriate response time expectations. If the college coach has not responded after two weeks, it is acceptable to send a brief follow-up message persistence is perceived as a positive virtue in the world of college athletics. Regarding the schools that did respond, be sure to fill out any questionnaire in its entirety. Student-athlete needs to initiate contact with their prospective college coach(es) on a monthly basis to maintain a healthy rapport. This may not be possible during the actual season of competition, as the student-athletes really need to strategically balance their academic and athletic obligations. Keep in mind that it is extremely imperative and beneficial for the student-athlete to provide stats and video footage of their athletic competition throughout the season. This enables the college coach to administer a realistic assessment of athletic aptitude. College coaches in each respective sport around the world largely agree that it takes more than athletic ability to win championships and build a successful tradition. Consequently, college coaches are meticulously searching for the select few of responsible, dedicated, academically oriented leaders who possess apparent athletic talent.

5 [SAMPLE PLAYER PROFILE] Student Name Here Center/ Midfield #29 Class of 2011 Street Address City, Fl. Zip (954) ###-#### Home (954) ###-#### Cell Address Academics GPA ACT Writing Reading Math Science *Retaking in September SAT Reading Math Writing * Retaking in October Accolades: Directors Honor Roll Mary Mizell Humanitarian Award-2010 National Honor Society English Honor Society Science Honor Society Spanish Honor Society Art Honor Society Athletics Varsity Lacrosse Captain 2010 Miami Herald First Team 2010 Sun-Sentinel First Team 2010 All League 3 rd Team Second Team 2009 Midfielder of the Year 2009 Most Valuable Player 2010 Varsity Soccer Captain Second Team 2008 Honorable Mention 2009 Teammate s Award 2009 Other Lacrosse Experience Varsity Lacrosse 2007 Lax Maniax Club Team 2008/10 Heatwave Tournament 2009 UF Winter Camp 2008 Extracurricular Class President 2008 Student Ambassador President 2009/10 Invisible Children President 2009/10 Youth Lacrosse Coach Youth Soccer Coach (i9 Sports) HOBY School Representative President of Broward Chapter HOBY Key Club Secretary 500+ Community Service Hours Coaching References High School University School Ken Buchsbaum coach here (954) ###-#### Evan Grosz coach here (954) ###-#### Lax Manix Club Team Sarah Burlingame coach here (561) ###-####

6 [SAMPLE TEAM PROFILE] Top Player Informational Sheet Address: University School of NSU Attention: Head Football Coach, Roger Harriott 3375 SW 75 th Avenue (Sonken Building) Ft. Lauderdale, FL C: O: F: INAUGURAL SEASON 8-1, 2007 DISTRICT RUNNER-UPS 8-3, 2008 UNDEFEATED DISTRICT CHAMPS & REGIONAL FINALIST 11-1, 2010 UNDEFEATED DISTRICT CHAMPS, REGIONAL CHAMPS, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALIST 13-1 #54 Joe Smith: OL/DL lbs. cell: 954-XXX-XXXX [Contact info on spread sheet] (also excels in baseball) Good academic student Good technique, instinctive & aggressive player Starter several games in 09 as a freshman 10 Stats: 15 game starter, led Broward County s #1 offensive attack with 34 pancakes and only gave up 4 sacks, and amassed 33 tackles on defense 10 All-County Selection 10 1 st Team All State Championship Tournament Team #21 Wesley Daniels: DB lbs. cell: 954-XXX-XXXX [Contact info on spread sheet] Highlight footage: (also excels in track & field) Good academic student Good technique, instinctive & aggressive player yard dash 4.3 shuttle run Starter several games in 09 as a freshman 10 Made a significant impact on the defensive side of the ball #10 Josh Martin: WR/DB lbs. cell: 954-XXX-XXXX [Contact info on spread sheet] (also excels in track & field) Highlight footage: Good academic student Good technique, instinctive & aggressive player yard dash 4.3 shuttle run 10 Made a significant impact on both sides of the ball 10 2 nd Team All State Championship Tournament Team #14 Mike Smith: QB lbs. cell: 954-XXX-XXXX [Contact info on spread sheet] (also excels in baseball) Outstanding academic student Good technique & instinctive player Broad Jump- 8 2 Vertical Jump- 28 inches

