You need to approach this subject carefully and with tact.  It’s a difficult dance, but if you know how to navigate this situation then you can put yourself in good position to get more scholarship dollars!

There is not one best answer to when you should bring up scholarship talk.  Every situation is a little different and of course it varies slightly by sport.  However, there is one time you shouldn’t- during your first conversation with the coach.  This can be a turn-off to coaches.  Coaches want players who are dedicated to winning and their program, not just out to get the most money for school.

I used to often get calls from kids who in their first sentences said to me, “Do you have any scholarships left?”  This did not make a good first impression.

On the other side, you don’t want to wait too long either.  You could be wasting time with a school that has no intentions of offering you, ever.

Ideally, the coaching staff will bring it up to you and let you know where they see you and what they are offering.  Unfortunately, that situation is pretty rare.  If you are not so lucky, then what?

Before you take the next step and bring it up, you need to do three things….

1. Find out their interest level in you-  It may sound like a simple concept, but most recruits struggle to accurately gauge college coaches’ interest in them as prospects. Letters and standard emails don’t indicate concrete interest; they simply mean you’re on a mailing list.  You need to establish serious interest before you move forward in your scholarship discussions.

A question like this works just fine…

Coach,
I’m pretty interested in your school.  I know you’ve sent me e-mails and letters and had the opportunity to watch me on film and in person.  Do you have an idea of what your interest level is in me?  Your school is high on my list, but I just wanted to make sure of your interest in me before I narrow down my list.

Also, ask the coaching staff…

Coach,

Is there anything else I can or should send your staff at this time?  What else would help you determine whether or not I’m a good fit for your program?

1. Understand their needs- Put yourself in the coaching staff’s shoes.  How many people do they have at your position?  What types of athletes are they targeting?  How many middle infielders do they expect to bring in with this class?  Have they offered any kids already at that position?  These are essential questions to ask.  If the answers aren’t favorable to you then this will help you avoid wasting time and focus your efforts at schools that have needs that you can fill.  Not every school will recruit you, no matter how good you are!

It’s easier to find out information regarding need than it is to get a coach to comment on their evaluation of you.  Look for the signs of genuine interest.  If these signs seem to point toward a school lacking interest in or need for you, move on to your next option.

1. Verify where you are ranked on their recruiting list- Ultimately, at some point you should verify where you rank on a coach’s recruiting list or board. The terminology may vary from sport to sport, but every coach will rank his or her prospects at each position.  I used a Blue, Red, and White Ranking.  Some coaches use a 1-5 Star ranking.  Others will rank all recruits starting with 1 going down.

If you can verify where you’re currently ranked, it will be easy for you to determine whether or not it’s the right time to move into the scholarship conversation. If a coach explains that you’re one of his or her top 2-3 prospects, go ahead and ask about a scholarship. If they tell you that you currently rank in the 5-6 range, focus your questions on determining what improvements you can make as a player in order to better your ranking with the program.

Don’t be satisfied with being in the “we want you” zone. Once a coach uses language or terminology that indicates he or she is interested, most families fail to escalate the conversation and determine realistic scholarship opportunities.

When a coach says, “Hey Sarah, we can’t wait for you to be a part of our program!” respond with something along the lines of, “Great, I am interested.  Does that mean you are offering me a scholarship?”

TIP OF THE MONTH

After you find out a coaching staffs interest in you, understand the schools needs, and verify where you stand on their lists you may be ready to talk scholarship.  Here’s a great way to bridge the gap between not wanting to turn off coaches but also escalating the conversation toward the scholarship money you desire- blame it on your parents!

Try this template…

Coach,

I am very interested in [X University].  To me the most important factors are playing for a winning program, learning from great coaches, and being challenged to be the best player I can become.  I feel confident that I can accomplish all of those things at [X University].  I am really excited about making that dream of mine a reality.  My parents and I have been talking about my college choices and I have informed them that [X University] is my top choice.  The problem is that my parents don’t have a ton of money and the bottom line cost will be a big factor in where I choose to go to school.  When do you hope to make decisions on scholarships and what do I need to do to be eligible for as much assistance as I can qualify for?

