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SATs
- The College Board has recently implemented
greatest single change in the SAT
test since the test began decades ago. The SAT taken by millions of
college-bound students now includes a student-written essay. This new
section of
the test will increase the maximum total score possible to 2400 from
the previous maximum of
1600. Other changes include
the elimination of word analogies and "quantitative comparisons." In
addition there are changes in some of the math subject areas covered
and in the kinds
of questions asked.
- The new SAT understandably has high school students
worried. For student athletes the question arises in the context of
Division
I and II eligibility requirements. For instance, there is a
minimum SAT or
ACT score
required for initial eligibility in Division II. For Division I initial
eligibility there is a sliding
scale of test scores and high school grades.
- The
NCAA has no plans to include the score on the student-written essay at
this time. The SAT scores in the NCAA initial eligibility
requirements will continue to be the sum of the verbal and math
components of the SAT test. They plan to watch the situation and could
change the specific eligibility requirements based on experience in
scoring the new tests.
New rules reduce financial aid
The U.S. government has adopted new rules on how
federal financial aid is calculated. These new rules have increased the
"expected family contribution" (EFC) figure calculated from family
financial data submitted in the "Free Application for Federal Student
Aid" (FAFSA). The result is that many families will now be required to
pay significantly more than the previous rules required. These rules
will impact need-based college financial aid at most colleges and
universities since schools will be required to follow the federal
guidelines or give up federally subsidized aid for their students.
News stories about the changes in the FAFSA
calculations indicate that the committee that drafted the new rules did
not intend such drastic changes in the calculation of need. There may
be revisions that adjust the rules, but for now these changes emphasize
the importance of sports scholarship aid.
The student athlete's recruiting
time-line
- There are two levels of time-line to be aware
of. The first level covers the four years of high school. The second
level is the recruiting time-line of an athlete's "recruiting season."
The most important thing to remember about these time-lines is that things always end up
moving faster than you imagine. Everything that you can
accomplish early will enhance your opportunities in the end.
- How fast is the pace of recruiting during the senior
year? Consider this: the early National Letter of Intent signing period
for most sports starts about 8-9 weeks after
most high school fall semesters begin. That does not leave much time
for coaches to identify their top recruits, call them, meet with them,
have the recruit come for an official visit and so on. You must start as early as possible and well before your senior year if you
are going to increase your chances of
being recruited.
- The 4-year time line: Each year in high school there
are things a student athlete can do to prepare for college recruiting
and college sports. Some of these are as basic as making sure to take
all of the courses required for NCAA eligibility. Others include taking
the time to learn about colleges and their teams. The Sports Scholarship Handbook
has dozens of specific things student athletes can do throughout their
high
school year to enhance their chances of being recruited as a senior and
enhancing your chances of a having a great college sports experience.
- There is also a specific time line for a high school
senior's recruting year: The specific dates of
an athlete's recruiting season will vary somewhat depending on the
sport. The details of that calendar have been changed slightly this
year by the NCAA. Always consult the most recent NCAA
Guide for the
College Bound Student Athlete for up to date details about the
recruiting calendar. Basically, information about a
college's program can be sent during the athlete's junior year but the
type of information that can be sent is limited by NCAA rules.
For most Division I sports, coaches can make one call in
March of the junior year. In general
the real action in terms of calls from coaches will start July 1
following the athlete's junior year when up to one call per week can be
made. In Division II, coaches may start weekly calling June 15th
following the junior year. For more complete details of the frequently
changing recruiting calendar see the NCAA
recruiting calendar.
- Throughout the school year there are dates
when official visits allowed, there are quiet periods when coaches
cannot call, there are specific dates for an
"early signing period" for most sports and a "regular signing period." The Sports Scholarship Handbook
gives you insight into this time-line and gives you specific ideas
about how to navigate it to your advantage. The up to date details of
each sport's
NCAA recruiting
calendar can be found on the NCAA website. Typically, the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student
Athlete has the information in a more readable format.
- Consider this: if coaches can start sending you
information about their
program early in your junior year and can start contacting you near the
end of your junior year, that means that they need to know about you
earlier. Ideally, coaches need to be
following your athletic
career and to be learning about your talents before the end of your
junior year. How do
coaches
learn about you? How do they evaluate your abilities? What can you do
to bring your interest and talents to their attention? That is what The Sports Scholarship Handbook
is all about.
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