7 [SAMPLE HS COACH TO COLLEGE COACH MASS ] University School Suns--Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 2006 INAUGURAL SEASON 8-1, 2007 DISTRICT RUNNER-UPS 8-3, 2008 UNDEFEATED DISTRICT CHAMPS & REGIONAL FINALIST 11-1, 2010 UNDEFEATED DISTRICT CHAMPS, REGIONAL CHAMPS, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALIST 13-1 Hope all is well with you and your football family as we re all excited and ready to kickoff the 2011 season! Please take a moment to view the following links of our player profiles, season outlook/preview, player contact sheet, roster, preseason highlights, media coverage, and recognition. I have also attached our player profiles (includes 12 academic info.), season outlook/previews, contact sheet, and roster. Thank you for your time and attention my hope is to assist with your recruiting endeavors by providing you the pertinent information necessary to make this process successful. I look forward to working with you this season. All the best this season & GO SUNS! Roger Harriott Director of Inclusion & Special College Placement Head Football Coach UniversitySchool Nova Southeastern University O: F: rharriot@nova.edu Highlight video for North Broward Prep game 8/26/ Max Preps game coverage & interviews on 8/26/2011 preseason game vs. North Broward Prep Sun-Sentinel 2011 Top 50 Players in Broward ,0, photogallery Sun-Sentinel Broward County 2011 Super 11 Team (USchool: Abraham Garcia & Jordan Cunningham) Macgarrett Kings Ranked #9 Senior in Broward County by the Miami Herald: Jordan Cunningham Ranked #2 & Skai Moore Ranked #17 Juniors in Broward County by the Miami Herald:

8 [SAMPLE HS COACH TO SPECIFIC COLLEGE COACH ] Dear Coach Coyne, I hope all is well with you and your lacrosse family! On behalf of University School Athletics, please allow me the opportunity to introduce our lacrosse program and outstanding senior scholar-athlete, Lauren Vidal. University School of Nova Southeastern University is an independent pre-k through 12 th grade college preparatory school located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am proud to announce that we have successfully established a competitive high school lacrosse program, which parallels our strong academic tradition. Furthermore, it is with great pleasure to endorse Lauren as an outstanding high school prospect and excellent school leader with strong aspirations to become an intercollegiate athlete. Considering her exceptional work ethic and positive demeanor, I have no doubt that she will make an immense impact within your program if given the opportunity. I have taking the liberty to attach a detailed profile/contact information sheet, as well as her transcript & test scores. Also, please view the following highlight link for a better look at Lauren s skill and ability. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you desire more information. Thank you for your time, consideration, and attention regarding Lauren s intercollegiate aspirations. All the best and Go Fighting Irish! Roger Harriott Director of Inclusion & Special College Placement Head Football Coach UniversitySchool Nova Southeastern University O: F: rharriot@nova.edu [SAMPLE STUDENT-ATHLETES TO COLLEGE COACH ] Hi Coach Seals, This is Jasmine Wilson and I have researched Alabama A&M and I have found factors that solidify my interest in attending your school. I am also interested in running track and field for Alabama A&M. I run the 100m hurdles, 100m, and triple jump. My times can be verified at flrunners.com and I have sent you my profiles from viewmysport.com as well. 100mH: m: triple jump: 37'8 GPA: 4.01 SAT math: 620 SAT reading: 620 ACT composite: 27 Please feel free to contact me at (954) XXX-XXXX or at xxx@aol.com. You can also contact my coach at (name, phone number and address). Thank you very much!