Literally hundreds of tasks are necessary to achieve your goal of playing at the college of your dreams. And each task, no matter how significant or how small, presents a risk and an opportunity. Use the following checklist to avoid the pitfalls and make yourself the best recruit possible

Freshman and Sophomore Years

Set seasonal, yearly and overall high school athletic and academic goals

• Write them down
• Be realistic
• Keep them where you’ll see them regularly
• Assess your progress at the end of each season/school quarter

Identify athletic weaknesses; research safe and effective methods, or professionals, to help you eliminate them

Maintain good academic standing

• Don’t cut class
• Strive for good grades
• Take advantage of study halls and tutors
• Don’t cheat
• Show respect to teachers and fellow students
• Avoid detentions and suspensions

Develop good relationships with teachers who will eventually write your college letters of recommendation

Get involved in extracurricular and volunteer activities

Be aware of your off-field lifestyle and the image it portrays

• Choose friends wisely; avoid troublesome crowds
• Keep online profiles clean
• Avoid drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• Don’t fight
• Don’t break the law
• Adhere to a reasonable curfew

Consider playing multiple sports to develop and display well-rounded athleticism

Maintain poise and sportsmanship at all times. College coaches watch you during competition, even when you are not playing. Always:

• Cheer on teammates
• Respond to referees and/or bad calls in a professional manner
• Interact positively with coaches on the sideline
• Keep your head up. Don’t pout regardless of score or situation
• Avoid fighting
• Celebrate with class

Have athletic competitions videotaped for future use

Create a filing system to organize athletic awards, newspaper clippings and outstanding achievements

Research the best non-school sponsored athletic leagues in your area—club teams, AAU, summer leagues, etc.

Participate in non-school sponsored athletic competition

Create a filing system for materials and info you receive from colleges and coaches

Complete and return all questionnaires

Inform college coaches about camps, clinics, and showcases you’ll be attending

Attend camps, clinics, and showcases at schools you are interested in attending and can realistically play for

Create a highlight tape

Attend a college competition in your sport at EACH level

• Contact parents of athletes on the college team’s roster to find out if they’re happy with their son’s or daughter’s experiences with the team
• Observe the way the coach interacts with his team
• Gauge the level of play compared to your ability

Assess your athletic ability

• Talk to your coaches
• Measure yourself against other players at your position in your state/district/conference
• Compare your accomplishments to the high school accomplishments of players on rosters of colleges that you think you could play for

Begin thinking about the academic area of study you might want to major in, and research which schools excel in that area

Solicit information about colleges by talking to:

• Friends
• Guidance counselors
• College’s alumni

Talk with parents or guardians about:

• Cost and what you can afford
• Location
• Academic opportunities and programs
• Their academic and athletic expectations for you in college

Create a target list of colleges in each of the following categories:

• Likely admission
• Safety net
• Reach

Send follow-up letters to coaches who haven’t responded to your initial contact

Familiarize yourself with the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Athlete

Open a dialogue with your high school coaches about the college coaches who have contacted them about you and the colleges that most interest you

Junior Year

Register, prep for and take standardized tests

Register with NCAA Eligibility Center [to be done by end of junior year]

Schedule and take unofficial visits

• Find time to meet with coaches around their busy schedules
• Bring pen and notepad, and have a few questions ready about the program, the coach’s level of interest and his or her plans to remain at the school during your four years
• Provide coaches with your highlight tape and stat sheet
• Talk to players on the team
• Check out the facilities
• Go to a class in your area of interest
• Keep a journal to list pros and cons of each school and coaching staff after visits

Continue to update college coaches on your athletic successes

Update highlight tape with recent clips

Talk to athletes from your school who now play at the collegiate level. Ask about:

• The level of competition
• How college life and sports differ from their high school experiences
• Any additional advice they have to offer

Update wardrobe with clothes appropriate for meetings with college coaches

Send thank you note after any meeting with a coach

Have high school coach call college coaches to recommend you as an athlete

Prepare a list of questions for coaches when they call (they can call after May 1 of your junior year for football and after July 1 for most other sports). Cover these topics:

