NCAA Q&A for Student Athletes

It is very important to keep your guidance counselor and current varsity coach informed of all correspondence from college coaches. Here are some questions that students can ask when being recruited by coaches to make the most of the conversation. Every conversation will be dictated the by current recruiting climate. Here are some sample questions to consider when corresponding with a college coach.

1. Academics – Simply put, academics are the most important part of the process. If the college coach does not share your academic goals then it might be time to look at other options. Here are some academic questions every recruit might want to ask:

• Will my specific major interfere with the athletic schedule?
• What are some of the most popular majors for athletes on your team?
• Does your team have a full-time academic advisor?
• Do your players graduate in four years?
• Can the application fee be waived for athletes?
• How is school work completed when we travel?

 

2. Athletics/Recruiting – These two topics overlap in many cases, as an athletic evaluation will determine how heavily the coaching staff will be recruiting a prospect. Here are some “must ask” questions for recruits at any point in the process:

• Has your coaching staff evaluated me?
• Where do I fit on your recruiting board?
• How many players will you be recruiting at my position?
• Where will you be recruiting this season/spring/summer?
• What types of off-season activities are expected?
• What does the training program consist of at your school?
• What is your recruiting timeline?
• Is there a good time to come visit your school?
• Do you plan on being here for the next four years?

 

3. Scholarship – As we noted, it is rarely appropriate for a recruit to ask if they will receive a scholarship in an initial phone conversation, however there are a few questions that will help you gauge your scholarship possibilities at that school:

• How many scholarships do you have available?
• Am I under consideration for a scholarship?
• What types of academic scholarships are available? What about other sorts of grants and aid?
• Do I have to apply before a scholarship is offered?
• What happens if I get injured?

4. College Life Questions – Even though athletics will obviously play a major role in the life of a collegiate student-athlete, every recruit should make sure they are going to be happy on campus even when they are not with the team. Make sure to ask about some of the following:

• What is the housing situation like? Do teammates typically live together?
• Do student-athletes stay on campus during the summer?
• Is it possible to work part-time in addition to playing a sport and studying?
• What is a typical "day in the life" like for a member of your team during the season? What about during the off-season?

5. Important Final Questions – While there are many directions that a conversation might take with a college coach, one key goal should be to find out what comes next:

• What are the next steps in this process?
• When would you like to receive my video tape?
• Do I have to try out to make the team?
• Do you suggest I apply Early Decision or Regular Decision?
• How frequently should I contact?
• When is the next time we can speak/meet?
• Is there anything I can provide you with that will help you further evaluate me?

Hopefully this list will provide recruits a starting point for the type of questions they should ask a college coach. By no means is this list comprehensive, but it should assist a student athlete as they prepare for their first conversation with a coach.