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Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete

Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level. Dear STUDENT - Athlete. Your academics is the first priority and you must meet the college’s or university’s academic requirements above all else!

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Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete

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  1. Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level

  2. Dear STUDENT - Athlete • Your academics is the first priority and you must meet the college’s or university’s academic requirements above all else! • If you are failing or are only marginally passing, college coaches usually are not interested – that’s the hard reality • This presentation is ONLY a summary of information to assist you in meeting the minimum requirements for playing softball at the collegiate level.

  3. Choosing a School • Assess Yourself • examine your interests and goals to identify fields of study and careers • Things to Consider • Talk with your parents and your counselor • Shop around • Visit schools • Ask questions, lots of questions • Check and Understand Costs • http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/choosing.jsp

  4. Choosing a School • Types of Schools • College • University • Community College • Junior College • Career school, technical school, or vocational/trade school

  5. Applying for Financial Aid • FAFSA • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) • form used by virtually all two and four-year colleges, universities and career schools for the awarding of federal student aid and most state and college aid. • The official FAFSA is at www.FAFSA.ed.gov

  6. Types of Aid • Grants and Scholarships – free money • Work-Study Programs • Loans: • Federal • Student – Stafford, Perkins • Parent - PLUS • Private

  7. Types of Aide • Alternate Financial Aid Programs • National Service • Tuition payment plans • Employer support • Military service • Tax credit

  8. Financial Aid • Tip 1: Prioritize your efforts, starting with the federal government. Then turn to the private sector for additional assistance. Visit www.finaid.org to learn about all your funding opportunities. • Tip 2: Learn all you can about the college financial aid process. Be sure to meet your aid administrator and establish a relationship. • Tip 3: Submit a FAFSA, even if you don't think you qualify for aid. Being rejected for federal aid is sometimes a prerequisite for private awards. • Tip 4: Apply for aid as soon as possible after January 1. The early bird always gets the worm -- and sometimes the scholarship! • Tip 5: Inform financial aid administrators about atypical expenses. Certain allowances may be made to assist you.

  9. Financial Aid • Tip 6:Take advantage of tuition prepayment discounts. Some colleges offer up to a 10% discount for early payment. • Tip 7:Money from grandparents should be paid in your name directly to the school. This avoids gift tax liability. • Tip 8:Investigate company-sponsored tuition plans. Many employers will invest in the education of their employees. • Tip 9:Apply! You can't win awards or receive funds for which you do not apply, so pay attention to deadlines. • Tip 10:Use scholarship search engines like FastWeb at www.fastweb.com to help you find the private sector assistance you need!

  10. Achieving Softball Eligibility • Freshmen and Sophomores • Start planning now! What is your career path and which college(s) can meet your academic needs? • Work hard to get the best grades possible. • Take classes that match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses. • You can receive your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

  11. Achieving Softball Eligibility • Juniors • Beginning of junior year, register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and complete the amateurism questionnaire. • Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the Eligibility Center code (9999) as a score recipient. • Double check to make sure the courses you have taken match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses. • Ask your guidance counselor to send an official transcript to the Eligibility Center after completing your junior year. • Prior to registration for classes for your senior year, check with your guidance counselor to determine the amount of core courses that you need to complete your senior year.

  12. Achieving Softball Eligibility • Seniors • Take the SAT and/or ACT again. The Eligibility Center will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score. • Continue to take college-prep courses. • Check the courses you have taken to match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses. • Review your amateurism questionnaire responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees). • Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible. • Graduate on time (in eight academic semesters). If you fall behind, use summer school sessions prior to graduation to catch up. • After graduation, ask your guidance counselor to send your final transcript with proof of graduation.

  13. Eligibility Requirements • Division I Colleges • Graduate from High School (on schedule) • Complete 16 core courses (see College-Bound Student-Athletes booklet) • Earn a minimum required GPA in core classes • Earn combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches core-course GPA sliding scale

  14. Eligibility Requirements • Division II Colleges (2008 – 2013) • Graduate from High School (on schedule) • Complete 14 core courses (see College-Bound Student-Athletes booklet) • Earn a 2.0 or better GPA in core classes • Earn combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT combined score of 68 • (2013 or later – 16 core courses)

  15. Eligibility Requirements • Division III Colleges • Does not use Eligibility Center • Contact Division III college or university

  16. Division I 4 years English 3 years math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years natural/physical science including 1 year lab if offered 1 extra year of English, math, or science 2 years social science 4 years of extra core courses (from above, foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy) Division II (2008 – 2013) 3 years English 2 years math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years natural/physical science including 1 year lab if offered 2 extra year of English, math, or science 2 years social science 3 years of extra core courses (from above, foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy) Core Courses

  17. Sophomore Year

  18. Junior Year

  19. Senior Year

  20. Division II and III Summary of Recruiting Rules

  21. 2008-09 Division I Softball Recruiting Calendar

  22. Recruiting Terms • Contact. A contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with you or your parents off the college's campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing. • Contact period. During this time, a college coach may have in-person contact with you and/or your parents on or off the college's campus. The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and telephone you during this period. • Dead period. A college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents on or off campus at any time during a dead period. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.

  23. Recruiting Terms • Evaluation. An evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate your academic or athletics ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you practice or compete. • Evaluation period. During this time, a college coach may watch you play or visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the college's campus. You and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time. • Official visit. Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college. The college may pay all or some of the following expenses: • Your transportation to and from the college; • Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and • Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you will have to provide the college with a copy of your high school transcript (Division I only) and SAT, ACT or PLAN score and register with the Eligibility Center.

  24. Recruiting Terms • Prospective student-athlete. You become a “prospective student-athlete” when: • You start ninth-grade classes; or • Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your relatives or your friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide to students generally. • Quiet period. During this time, a college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college's campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.

  25. Recruiting Terms • Unofficial visit. Any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like and may take those visits at any time. The only time you cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period. • Verbal commitment. This phrase is used to describe a college-bound student-athlete's commitment to a school before he or she signs (or is able to sign) a National Letter of Intent. A college-bound student-athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal commitments have become very popular for both college-bound student-athletes and coaches, this "commitment" is NOT binding on either the college-bound student-athlete or the institution. Only the signing of the National Letter of Intent accompanied by a financial aid agreement is binding on both parties.

  26. Where Do I Get Information? • www.ncaa.org • Academics and Athletes • Eligibility and Recruiting • Information for College-Bound Student-Athletes and Parents (downloadable booklet) • www.ncaastudent.org • www.ncaaclearinghouse.net • http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/nli • High School Counselors • Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level (latest edition) by Catharine Aradi

  27. Where Do I Get Information? • Federal Student Aid website: • http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp • Scholarship search engine: • www.Fastweb.com • Financial Aid search engine: • www.finaid.org

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