Preparing for Collegiate Athletic Recruitment

It is important to prepare for the recruiting process as early as possible, prior to the start of high school is best.

There are many details that a potential student-athlete needs to be aware of in order to set achievable goals both in high school and once a student is accepted in the college of choice, academically and athletically.

Be aware of high school graduation requirements.
Be aware of college/university admission expectations.
Be aware of the requirements set by the athletic conference(s) in which the post-secondary institutions you as the student-athlete are interested in pursuing.

The sport should only be a minor part of the decision in which a student considers where the next chapter of life will be invested: post-secondary education (select college or university). A student is choosing a college, NOT a team. All factors that go into the choice of choosing how and where a student continues to further his or her education, such as degree/program offering, location, size, etc. should be considered. Students need to look for an institution in which they will thrive, even if they stop playing sports.

Intercollegiate competition is sanctioned by different college divisions.

The most common and largest are:

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

NCAA - National Collegiate Athletic Association

Individual schools award athletics scholarships. Division I and II schools provide more than $3.6 billion in athletics scholarships. Division III schools do not offer athletically related financial aid, but most student-athletes receive some form of academic grant or need-based scholarship.

Students need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school. You need to create a Certification Account to make official visits to Divisions I and II schools or to sign a National Letter of Intent. NCAA will guide your through the process at: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/register/CERTIFICATION

If you are interested in a Division II school OR are undecided then feel free to create a Profile Page with NCAA. You will get an NCAA ID and will receive important reminders as you complete the high school portion at: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/register/PROFILE

Download the NCAA Eligibility Center's Registration Checklist to take your first step to becoming an NCAA Student-Athlete.

NAIA - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

NAIA considers itself "The expert in the business of small college athletics"

PlayNAIA is the official clearinghouse for NAIA eligibility. Every student-athlete must register with the NAIA Eligibility Center to play sports at an NAIA college or university.

NAIA has partnered with Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), the world's largest collegiate athletic recruiting network. Registration with NCSA allows student-athletes to use the NAIA Pre-Eligibility Indicator Tool which allows prospective student-athletes to showcase their future eligibility status to NAIA member institutions.

Follow your path to eligibility:

Get Pre-Eligible: Register with NCSA as early as your first year in high school.
Get Eligible: Register with PlayNAIA, the official clearinghouse for NAIA eligibility.
Find your NAIA school: Search by sport, location, school size and more!
Get ready to Play!

Download the "NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete" to discover and connect with NAIA schools, coaches and athletic scholarships.

National Junior College Athletic Association

NJCAA - National Junior College Athletic Association

NJCAA governs intercollegiate athletics for community colleges and junior colleges; 2-year colleges which offer associate degrees. Competition is set-up in 3 different divisions: Division I, II, & III. Competition within a specific division of an NJCAA sponsored sport comes with specific policies and guidelines published by the NJCAA Bylaws in which they are responsible for following and abiding.

Division

Division I - Colleges may grant full athletic scholarships (tuition, books, fees, room & board), up to $250 in course required supplies, and transportation costs one time per academic year to and from the college by direct route. Each sport has limits on the number of scholarships that can be granted.

Division II - Colleges may grant athletic scholarships, but scholarships are limited to tuition, books, fees, and up to $250 in course required supplies. Each sport has limits on the number of scholarships that can be granted.

Division III - Colleges are not permitted ot offer any athletic scholarships.