Tag Archive for: academic scholarships

June 15th is the date when coaches in most NCAA Division I sport programs will be able to initiate recruiting phone calls and emails/messages to athletes who have just completed their sophomore year of high school.

The following Division I sports are the only ones that have a date other than June 15th as the earliest date for placing recruiting calls and sending emails/messages:

  • Baseball – Sept. 1 of junior year
  • Women’s Basketball – Sept. 1 of junior year
  • Football – Sept. 1 of senior year except for one call between Apr. 15 – May 31 as a Jr.
  • Men’s Ice Hockey – Jan. 1 of sophomore year
  • Lacrosse – Sept. 1 of junior year
  • Softball – Sept. 1 of junior year

For NCAA Division II programs, June 15th is the date when coaches in ALL sports can start to contact recruits who have completed their sophomore year via phone, email, or direct message services.

Here is a list of resources for recruits and their families:

Eligibility Issues – Not knowing, understanding and meeting the eligibility rules can have serious short and long-term consequences. Is your athlete on track to meet the eligibility requirements?
Recruiting Rules – A recruiting coach’s job is to sell their school in the best light possible. YOUR job as a recruit or parent of a recruit is to have as much accurate information as possible to make a decision based on what is the best fit for you!
Scholarship Strategies – Athletic Scholarships and Financial Aid agreements are NOT one-size fits all and they are not guaranteed. Is your athlete getting a good deal?

Do you have questions and need advice?

For questions about the NCAA recruiting rules and recruiting tips and advice, schedule a confidential Recruiting Rules or Scholarship Strategies Consultation to make sure your athlete is prepared for their recruitment and potential scholarship offers. You can also call us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

While some people believe that all college athletes who receive athletic scholarships receive “full-ride” scholarships, the truth is that athletes in the majority of college sports programs receive only “partial” athletic scholarships.

A “full” athletic scholarship covers the following costs of college:  tuition, certain course-related fees, room and board, and the value or provision of books.

A “partial” athletic scholarship will cover only a portion of those expenses. An athletic scholarship may not cover all student fees, and also may not cover things like parking fines, a single room in the dorm, library fines or late fees, etc.

In NCAA Division I, the following sports are “head-count” sports:  men’s and women’s basketball, football, women’s gymnastics, women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball.

All other Division I sports, as well as all Division II sports, are “equivalency” sports.  In equivalency sports, coaches can divide their scholarships up as they desire, as they long as they do not exceed the total allowable scholarship value available in their sport.  A few examples in Division I are baseball with 11.7, softball with 12, and wrestling with 9.9 scholarships.  One athlete on the team may be provided with the cost of tuition, a second athlete on the team may be provided with room and board, and a third athlete on the team may only be provided the value or use of books.

Any student-athlete who receives any amount of athletic financial aid is considered a “counter” per NCAA rules.  Once a student-athlete is considered a “counter” there are situations in which other types of financial aid may be required to be “counted” as athletic financial aid.
Any scholarships that a student-athlete will be receiving from groups such as a Rotary or Kiwanis club, a church youth group, or a high school booster club should be sent to the financial aid office of the college the student-athlete is attending. Most of these scholarships are permissible, but should be sent directly to the college so they can be processed properly.

In addition, if a Division I student-athlete also receives an academic scholarship from their college or university due to their high school GPA or their ACT or SAT test score, the fact that they are already an NCAA “counter” may affect the value or receipt of their academic scholarship.

Once a Division I student-athlete is a “counter” all other financial aid received from their institution is required to “count” as if it is an athletic scholarship, unless the student-athlete qualifies for an exemption based on the level of their GPA, their class rank, or their ACT or SAT test score.

If you have questions regarding financial aid or scholarship offers and how they might affect your situation, schedule a private, confidential consultation by calling 913-766-1235 or sending an email to rick@informedathlete.com