• Their level of interest
• Chance of an official visit
• Possibility of a scholarship
• Who they have at your position (height, weight, stats)
• Your upcoming game schedule and the possibility of their attendance

Senior Year

Be prepared for an in-school visit from a college coach at any time

• Have questions ready in your locker
• Dress appropriately at all times

Retake standardized tests if necessary

Avoid senioritis—continue to take challenging courses and strive for good grades

Narrow down schools you’re interested in and eliminate those in which you definitely have no interest

Plan and take official visits. Remember, only five are allowed

• Bring pen and notepad. Have questions ready for meetings with coaches
• Talk to as many players as possible, not just the happy ones
• Go to a class in your field of interest
• Stay on campus
• Always conduct yourself properly
• Keep a journal to list pros and cons of each school and coaching staff after visit.

Assess financial needs by talking with parents and various schools’ financial aid offices

Apply for financial aid

Research and apply for alternative sources of funds

Once you begin receiving financial aid offers from colleges, share them with other

coaches to improve your final offer

Create timetable for all application deadlines

Ask teachers for recommendations

Calculate your GPA and find out your class rank

Request official transcript from guidance counselor

Ask college coaches to waive application fees

Write application essays early so you have time to edit and perfect them

Complete the rest of applications and mail before deadlines

Narrow college choices to your top three opportunities

Make final decision

Notify all college coaches you’ve been speaking with of your final decision

TIP OF THE MONTH

Facebook friend request the players on the teams of your final choices.  Ask them questions about their coach, school, and teammates.  Get an overall consensus, don’t just take one athletes word for it.  This will help you find the best program for you.  Realize the college players may let the coaching staff know about your contact with them, so keep it positive.

Plain and simple- you will not get a scholarship or get recruited to play college sports if you cannot communicate effectively with college coaches.  Using CPOA will help you get exposure- but it’s the communication between the student-athlete and the coaching staff that will get you recruited.  We open the door.  I can tell you from experience being a college coach for eight years- I really don’t care too much what the parents have to say about their kid- I want to talk to the student-athlete.  That’s why most college coaches get in to college coaching.  It’s not high school coaching.  They don’t want to hear from the parents too much.  A little is ok- but not too much!

Talking to a college coach is a critical part of the recruiting process.  Unfortunately, many recruits “freeze up” during those interactions.  How can they calm their nerves and impress the coach?

It is rarely easy for a high school student-athlete to communicate effectively with an adult – I am sure the parents reading this can attest to that.  It becomes even more difficult when that adult happens to be a college coach and the student-athlete is nervous.  Making matters even worse is that communicating with a college coach is a critical part of the relationship building process for a student-athlete.  So, what can an athlete do?  What can a parent do to help their athlete?

Here are two steps that will help:

1) Start early. It might sound cliché, but the earlier an athlete begins to work on their communication skills with a college coach, the better they will be. The first step is to understand what might take place during a conversation with the coach.  Mostly, the discussion will involve questions from the college coach.  Preparing answers ahead of time might alleviate some of the nerves. (Try to avoid sounding scripted though!)  Here are some questions they might receive…

How are you doing in school?
What is your favorite subject?  Least?
What about my college interests you?
What are you looking for in a college?
What other colleges are you looking at?
What other colleges are recruiting you?
Have you visited our campus?
Do you plan to come visit?
What do you consider to be your strengths as a player?  Weaknesses?
What is your upcoming schedule?
What do you look for in a coach?

Also, recruits should prepare a list of at least 15-20 questions that they can ask a college coach.  Having a list of well thought out questions will go a long way towards impressing a coach.

HINT #1- IF THEY ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND YOU SAY NO, YOU ARE TELLING THEM YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM.  YOU MUST ASK QUESTIONS!

HINT #2- DON’T ASK QUESTIONS THAT CAN EASILY BE FOUND ON THE SCHOOLS WEBSITE! If you ask a college coach what city their school is in or what conference they play in you are telling them you know nothing about them.  Remember, coaches want to recruit those who show interest in them.  When possible, try to know a little about that school before talking with them.