9 Questions To Ask As You Consider Colleges When does the head coach s contract end? How long does the coach intend to stay? The answer could be helpful. Do not make assumptions about how long a coach will be at a school. If the coach leaves, does this change your mind about the school/program? Is summer school available: If I need to take courses in summer school, will it be paid for by the college? Exactly how much will the athletics scholarship be? What will and will not be covered? What are the stipulations and requirements of a college scholarship? Coaches should be able to give you some idea of how players are evaluated from year to year and how these decisions are made. The institution may have a policy governing the renewal of aid to athletes. Ask if such a policy exists and be familiar with it. Are there academic criteria tied to maintaining the scholarship? Some institutions add academic requirements to athletic scholarships (e.g., minimum grade point average). What scholarship money is available if I suffer a career-ending injury? Not every institution continues to provide an athletic scholarship to a student-athlete who can no longer compete because of a career-ending injury. Will my scholarship be honored if there is a change in coaches? A coach may not be able to answer this, but the Athletic Director may.

10 Campus Visits FIRST AND FORMOST, REFER TO THE NCAA GUIDE FOR ATHLETES TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL AND LEGAL VISIT. The following are some things to consider surrounding your campus visit. Request an unofficial transcript and test scores from your guidance counselor, and bring it with you on your visit. Make arrangements/appointments to meet with the college admissions, academic, and athletic representatives in advance. Know when and where to meet with the coach, admissions counselor, chairperson of the academic area of interest, the financial aid office. Exchange phone numbers in case a mix up occurs. Obtain names of all the contacts you will be making. Ask what you will need to bring with you. Ask which meals and what housing will be included, if any. Arrange to see the facilities of the academic department you are interested in as well as the dorms. Clarify the application and admission procedures. Try to see the campus on a regular school day while they are in session. Attend a class if possible. Attend a practice if possible. Be sure to visit with players and get the perspective on first-year experiences from current freshmen and sophomore players. Whether these are recruiting trips paid for by the college athletic department or visits arranged at your own expense, it is critical that you make at least one trip to the campus. Don t be intimidated ask lots of questions, but make sure they are beneficial and relative questions not questions that can be answered online or reading media material. Do your homework read as much as you can about the college before the visit and interview. Think ahead about what questions the interviewer might ask you. Each interview will be different, but most are designed to bring out qualities such as dedication, motivation, and enthusiasm. Whether you are being recruited or not, talk with the coach and demonstrate authentic interest. Attend a practice or a contest if possible. Keep in mind that perception is reality, so dress appropriately and make a great first impression. It is always good practice to take notes and jot down your thoughts immediately. Also, taking pictures with a camera or phone will allow you to remember specific moments it is easy to forget what you were exposed to when visiting several schools. Once you return home, write a brief thank you note to everyone you met with to express gratitude.

11 Questions To Ask During a Visit Before you decide to make your first visit, it is a good idea to think carefully about the kind of information you are going to need to eventually make an educated decision. With that said, you will be better prepared to ask the right questions. The following are some questions to get you started. ASK THE COLLEGE COACH 1. What is your general coaching philosophy? What is your philosophy of offense, defense, etc.? Are you considering any changes? 2. What position do you want me to play? How many others are you recruiting for the same position? Where do I fall in that group of prospects? 3. How many seniors are you graduating this year and in what position(s)? 4. Is there a junior varsity program? 5. Have you made it to post-season play? If so, what is your post season record? 6. At this point, where do you see me fitting into your program? 7. How do academics fit into your coaching philosophy? 8. What type of academic service is available for student-athletes? (i.e., tutoring, writing labs, study hall) 9. What is the graduation rate for student-athletes at your school, and what is the graduation rate for your program? How many graduate in four years? How many in five years? 10. What is the attitude on campus toward athletes? Professor s attitudes? 11. Approximately how many days of class does your team miss during the year due to practice and competition schedules? How is the missed class time handled? What happens if class time conflicts with practice time? 12. How many hours a day will athletics and other responsibilities keep me from my studies? 13. What happens to my scholarship if I am injured or ineligible? 14. What type of medical coverage is available for student-athletes? 15. Are all injuries handled by a team insurance policy? 16. If injured, can I use my family doctor? Who determines my fitness to play after an injury? 17. What is a red-shirt? Will I be red-shirted? 18. If I need a fifth year, will you finance it? 19. Do you offer athletic grants-in-aid? If yes, do you offer full grants-in-aid (tuition, room, board, books and fees) or do you offer partial grants-in-aid? 20. How many athletic grants-in-aid do you have available for the upcoming year (or how much grant money do you have available for the upcoming year)? 21. I know that athletic grants-in-aid are not guaranteed for a four-year period and that they are renewed on a yearly basis. If I receive a grant-in-aid, will it most likely be renewed each year provided I remain a part of the team? What is your policy on renewing aid? What is the institution s policy on renewing aid? 22. If I receive an athletic grant-in-aid and I am injured in the first practice or game, what happens to that grant for the remainder of that year and for the following years? 23. If you do not offer athletic grants-in-aid, what type of financial aid is available to student-athletes? Is it only need based aid, or are there merit scholarships available? 24. What is expected of players during the off-season? 25. What type of strength and conditioning programs are conducted and are they done year round? 26. Are your student-athletes required to live on campus? If so, do they live with fellow student-athletes or with someone from the general student population? 27. Do you provide all necessary uniforms and equipment, or are the student-athletes responsible to pay for or provide uniforms and equipment?

