Transfers Archives

We recently received this e-mail from an athlete:

“I signed an NLI last Fall as a JUCO transfer to a Division II track program, but wasn’t informed until two weeks into this semester that I didn’t meet the academic requirements to be eligible. What options do I have?”
My first comment is that somebody at that Division II college didn’t do their job as they should have (assuming they received her transcript in a timely manner) if they didn’t inform their athlete of her academic deficiency before the semester started.
Had they done so, she could have at least had the option to go back to the JUCO for one more semester as a full or part-time student, or she could have considered other options.

Now her options are limited and more complicated:

By waiting until two weeks into the semester to inform the athlete of her status, she is stuck at that college and is now ineligible for this academic year. She must now work to earn her academic eligibility to be able to compete next year at this college.

Also, because an athlete must be academically eligible when they leave their current school in order to be immediately eligible as a transfer to an NCAA member school, she either needs to stay at this school and work to earn her eligibility there, OR
If she chooses to transfer to another NCAA college before she regains eligibility where she is, she will be ineligible for her first academic year at the next college.
Another option is that she could transfer to an NAIA college where it would be possible to regain eligibility after one semester.
How could an athlete AVOID this type of situation?
Make sure you are certified academically eligible by the school you are transferring to before classes begin.
How frequently does this type of thing happen?
More frequently than you would think. These are the type of situations I hate because they could easily be prevented.
How can you prevent this from happening to your athlete?

We frequently work with junior college athletes to make sure they’re eligible at their NCAA school of choice by doing a College Transcript Review.

For more information, contact Informed Athlete at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

Are you thinking about a possible transfer from one NCAA or NAIA university to another?

Maybe you’re looking for more playing time elsewhere, or just want to be back closer to home?
If you’re planning to transfer to an NCAA or an NAIA university, you need to remember that you need to receive written permission from your current school to talk with other coaches. So, the first thing you should do is talk to your coach and explain that you would like to request permission to speak with other schools.

But, how do you do that in the middle of your season without being benched or even cut from your team by an angered coach?
We’ve had the privilege of guiding thousands of athletes and parents through the steps in the transfer process, including when and how to approach the coach, and by providing other tips about transfers. We also inform clients of their rights if their transfer request is denied, and how to approach an appeal, if necessary.

A transfer can be a very stressful situation, but in a phone or Skype consultation we’ll guide you through each step in the process so that you’re prepared for the “what ifs.”

To schedule a transfer consultation, please call 913-766-1235 or email rick@informedathlete.com.