Here are some questions you may wish to ask…

What positions/role do you envision I will play on your team?
What are the physical demands of each season?
Describe the typical day for a student-athlete.
How would you best describe your coaching style?
What are your expectations for the upcoming year?
Describe the walk-on situation and scholarship program.
How strong is the department in my major and will it mix well with athletics?
What is the graduation rate?
Describe the typical class size.
Describe your academic support program such as mandatory study halls and tutor availability.
What are the residence halls and dining services like?
Will I be required to live on campus throughout my athletics participation due to scholarship requirements?
What are the details of financial aid at your institution and how do injuries play a role?
What are my opportunities for employment while I’m a student?
Can I “redshirt” my first year?
What does off-season training entail?
How many freshmen on average go on to play all four years?
Is there financial aid available for summer school?
What is your policy on studying abroad?
What, in your opinion, is the best thing about coaching at this school?

Remember, athletes are allowed to call a college coach at any time – even as early as freshmen year.  Take advantage and start early!

2) Practice. Again, this advice might not be groundbreaking, but it WILL help.  How can you practice?  Two ways:

Mock Phone Calls with Parents – Parents should play the role of the college coach and actually go through a fake phone call.  Parents can use the questions above and conduct a mock phone call with your athletes.  You can even do this on your cell phone if you really want to replicate the situation. I would recommend throwing a “curve ball” or two at your athlete to see how they think on their feet and react.  Also, make sure you ask your athlete asks you questions and provide answers as though you are a college coach.  Pay attention to their introduction and closing to give some advice about making sure it is mature and effective.

Real Phone Calls with College Coaches – As we mentioned above, recruits can all a coach WHENEVER they want…so try it out.  Pick a college close to home, preferably a DIII school since they are not restricted as to when they can talk with recruits on the phone – and give it a whirl.  It does not have to be a coach at your dream school which should help limit the anxiety.  If you call them at an early age, they most likely are not going to cross you off their list and might even been so impressed that they ADD you to their recruiting board.  However, if you wait until you are a senior, it could be too late.

Recruits are always being evaluated by a college coach – even during a simple phone call.  If a coach is talking to two athletes with similar athletic and academic ability, a phone call could make a big difference.  Who is going to leave a better impression:  The recruit who starts practicing college coach phone calls freshmen and sophomore year or the one who waits until second semester senior year to even think about it?  Start early and practice.  Simple, yet effective.

As always, you can ask me advice on talking to college coaches anytime!

TIP OF THE MONTH

Make it personal when talking to college coaches.  Let me give you a real world scenario that happened many times during my coaching career.

Athlete #1 calls me and says, “Hey coach, I want to play college basketball- do you have any scholarships available?”

Athlete #2 calls me and says, “Hey coach, I saw you guys lost a tough one to Averett last night.  Can you still win the conference title?  How is the team looking down the stretch?  I see your point guard is a senior, Are you looking for a point guard this year?”

Now both athletes are definitely doing the right thing by calling the coach, but who makes a better impression?  Athlete #1 comes across as a kid who wants to play college basketball (any there are plenty of those).  Athlete #2 comes across as someone who is interested in MY school and may fill a need.  When possible- make it personal!  It makes a big difference.

Many families this time of year are inquiring as to the effectiveness of attending college camps for the purposes of getting recruited. Some people will have you believe that college camps are a waste of money if you are trying to get recruited and others believe they are the best thing since sliced bread. The truth lies somewhere in between.

Most college camps are run for two purposes (1) to provide the coach, staff, and program with some additional income and (2) to provide an outlet to see several hundred players who may be interested in attending your school and playing for your program. There are other coaches that simply love coaching and run camps as a benefit to local athletes and the community because they enjoy passing on their knowledge to younger students but lets stick with the first two.

A summer camp for a college coach is an easy way to see several hundred players in one place over the course of a week. Not just to see them play but to meet them and learn about them as a person. The summer for a college coach is the time of the year when they are free to really recruit at camps, tournaments, summer games, and showcases and they take full advantage of the summer in any way they can. During their season, they are not really afforded the opportunity to attend your high school games because they are playing their games.

