Choosing a College

Simply choosing a college can be a formidable task. Add to this the desire that a college-bound student-athlete has to match the right school with the right athletic program, and it can be especially challenging.

WHY GO TO COLLEGE?
Playing soccer should not be one's reason to go to college. Playing soccer may, however, be a complementary aspiration or even a means to this very end. Therefore, it is really important to evaluate why one might want to play college soccer. There are many possible reasons, and many possible solutions, ranging from college varsity to college club to college intramurals and even area recreational leagues. For the college-bound student-athlete, the most important thing is to evaluate the academic part as much as, and in most cases more than, the soccer part.

WHERE CAN I PLAY?
Aspiring college-bound student-athletes should look closely at the soccer media guides of prospective colleges, taking note of how many players from one's home state appear on the roster versus those from out-of-state, relative to the school's location. In addition, investigate whether this is the type of expansive program that counts international players among its roster. For which club teams did the current rostered players play prior to college? Did they participate in ODP? Pay particular attention to the individual player bios, especially those of incoming freshmen, since they tend to have the most informative detail on their pre-college soccer accomplishments. This will serve as a limited overview of the program's stature and recruiting patterns.

Another bit of advice is for high school underclassmen to talk to their upperclassmen teammates about their college search process, ideally starting as early as one's sophomore year. Their experiences can be invaluable, even second-hand, but only if a variety of sources is sought. One or two examples are not enough. The same applies in club, where sometimes a player can solicit the advice of players one or two age categories above, as they go through the college search process themselves. Researching the college scene early and often ultimately makes for a more informed and confident decision.

THE REALITIES OF RECRUITING
While there are some truly exceptional athletes (aka Blue-Chips) for whom colleges come calling, the reality for most would-be student-athletes is enormously different. Consequently, Sandy Spring Friends School students are fortunate to have an excellent College Guidance Office.

MARKETING ONESELF
Rather than waiting passively to be "recruited", it is important that the aspiring college-bound student-athlete be proactive and market oneself. To learn more about when and how to market oneself, please refer to the Time-line and Player Portfolio pages of this Pursuing College Soccer section of our website. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression!

COMMUNICATING WITH COACHES
As a way of introducing oneself, it is important to open the lines of communication with college coaches by requesting information about the soccer program and school. Keep in mind that collegiate coaches are not allowed to make phone calls to prospective players until July 1 after their junior year in high school. Leaving a message for a college coach prior to this time will result in his/her not being able to return the call. The best way for a sophomore or junior to contact a coach is to write a letter or an email. Many collegiate coaches will be happy to send out information packets about their soccer programs. The outreach letter should be short and straightforward. The objective of the letter is to request information and to briefly introduce oneself as a prospective student-athlete. One may choose to include a soccer resume with a video at this time, or wait for a response before sharing such things by means of a more complete Player Portfolio. To learn more about the Player Portfolio, including the cover letter and resume, please click on the appropriate link above.

GETTING SCOUTED
The vast majority of college soccer programs compete in the fall. This often conflicts directly with the high school soccer season. Therefore, it is very impractical for a college coach to scout a high school player during his/her own collegiate season and equally unreasonable for a high school player to think otherwise. For efficiency's sake, college coaches do much of their scouting at select club, regional ODP and national tournaments and showcases, often in the winter and spring. Another great way to get noticed, while simultaneously learning about a coach and his/her program, as well as the respective college, is to attend their summer soccer camp(s).

OFFICIAL vs. UNOFFICIAL VISITS
Most college-bound students visit college campuses at their own expense. These are considered unofficial visits. There is no limitation to unofficial visits; and as long as the means are available they are as welcome as they are wise. There is also something known as an Official Visit available to recruited athletes after the first day of senior classes in high school. Such recruited athletes are limited to a total of only five official visits in which the college pays for part or all of a recruit's expenses. Completion of the SAT or ACT and a high school transcript are prerequisites to an official visit. Whether official or not, a quality visit should consist ideally of a full-day or even an overnight trip to campus being hosted by a member of the soccer team. Take the necessary time to meet the team, learn more about the soccer program and become better acquainted with the coaching staff. Consider attending a class or two to develop a better feeling for the student body and the academic environment.

ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS
Athletic scholarships are available for only Division I and II programs. Division III schools offer only academic scholarships. Furthermore, of the Division I and II colleges that do offer athletic scholarships, most college soccer programs are limited to the number of athletic scholarships they have available. The ideal of earning a "full-ride" is a rare luxury afforded to only the most outstanding athlete, and an even greater rarity for an otherwise yet unproven freshman. It is more common for a college soccer coach to painstakingly ration the handful of athletic scholarships made available to his/her program (e.g., quarter-ride, half-ride, three-quarter-ride, etc.), potentially incrementing their value on a performance-based hierarchy. For information about obtaining an undergraduate athletic scholarship, please contact the athletic department at the school(s) you are interested in attending.

NCAA RULES & THE CLEARINGHOUSE PROCESS
All high-school athletes wishing to compete in college at either the Division I or II level must register with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Information about the Clearinghouse can be found in the NCAA's annual Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. To register with the Clearinghouse call 1-800/638-3731 to order a copy of the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, which contains a copy of the student release form and Clearinghouse brochure.

NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT
More than 500 institutions participate in the NLI program. All Division I institutions, with the exception of the Service Academies, half of the Patriot League and schools in the Ivy League, are members of the program, and most fully active Division II institutions participate in the program. No Division III institutions, NAIA schools, preparatory schools, junior colleges, or community colleges participate in the National Letter of Intent program. You can find a complete list of member institutions under the NLI Member Schools section.

While not required to sign a National Letter of Intent, many student-athletes choose to because they want to create certainty in the recruiting process. By signing a National Letter of Intent, the college-bound student-athlete agrees to attend the institution for one year in exchange for the institution's promise, in writing, to provide athletics financial aid for the entire academic year.

Traditional signing dates for soccer are:

1. February 1 -- Initial Signing Date (no earlier than 7:00am)
2. August 1 -- Final Signing Date (no later than 11:59pm)

VERBAL COMMITMENT
A verbal commitment, stating publicly one's intentions to attend a certain institution, is a non-binding, oral agreement between the college-bound student-athlete and the institution. The only binding nature of the commitment is one's word and the institution's promise.

ON RED-SHIRTING
The NCAA describes redshirting as, "a student-athlete who does not participate in competition in a sport for an entire academic year." Remember, college athletes are eligible for only four years of competition. A redshirted player can practice, but cannot compete against other teams. Even by coming onto the field in the last five minutes of a soccer match one uses up a year of competition eligibility. If a player is badly injured towards the end of a season, he or she may decide to redshirt the next year. If the opportunity to redshirt is available, patience can prove to be a virtue. The decision to redshirt, or be redshirted, as a true freshman can be very stressful on an impatient 18-year-old chomping at the proverbial bit to make an immediate impact in their collegiate athletic career. But redshirting often turns out to be one of the best decisions a young athlete can make. To learn more about redshirting visit the NCAA FAQ on Student-Athlete Eligibility. There are three advantages in choosing to redshirt:

1. If the player isn't quite mature enough, it may be better to take a year to get used to being away from home.
2. If there are enough good players and he may not play a lot, it is a good idea to let the veterans play while taking a year to improve.
3. Players have a chance to get settled in because they aren't under as much pressure immediately.