12 ASK OF PLAYERS AT THE SCHOOL 1. What does your typical daily schedule look like? In-season? Off-season? 2. Approximately how many hours a night do you study? 3. What generally are the attitudes of professors in different fields of study? 4. How do you like the living arrangements? 5. Do you have an academic advisor who helps you register for courses? 6. Are there tutors available to help if I have academic problems? 7. How do the coaches deal with failure? 8. How are the athletes treated by the coaching staff? 9. If you have a problem with a coach, who do you talk to about that? ASK OF NON-ATHLETES AT THE SCHOOL 1. What do you think of the quality of the education you are receiving at this school? 2. If you had it to do all over again, would you choose to attend this school? Why or why not? 3. What is the general opinion of athletes on this campus? 4. What are the "hot" issues on campus? ASK OF SCHOOL OFFICIALS/ADMISSIONS OFFICERS 1. What is the 4 year, 5 year, and 6 year graduation rate for student-athletes? 2. About how long does it take a (sport) player to earn a degree at this school? 3. How does the school assist me with job opportunities when I graduate? Questions To Ask After the Visit You will have to ask yourself several important questions after you have visited a school in order to decide if it is the right school for you. These questions will get you thinking in the right direction. 1. Would I attend this school if I had no intention of playing (sport)? 2. Do the coaches and players seem to genuinely care about each other? 3. Will I be successful academically at this college? Athletically? How do I measure up to everyone else? 4. Were the coaches interested in academics? Did they ask me about my educational and career interests? 5. Will I fit in with the rest of the student body at this particular college? Will I fit in with the rest of the team members? 6. Did any of the recruiters/coaches have bad things to say about the other schools that are recruiting me? 7. Did any of the recruiters/coaches promise me a starting position? 8. Were the coaches and players I met honest, available to me and others, friendly and genuinely interested in me? 9. How will I feel if one or more of the coaches leaves the school? Will I still be happy with the (sport) program? 10. Does the school satisfy all the criteria that I identified earlier with my parents, coach, and counselor?