With that being said, it’s extremely important to be realistic about certain camps. Many kids sign up for camps at schools they have no realistic shot of playing at and they then wonder why they weren’t recruited after the camp. This has a residual affect as they tell future families not to waste their money attending camps for recruiting purposes because “you won’t get recruited!”

There are several important steps you as a potential recruit need to perform before you start signing up for camps throughout the country. The first step is to identify this school as a school you “might” like to attend. If you honestly don’t have any interest in a school, then going to that camp for the purposes of trying to get recruited doesn’t make any sense. If you want to go for skill-building purposes then that is up to you.

The second step you need to take is to identify whether your skills would allow you to play for this particular program in the near future. If you are a 170-pound linebacker, attending camps at Notre Dame, Michigan, and Ohio State won’t get you recruited by those programs to play linebacker. This is a fact of life that some people don’t want to accept and they keep attending camps at colleges they won’t be able to play for. There are 1,100 NCAA schools and your ability to find a program where your skills match up will in the end be the most important recruiting task you can perform.

The third important step is communicating with the college coach. Many people simply sign up for camp, run past the coach and then expect a phone call a few weeks later from the coach. Some college camps may have 200 players or multiple sessions so if the coach doesn’t know who you are or that you are interested in their program, they simply may not notice you the way you want to be noticed.

If you call the coach before the camp and begin to build a relationship with them and communicate that their school is a place of interest for you, you will have a far better chance of being noticed by that coach and making the camp circuit work. But you have to do some research on the school and program first and you have to be realistic about your athletic skill. It doesn’t matter if you attend one camp or 100 camps, if you cannot realistically play for that school, the camp circuit won’t work for you. If you find schools and programs that better fit your skills and desires, and you communicate with the coach prior to the camp, you will have a far better chance of getting recruited via a summer camp at a college.

At the end of the day you have to realize that the coach may only be recruiting 5 or 10 players a year and may already have recruits in their pipeline or committed, so the odds of you simply being discovered at a camp are not always in your favor. We also know that virtually every college coach we have spoken to places a great deal of emphasis on their college camp each year and sees it as a valuable tool in allowing them to see athletes and allowing athletes to see them and we have met many players who have all benefited from attending college camps.

There is also a hidden benefit to some camps. Many college camps have other college coaches working at the camp. A rule of thumb is that two colleges that compete for the same type of recruits will not work each others camp, but many D1 camps have D2 and D3 coaches working and vice versa. This allows you the opportunity to be seen by other coaches from other schools where you might be a better fit at and we have met several players who were discovered by coaches working at an entirely different camp.

A college camp is one step in the recruiting process and requires some research and communication with coaches on your part prior to the attending a camp. You may find you are getting many camp flyers in the mail or personal requests from college coaches you are speaking to. It doesn’t mean they are recruiting you, but it’s an opportunity to possibly get recruited.

View it as an opportunity to expand your skills, meet some new players, get a sense of your ability, and as a way to be seen by college coaches.

TIP OF THE MONTH

As a general rule of thumb- the smaller the school, the cheaper the price, and the less well known the camp director, the better the instruction and recruiting opportunities will be! Especially in the revenue sports.  You should choose a camp or camps based on the experience and instruction you will get, not just the recruiting opportunities.  If you do choose a camp to help get exposure, communication with the staff before, during, and after the camp is essential.  Also, don’t overlook the assistant coaches- they will be the ones making the recruiting decisions early on in the process!

Your high school coach will be a very important part of the recruiting process.  Not because you should rely on them to get you recruited.  Your high school coach is most important near the end of the recruiting process- when colleges coaches contact them as a reference check on you.

As a college coach, Ive called hundreds- or maybe thousands- of high school coaches about kids I had been looking into.  What they have to say about the athlete Im recruiting is often times the deciding factor on whether or not I choose to continue the recruitment.  Why?  Well, Im going to have to coach this kid, so if they like him, then I probably will.  If they dont, I probably wont!

Very rarely would a coach come out and tell me not to recruit a kid.  However, college coaches know how to “read between the lines”…

For example, a high school coach might say, “Yeah, hes a good kid.  He always shows up on time and Ive never had a problem with him.  He could play in college in the right system.”

