Many high school students play sports, and regardless of the level at which a student competes, sports can complement the activity list in several ways. Primarily, they can be a great way to show teamwork, collaboration, and learn about failure.
For students who are already playing at a higher level, they may be interested in participating in their sport in college. Aiming to play college-level sports will take a level of commitment and talent that will consume the majority of a student’s extracurricular time. In our recent blog post, What Every Athlete Should Know for Their College Application, we shared the different attributes of high school student athletes.
Types of Recruited Athletes
Athletes who are seriously considering the college recruitment process usually fall into these two categories:
The club and high school athlete - The student who wants to play throughout the year at a highly competitive level. Students at this level devote a significant amount of time to their sport.
The state, regional, or nationally recognized or ranked athlete - The student who is playing at a regionally recognized club or national level and placing highly in competitions. This student spends nearly all their available time practicing, conditioning, or competing in their sport.
In these examples, we do not consider multi-sport athletes. Students who play multiple sports, and hope to continue to advance in multiple sports, will need tailored support to navigate the college process.
Governing Bodies
In 4-year college sports, there are two different governing bodies, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NCAA is the largest and encompasses three different divisions. The NAIA oversees one division.
All NAIA member schools can award scholarships. NCAA divisions can be confusing, as they encompass different levels of play and vary in their ability to maintain the ability to award scholarships. We’ve broken each NCAA level down:
NCAA Divisions
Division I - awards both full and partial scholarships; represents the most competitive and time-consuming sports level
Division II - awards partial scholarships; provides balance between academics and sports
Division III - does not award scholarships; primarily academics-focused
Regardless of division, all college sports are a step above most high school programs in both competition and play. When students are being recruited for any college-level sport, they need to consider their long-term priorities, academic goals, and life after their sport.
Admissions Eligibility
If students are hoping to be recruited for any varsity sport in college, they need to remember that, regardless of their level of play, all athletes must be admissible. With the exception of a few collegiate programs, colleges are looking for an academic fit first and athletic fit second. To repeat: An athlete looking to be recruited in college sports must be admissible first.
What does “being admissible first” mean?
If a student does not meet or exceed institutional averages, the student will not be a competitive applicant, and the recruiting process will not continue.
It is not impossible to be a college athlete. Students who aim to play their sport in college need to be thoughtful about academics, extracurricular activities, and goals for sport. If you're curious about navigating sports in college, or the recruitment process, our team of experts is here to help. Schedule a meeting with us today.
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