Depending on your ability, and the position you play, you may be of interest to some college coaches and not to others. Be realistic, for while you may be good enough to play on a particular college's team, your athletic talent may not be of a caliber to play a role in the admission committee's decision making. Coaches have varying ranges of ability to support an athlete in the admission process, so it is important to understand the system.

Watch out for coaches' tactics. Remember that your interests and a coach's interests may not overlap to your advantage. It is a coach's goal to build the best team possible. Typically, a coach is allowed to present to the admissions committee a list of his or her most desired candidates from among the applicant pool. There is no guarantee that the admissions committee will admit all the candidates on a coach's list nor follow his order of preference; academic and personal factors have to be taken into consideration. For this reason, coaches often create their lists by striking a balance between applicants' athletic ability and academic credentials, while factoring in a student's enthusiasm (or lack of interest) in attending that college.

Athletes and the College Process

This information is compiled for anyone who might be a “recruitable” athlete. If you are contacted by college coaches, in either Division I or Division III, you can feel confident that you may have the talent to compete in college at some level. It is important to be very aware of the level of skill you possess in your sport and to be realistic in your expectations.

Talk to your coach about the kinds of schools you are considering. Discuss other programs that might be of interest to you. Ask if he or she will contact these schools on your behalf. If you are in a sport where college coaches request videos or film of your play, start to discuss what you might send.

When you contact admission offices at the colleges which interest you, be sure to inform them that you are a varsity athlete and the sport(s) you play. They will often pass this along to the appropriate coach(es).

Contact the coaches directly. Let them know of your interest in applying to their school and your desire to participate in their program. You should send an athletic resume and set up a visit to meet with the coach. Many coaches will ask for a videotape. This can be “game tape”; it need not be professionally done. Confirm in your first talk with coaches that he/she is indeed looking for a player in your position on the team.

Text partially attributable to Emilee Hinman, educational consultant.