13 NCAA Rules of Recruiting Please note that the information listed here is a small sample of the NCAA rules of recruiting. Go to the NCAA website, for a more detailed set of guidelines. Also on this web site you will find the specific recruiting calendar by sport. The high school student-athlete MAY: 1. Make up to five expense paid visits to colleges with only one to each college. 2. Inquire about potential financial aid. 3. Visit, at their own expense, as many times as desired and may receive up to three free tickets to athletic events per school. The high school student-athlete MAY NOT: 1. Accept any gifts from college or recruiters. 2. Talk to recruiters before the end of junior year in high school. (In person-off campus) 3. Accept funds or gifts from anyone on behalf of the university. 4. Try out while at NCAA DIV I schools. 5. Be employed by or receive reduced admission to any sports camp offered by a NCAA institution or a member of that college's staff. The colleges or their recruiters CAN: 1. Send questionnaires, letters, or telephone prospective student-athletes. 2. Advise prospective student-athletes as to possible financial aid and scholarship opportunities. 3. Provide transportation to their campus for the student if it is considered an official visit. The NCAA colleges or their recruiters CANNOT: 1. Offer inducements (cars, jewelry, loans, clothing, etc.) to come to their college. 2. Contact the student-athlete in-person, off campus before the completion of your junior year in high school. 3. Allow others to spend money on behalf of the college. 4. Allow student-athletes to try out (with the team) at a college affiliated with NCAA DIV I (DIV II may allow sometimes). 5. Reimburse the high school coach for any expenses related to the recruiting process. 6. Provide free admission (tickets) to its away games to a student-athlete, friends, or relatives. 7. Be employed by or receive "scholarship" to its sports camp. THINGS TO REMEMBER The NCAA will only use whole grades (no pluses or minuses) in calculating grade point average for eligibility purposes. Students may take the ACT and the SAT as many times as they wish. In order to meet the NCAA eligibility index a student may choose to mix and match sub scores from various testing dates. For example, you can combine an English score from an April ACT exam with a math score from an October ACT exam to calculate an index score. A final high school transcript with proof of graduation must be sent to the Eligibility Center before a student can participate in college athletics. Courses taken in the 8th grade will not count toward eligibility. ACT and SAT tests must be taken before the end of senior year. Students who enroll in an NCAA Division I institution may use only courses completed in grades 9 12 to meet the NCAA core-course curriculum requirements. Students who return after graduation to the high school from which they graduated either may complete additional core courses or may repeat core courses during the postgraduate term or year, in order to meet the core-course requirement. These students cannot enroll in college and participate in intercollegiate athletics until the subsequent fall. Students enrolling in Div II institutions and students with disabilities (enrolling in either Div I or II) may use core courses taken after high-school graduation to meet the NCAA core-curriculum

14 The Reality Please be aware that very few high school athletes will earn a college athletic scholarship. State winners or nationally recognized/rated student-athletes typically are recruited by Division I colleges. However, if you have enjoyed being on an athletic team and hope to continue playing in college as a "walk on", you may wish to consider the Division II, III or NAIA colleges where you would have a greater chance of continuing to enjoy the game, but where academics will be the deciding factor in your admission. For the 22nd consecutive year, more high school students are playing sports, according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey. More than 7.6 million students played sports during the school year, an increase of nearly 40,000 students compared to The organization estimates that 55.5 percent of all high school students play a sport. Many of these young athletes are dreaming of playing for a NCAA Division I institution. What does it mean if a college sends me a questionnaire? Division I, II, and NAIA colleges send out thousands of questionnaires to find qualified eligible students. Colleges will only recruit a small percentage of the total questionnaires received. Up to 18,000 athletic questionnaires are sent each year by a college for football athletes. Only 165 of these will be recruited, 75 will be invited to campus visit and only 25 will be offered a scholarship. Private colleges send more questionnaires. Scholarships are limited. If the upper classmen have already been awarded scholarships, then there are fewer available for freshmen thus scholarships for one-half or one quarter of costs are most common offerings. NCAA is attempting to cut number of scholarships available. Division III schools give no scholarships. Division II and NAIA give fewer awards than Division I. Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics beyond the High School Interscholastic Level Student-Athletes Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Football Baseball Men's Ice Hockey Men's Soccer High School Student Athletes 540, ,550 1,109, ,644 36, ,839 High School Senior Student Athletes 154, , , ,041 10, ,954 NCAA Student Athletes 17,008 15,423 66,313 30,365 3,945 21,770 NCAA Freshman Roster Positions 4,859 4,407 18,947 8,676 1,127 6,220 NCAA Senior Student Athletes 3,780 3,427 14,736 6, ,838 NCAA Student Athletes Drafted Percent High School to NCAA 3.1% 3.5% 6.0% 6.4% 10.8% 5.6% Percent NCAA to Professional 1.2% 0.9% 1.7% 8.9% 3.8% 1.6% Percent High School to Professional 0.03% 0.03% 0.08% 0.44% 0.32% 0.07%