Golf Association of Philadelphia Fourth College Golf Scholarship Seminar Plymouth Country Club

1. Golf Association of Philadelphia Fourth College Golf Scholarship Seminar Plymouth Country Club Saturday, November 17, 2007

3. 1. How good are you? Serious about turning pro. Top programs can be excellent training grounds because of strong competition, facilities. Ultimately your scores on the course and in the classroom will determine coaches’ interest. Without suitable grades you won’t be admitted or stay eligible.

4. 1. How good are you? Good enough to play and earn a degree.Combining the two is the best of both worlds. Plenty of opportunities exist for players with their noses in books—and for those who cannot break 100. NCAA Division III, mid-to-low Division II and NAIA (four-year) schools provided spirited competition even if the scores are not as low as in Division I.

5. 1. How good are you? I’m not certain. Don’t sweat indecision. Be aware of opportunities at NAIA (four-year) and two-year schools. Athletes and non-athletes face difficult career choices. Your work ethic will determine where your game (and education) take you more than where you go to school.

6. 2. What’s your year in high school? Freshman.Early starts allow plenty of time to research options, consider what’s important to you (special majors, proximity to home, etc.). Some coaches spend two, three years assessing a recruiting class before NCAA rules allow them to send letters or material to prospects—Sept. 1 of their junior year.

7. 2. What’s your year in high school? Sophomore.Get research and self-evaluation process moving. Refine list of target schools. Good news: NCAA coaches can’t phone until July 1 after junior year, so you control your contact with coaches.

8. 2. What’s your year in high school? Junior. No time to waste. Use the Web to learn about colleges you want to pursue. Your play the summer before your senior year can influence coaches, but some will be down to a short list of prospects and show little to no interest.

9. 2. What’s your year in high school? Senior. Way behind. Telephone communication with schools and coaches ASAP is vital.

10. 3. Do you know your family finances? I do. Understanding what you can afford in tuition, other costs will keep you realistic about options.

11. 3. Do you know your family finances? I don’t. Time for a dollars-and-cents talk. A family wouldn’t search for a car, home without knowing its budget. Same with schools.

12. TIP: A budget for search expenses (phone calls, campus visits, tournament entries) is good preparation for smart money-management. Financial aid from a better academic school that’s not offering athletic scholarships, such as in Division III, might be wiser than an athletic scholarship in Divisions I, II.

13. 4. How many schools are you contacting? Five to 15 schools. Indicates you spent time trying to identify your best matches.

14. 4. How many schools are you contacting? 16 to 35 schools. Nothing wrong with casting a wide net, but can you explain your reasoning for each school? Plus, every college means more time spent on selection.

15. 4. How many schools are you contacting? 36 or more schools. Trim your list. Start making hard decisions that lead to your final choices.

16. TIP: Personalize cover letters by stating why you’re interested. Coaches can spot form letters (they often end up in the trash). Make sure your playing résumé includes the date, finish, course yardage and Rating/Slope.

17. 5. Are coaches giving positive feedback? Yes. You made wise selections. Nurture the dialogue with coaches. Ask plenty of questions.

18. 5. Are coaches giving positive feedback? No. You aimed too high. Many coaches have only a few open slots each year yet hear from hundreds of kids. Reassess academic, athletic abilities to find suitable schools.

19. TIP: If you are in your junior or senior year, you already have an indication of your academic and golf ability. Don’t waste coaches’ or your time by sending letters and/or résumés to colleges where you don’t match up in both areas.

20. 6. Are you aware of eligibility and recruiting rules? No, I’m not. Even compliance officials in athletic departments struggle with eligibility and recruiting regulations. Download the NCAA’s “Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete” from ncaa.org to follow strict guidelines for high school core courses. Also, if you’re considering Division I or II, register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse when junior-year grades are posted. There is no clearinghouse for NCAA Division III, NAIA or two-year schools.

21. 7. When should you visit schools? Unofficial.Take as many visits as you like, any time; you pay expenses. Many families work these into vacations. Let coach and admissions department know when you’ll visit so they can arrange a tour, meeting with an academic advisor.

22. 7. When should you visit schools? Official. One visit at up to five schools once you’ve started senior year, schools pay expenses. Highly structured by college, NCAA regulated.

23. TIP: Best to get a feel for campus life when school’s in session. Make notes during, after each visit. Ask plenty of questions. Remember, it’s a two-way interview: While you’re checking out the school, the coach and team are gauging whether you fit the program.

24. TIP: You do the talking. Coaches want to meet your parents but want to speak with you in at least 90 percent of phone calls, campus visits. You should fill out any paper work, questionnaires: Coaches can spot a parent’s work.

25. TIP: What you shoot in high schools, junior events isn’t what you’ll shoot in college. Courses are longer, tougher and you’ll play in poor weather. Add at least two or three shots to your average to gauge what you’d shoot as a college freshman.