That might sound good, but its not.   It is coachspeak for, “I have nothing good to say about this kid but I cant say anything bad because I dont want to be the reason he doesnt get recruited.  Or maybe I dont want my comments to come back to me and have the parents mad at me.”

Or a coach might say, “You need this kid!  Most hard working kid I have coached in 20 years as a college coach.  You cant miss with him.  I guarantee he will be great for you.  You will love this kid.  He is the heart and soul of my program.”

Anything less than that is not good for you!

Why so harsh?  You have to remember, you are not competing for scholarships and recruitment with the other kids in your school or even conference.  You are competing for scholarships and recruitment with the best player to come out of all these schools around the country and all these coaches favorite players theyve ever coached.  If your coach just has “good” things to say about you, how will that compare with “great” from your opponents?

What will your coach say about you?

How can you help make this better?

#1.  Go to talk to your high school coach right now!  Tell him or her that you are interested in playing in college and that you are using CPOA to help make that happen.  Let them know that you are 100% dedicated to your high school team, you just love the sport so much you dont want your career to end when high school does.  You realize you have alot to accomplish yet at the high school level, you just want to cover your bases so hopefully you can play for four more years.  Maybe even let then know that they are a big part of your desire to play in college.  If they get a call from a coach and you havent told them you are desiring to play in college they might assume your priorities lie with college ball and not with them.  Remember, all coaches have egos…its part of our DNA!

#2.  Go above and beyond for your coach!  You probably are more dedicated than most of your teammates.  Some of them probably dont want to play sports in college, or have another sport they like better.  You are not competing against them.  You are competing against every kid your coach has ever coached and the other players in your region, district, state, and nation who desire to play in college.  Remember, you need your coach to say you are the best kid theyve ever coached and that you are like a son or daughter to them!

You might think your personal instructor, travel, club, or AAU coach is better suited to help with your recruiting because they have more connections with college coaches.  That may be true.  They might help you get looked at.  However, dont plan on using them in lieu of your high school coach.  College coaches are smart enough to know the simple fact that….YOU ARE PAYING YOUR PERSONAL INSTRUCTORS AND CLUB COACHES TO LIKE YOU AND HELP YOU!  So, their word is not as important.  College coaches use AAU coaches to get connected with the good players.  However, college coaches want to know what the high school coach has to say about your work ethic and commitment level.  The high school coach has a job to do- win games!  Just like theirs.  The personal instructor is paid, by you, to help them get recruited.  This is the same reason why college coaches dont want to hear from your parents or CPOA about how good you are.  Its our job to help you!

TIP OF THE MONTH

In addition to being a great leader and teammate, offer your coach your services to get involved with the coaching side of things.  Let them know you are willing to watch some tape with them or ask them to show you their philosophy on coaching.  Tell them you want to understand the game better as it will help you perform better.  Coaches like athletes who want to be coaches and are coaches on the field or floor.  If you understand where they are coming from, they will better understand you.  Show them you care more about just playing for yourself.  Take an active role in making THEIR program better and they will take an active role in making YOUR future better.  Remember, you need them more than they need you!

This month I’ll talk about financial aid.  Remember the five basic types of aid…

1. Athletic Scholarship- given out by the coach
2. Academic Scholarship- given out by the individual schools financial aid offices
3. Need Based Aid- given out by the federal government and/or by the individual schools financial aid offices
4. Leverage Money- given out by the individual schools financial aid offices to compete with alternative offers
5. Outside Scholarship- can be used at the school of your choice

Most people focus on #1 (Athletic Scholarships) and #5 (Outside Scholarships).  That money is usually limited.  What you NEED to remember is that #2 (Academic Scholarships), #3 Need Based Aid), and #4 (Leverage Money) are all negotiable and basically come out of the same pot of money (except the government part of the Need Based Aid).  I often hear families say things like, “We are not going to qualify for any financial aid”.  This is a 100% incorrect statement almost ALL of the time.  You may not qualify for FAFSA money (even though you might be surprised the number of people who would qualify but don’t apply), but that doesn’t mean the individual schools won’t DISCOUNT their education prices based on competing offers.

