“Athletes Must Prepare for College Admission
Earlier Than “Normal” Students”

-Danielle Bianchi Golod

Dear Parent,

As you probably know, prospective college athletes face a unique set of challenges that “ordinary” students do not. These include:

  • Test scores may not be as high as coaches need due to your family’s time constraints or your child’s potential learning disabilities.
  • Time is much more scarce for the athletes and parents than for “ordinary” students.
  • Prospective athletes must complete the application process much earlier than “ordinary” applicants.
  • There is a great deal of mis-information about what prospective athletes and parents “should” or “shouldn’t” do.

Why Should Parents Care?

Having the right information and preparing early can make the difference between being recruited or not and getting offered an athletic scholarship or not.  While many colleges may not say this, my personal feeling is that having a coach recommend your child helps give the student an edge when it comes to gaining admission.

Student-Athletes need to be proactive about getting their recruiting information in front of the coaches by calling/emailing them and/or by filling out Student-Athlete profiles.

They need to remember not to be pushy or overbearing (so not to get off to the wrong start). Coaches care most about the student’s talent, but also how his/her personality will fit with the team.

If students haven’t done so already, they need to register with the NCAA.

They need to develop a cover letter and sports resume, and research information about athletic scholarships/financial aid.

They need to attend sports camps in the spring and/or summer so they can get the chance for college coaches to see their talent.