26. TIP: Most nerve-racking moment of entire selection process? Coaches watching you play. They like to see solid play, but they learn more when you’re having trouble or in bad weather. Learn to stay positive, give your best effort whether a coach is watching or not.

27. TIP: Make sure you’re comfortable with final choice. NCAA penalizes athletes for transferring, reneging after signing a letter of intent. Coaches who make take-it-or-leave-it offers of a scholarship or roster spot, or pressure you toward November’s early signing period, might not place your best interests first.

28. Checklist: Keep grades up all four years of high school. Take PSAT by sophomore year; SAT and/or ACT byjunior year. Prioritize college preferences by size, location, academic reputation, golf program and other factors you consider important. Learn how to convert your scores to college scores based on yardage, course difficulty at collegegolf.com. Register for NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse at end of junior year (D-I or II).

29. Checklist: Take official recruiting visits (paid by school) after start of senior-year classes. Division I schools must receive test scores, transcript before paying for official visit. Early Letter of Intent signing period is one week in November of senior year. Submit FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) immediately after Jan. 1 of senior year Late signing period runs mid-April to Aug. 1.

30. Web resources: College and golf team sites NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) ncaa.org NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse ncaaclearinghouse.net NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) naia.org NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) njcaa.org SAT collegeboard.com ACT (American College Testing) act.org

31. Web resources: ACT (American College Testing) act.org FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) fafsa.ed.gov College Financial Aid finaid.org Golfstat (compiles comprehensive college scores) golfstat.com Ping American College Golf Guide (the ultimate source) collegegolf.com

32. 2006 Golf Digest College Guide Coaches’ Survey Recruiting

33. Coaches of women’s teams When evaluating prospective student-athletes, how important are the following in your recruiting decision? When recruiting for your team, how much emphasis do you place in promoting the following attributes of your program/school?

34. Coaches of women’s teams .

35. Coaches of men’s teams When evaluating prospective student-athletes, how important are the following in your recruiting decision? When recruiting for your team, how much emphasis do you place in promoting the following attributes of your program/school?

36. Coaches of men’s teams

38. 2007 Golf Digest College Guide Coaches’ Survey Scholarships

39. Athletic scholarships basics: Golf is an “equivalency” sport: Programs may split the value of a scholarship among multiple students. Allowed in NCAA Divisions I and II, not allowed in Division III. Scholarships are not four-year offers. They are one-year arrangements—and 82 percent of coaches said they re-evaluate them in some form.

40. Coaches of women’s teams How many total athletic scholarships did your players receive each academic year? 81.7 The percentage increase in athletic scholarships in Division II during the past four seasons (versus 15.5 percent for Division I) indicates expanding opportunities for top players.

41. Coaches of women’s teams What are the largest and smallest individual scholarships received by any player on your team during the 2006-’07 season? 30.7 Nearly one-third of responding Division I coaches have at least a 50 percent ride as their smallest scholarship.

42. Coaches of women’s teams After initially awarding scholarships do you ever re-evaluate players and adjust the value of their scholarships?

43. Coaches of women’s teams How important are each of the following factors when evaluating a new player’s athletic scholarship?

44. Coaches of women’s teams 8.18 Academic performance, which emerged during last year’s survey as the top factor in recruiting, drives decisions on scholarship dollars for Division I coaches. 8.20 Leadership away from the course is weighed heavily by women’s coaches—primarily in Division II, where a role model can serve as a second (or first) assistant.

45. Coaches of men’s teams How many total athletic scholarships did your players receive each academic year? 85.3 The percentage of maximum allowed scholarships in Division I, according to coaches who responded. More than half the coaches said they have reached the limit of 4.5.

46. Coaches of men’s teams How many players on your team during the 2006-’07 season received a full athletic scholarship? 69.7 In Division I, nearly 7 in 10 teams have zero players receiving a full scholarship. By comparison, 30.9 percent of women’s teams have four or more players on a full ride.

47. Coaches of men’s teams What are the largest and smallest individual scholarships received by any player on your team during the 2006-’07 season?

48. Coaches of men’s teams 50.1 Although a full ride is rare, big fractional scholarships are slightly more prevalent: The biggest scholarship for more than half of Division I teams is between 60 and 99 percent. 66.7 Minimal scholarships are abundant: Two-thirds of Division I teams give less than 20 percent as their smallest fractional (and that rises to 80.9 percent in Division II).

49. Coaches of men’s teams After initially awarding scholarships do you ever re-evaluate players and adjust the value of their scholarships?

50. Coaches of men’s teams How important are each of the following factors when evaluating a new player’s athletic scholarship? 8.54 Unlike with the women, where classroom performance rules, men’s coaches look to the scorecard when determining how to award scholarships.