Remember this….

When it comes to financial aid, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

You are not going to get much aid unless you ask for it, negotiate the offer, and leverage for more!  Most of the “scholarship” money that is out there comes from a pot of money that is distributed until it runs dry.  Of course schools don’t want to give it out right away…you have to keep asking for it!

Here are the Top Ten factors that can tip the financial aid scale according to U.S. News:

1. The college’s expectation of the student’s contribution. Many of the schools on this list reduce the student’s need, and thus the aid package, by at least $1,000 (and some by much more), saying that the student is expected to contribute that much each year from summer earnings.

2. How the college counts home equity. Some do consider the equity parents have in their homes as a resource that should be tapped to help pay for college. Others don’t.  This question is not on the FAFSA but it is on the CSS/Profile that many high-priced schools require.

3. How the college considers divorced parents. Some schools, such as Yale, analyze the incomes of both stepparents and original parents and make their own judgments about which set of parents should be responsible for each student’s college costs. Others consider the incomes of only the original parents.  Colleges that only use the FAFSA consider only the custodial parents’ income, even if a stepparent has a prenuptial agreement relieving the stepparent of financial responsibility for the child.

4. Pay attention to financial aid deadlines.  Many schools will use a deadline as a reason to deny financial aid, even if they have money remaining.  Others commit to meet the need of only those students admitted during the early or regular admission seasons and may run out of aid by the time they start admitting students off of the wait list.  There are still schools who worry less about the deadlines, but there is evidence that that list is shrinking.

5. The aid policy for international students. There are a few schools like Princeton and other that commit to meet the financial needs of those who are not U. S. citizens.  Many others, such as Northwestern and Adrian (Mich.), don’t guarantee full aid for international students.

6. Whether the school offers merit scholarships. These are granted regardless of how wealthy the parents are if the student qualifies under the conditions set forth for the grant.  But there are schools like Ivy League member Columbia that doesn’t give merit aid. 

7. The effect of an aid application on admission. At least 28 colleges nationwide have committed to ignore a student’s aid application when deciding about admission.  But that’s risky and potentially expensive.  Most reserve at least some seats for students who can pay full price.  The number of full-paying customers can depend on the current year’s total financial aid pool.  Once the school runs out, it’s everyone for himself!

8. The aid policy for international students. There are a few schools like Princeton and other that commit to meet the financial needs of those who are not U. S. citizens.  Many others, such as Northwestern and Adrian (Mich.), don’t guarantee full aid for international students.

9. Whether the school offers merit scholarships. These are granted regardless of how wealthy the parents are if the student qualifies under the conditions set forth for the grant.  But there are schools like Ivy League member Columbia that doesn’t give merit aid.

10. The effect of an aid application on admission. At least 28 colleges nationwide have committed to ignore a student’s aid application when deciding about admission.  But that’s risky and potentially expensive.  Most reserve at least some seats for students who can pay full price.  The number of full-paying customers can depend on the current year’s total financial aid pool.  Once the school runs out, it’s everyone for himself!

TIP OF THE MONTH

Not interested in a small school?  How small is too small?  Many kids compare the size of their high school to the size of college.  That logic seems right, but there’s a flaw.  Let’s say you’re a senior in a high school of 1,000 students.  50% of the students are freshman and sophomores (how often do high school seniors hang out with freshman and sophomores?) and another 50% are not going to college, therefore may not share common interests and background as you.  That means only 250 students are similar in age, interests, and background as you.  If you are looking at a “small” college of 2,500 people, that school is TEN TIMES BIGGER than your high school, based on the logic that age is irrelevant in college and students of similar interests would pick similar schools.  It’s worth at least checking out some of these small schools.

Congratulations!  By joining my program, you have made the smart decision to be pro-active in your recruiting.  You obviously see the need and benefit to marketing yourself.  This month I want to talk to you about walking that line between being pro-active and being over-bearing in the recruiting process.

