Student Athletes

One of the most important things to know is the difference between Divisions I, II, and III. Often people assume that DI is inherently the best, DII second best, and DIII third best. It's not quite that simple. While the best DI teams will usually have the best players, there are many top DII and DIII teams that are often on par with many mid- and low-tier DI teams. What this means for you as an athlete is that you should focus less on the division label and more on what school has the best balance of academics, social characteristics, and athletics.

Typically the best time to start is late in your sophomore year or early in your junior year of high school. Starting then lets you be thorough in your search. It also gives you the opportunity to get ahead of the curve, before most college teams have locked down their recruiting classes. That said, many athletes don't start until late in their junior or senior years. While this isn't ideal, many such athletes have still been very successful with recruiting. Either way, the most important thing is to be organized and have a clear strategy on how you're going to make a team.

The financial aid process works the same for prospective athletes as it does for all other prospective students; it is the scholarship process that differs. Prospective athletes, like prospective academic scholarship candidates, need to determine what each university is likely to offer. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships. Division I and II institutions may offer full or partial scholarships and the remaining balance is what a student may need additional financial aid to cover. Recent (2012) NCAA policies require university athletic departments to clearly explain scholarship amounts and duration. As with all money matters, families need to understand the process and ask a lot of questions before making a final decision.

Recruitment begins with talent and it’s never too early to develop skill, strength, and discipline. As an underclassmen prospective athletes should become familiar with the recruiting rules for their sport by downloading a copy of the “NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.” Students and parents should begin discussing the process with their high school and club coaches and looking at colleges that would be a good fit athletically. By junior year, students should be narrowing down options. Some students will have official campus visits or sign letters of intent as early as junior year and others may be forced by NCAA recruiting regulations to wait until senior year.

Being recruited by a college to play a sport that you love is very exciting, especially when there is a healthy scholarship included! But, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with that recruitment and, quite frankly, time management is the key to success. You must never forget that you are earning an education! Being able to juggle the responsibilities to your team and to your studies is a skill. A few other things to consider: 1) You've received an offer! It's a great team, but is it a great school for you? Do you match up with the school's academic environment? Does the school have a major that interests you? How about the social environment? 2) Read the "fine print" before you commit. What GPA must you maintain? Is your scholarship "guaranteed" each year? What if you get injured? What if the school drops the sport? Anything can happen at any time and it's your future that could be affected! It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the recruitment process, but pay attention to the details! Best of luck!

Start with your Art Teacher! Talk a little about what your "niche" is and see if they are aware of the best schools to hone your skills as an artist. They are also a great resource for when you are putting together your portfolio which will be essential for when you begin to apply to your schools of choice. Best of luck!

If the student is a top athlete in a sport which is important to a particular college and thus is the coach's top recruit it can be a very important hook. However, not only does it have to be the right sport but also the right position, ex. goalie for the soccer team or line backer for the football team. The relationship with the coach is key.

Athletics can be a tremendous hook if a student has exceptional ability in a sport or a particular position in a sport where a particular college happens to have a need.

Students interested in intercollegiate sports should get excited because it's a wonderful opportunity to continue playing something that you love. First off, students need to become familiar with the NCAA and visit www.ncaaclearninghouse.net to understand the requirements and expectations for going through the recruitment process if they plan to play Div. 1, Div. 1A or Div. II sports. Interested students should begin creating a resume specific for their sport and consider creating a DVD. They should inquire with coaches and fill out online inquiry forms on the college's websites.

Students looking to major in the arts ought to consider if they want a traditional arts school with a curriculum largely comprised of art and design classes or a school that has a strong arts program but exists within a liberal arts curriculum that offers more diversity in courses. For students who are certain of a career in the arts, the following schools should be researched: Otis College of Art and Design, Parsons School of Design, Ringling School of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Art and Design, Maryland Institute College of Art, Pratt Institute. For students looking for strong undergraduate art schools with opportunities to take other classes consider: Boston University, New York Univ., Syracuse, Smith College, Furman Univ., Cooper Union., Skidmore College, Unv. of Michigan, and Virginia Commonwealth Univ.