Some people in my field may disagree with my thoughts on this, and of course every situation is unique.  But first, understand this… most college coaches have big egos.  I’ll admit I have a relatively big ego compared to most people I know.  However, in the college coaching ranks it’s probably pretty average!

So in order to get a coach to do what you want them to do, it’s imperative you let them do it their way.  When I was explaining this during a recent home visit with a new client’s mother she compared it was a lot like dealing with a man as she joked with her husband.  “You have to make him feel like it’s his idea and then he’ll do it”, she said.  I laughed and immediately saw the connection with recruiting.

Let me give you an example that occurred quite often during my coaching career.  I block out a Wednesday afternoon to watch film to prepare for Saturday’s game.  When I show up to work on Wednesday morning I get a phone call from the admissions office saying a “recruit” is coming today and wants to meet with me at 1:30 pm.  Understand that coaches report to people that oversee enrollment, budget, and academics.  So basically you have just given me an obligation to spend my afternoon walking you around and telling you about the school.  In addition, I have to now have to stay late Wednesday night to watch the film I was going to watch during the day.  Coaches have a name for such a recruit.  We call them “admissions recruits”, meaning we meet with them to satisfy the admissions representatives who help us out with our “real recruits”.

So, what’s the alternative?  Simply shoot an e-mail to the coaching staff a few days before you hope to visit and ask say something like this, “Hey Coach, I am very interested in [State College] and would really like to see the campus and get a chance to meet you, even if it’s just to say hello.  Do you have any dates coming up that would work well for a visit?  Also, please let me know if there is anything else I should do to be considered as a potential recruit.”  Most likely the coach will be excited that you expressed interest.  He or she may set up the visit for you (or may instruct you to call the admissions office), or may ask you to send tape or fill out a questionnaire before you visit.  Or maybe they invite you to a game or visit day that works best for them.  While it may be tougher on your schedule, the advantage is that they will likely treat you like a “real recruit” and not see you as a burden.

Who should send this e-mail?  Preferably the recruit, not the parents.  Ask almost any college coach what they like about college compared to high school coaching and they will say not having to deal with parents.  Of course the parents will be a vital part of the recruiting process, but try to have 75% of the contact come from the recruit and 25% from the parents.

One of the hardest parts of coaching is always being told how to do your job by parents, fans, etc.  Coaches don’t like to be told whom to recruit by anyone other than a close friend.  If you are going to call a coach, and you should feel free to do this as they can’t call you until your senior year, keep it brief!

Remember, even if you have multiple schools “recruiting” you, if you don’t have multiple “offers” you don’t have the leverage- the coach does!  Treat them like they are in charge and let them recruit you the way they want to recruit you (each program may be slightly different).  Make yourself available and let them know you are interested and certainly keep in touch with them, but be careful as you “walk the line” between pro-active and pushy!  As always, call me anytime with questions.

TIP OF THE MONTH

Don’t rule out D3 schools as a great option.  There are good and bad schools and programs at all levels.  There are many D3 programs that have great facilities, coaches, talent, tradition, academic reputation, and the ability to package financial aid packages that will BEAT schools that offer athletic aid as part of the package.  Student-athletes from our program receive have gotten 100% aid packages at D3 schools that cost over $30,000 per year!  It’s very common to see packages under $10,000 per year at such schools as well.

On a second note, so far all of my clients are underclassmen.  You made a great decision starting this process when you did.  There are lots of ‘10 kids out there who have no options.  You will!  Be patient as lots of coaches just now got your profile and some may not even tough it until summer when they have free time.  In the meantime start thinking about what you want in a school so that when they contact you you can ask them questions about what you are looking for.

Remember, respond to every coach who contacts you.  EVERY one!  Trust us as this is the best way to offers, leverage, and financial aid!

Keep me posted on your successes in competition and in the classroom. E-mail or call me anytime with any questions!

TIP OF THE MONTH

Never EVER mention, allude to, or even joke in a nice way negative comments about your high school coach to a college coach.  Many student-athletes and parents try to spin this in a way that makes themselves look better. It doesn’t!  It’s a huge turnoff and often the reason why they don’t get recruited.  No coach wants someone who may talk bad about them in the future!