Tips For Recruited Athletes

Thanks to the eagerness of selective Division III colleges to field strong athletic teams, many high school athletes can gain admission to colleges that might otherwise be beyond their academic reach.  How?  Here are some tips from high school counselors and college admission directors:

Work with high school coaches. 
They can point you toward likely colleges, as well as write letters and make phone calls on your behalf.

Also work with your high school guidance counselors.
“They can help you keep a realistic view about your chances at particular schools,” said Richard Nesbitt of Williams.

Prepare an athletic resume describing your athletic achievements, including game videos, but use common sense.  “We have a rule of thumb that the worse the football player, the more lavish the video,” said Tom Parker of Amherst.

Take the initiative in making contact with college coaches.
Since Division III coaches have limited recruiting budgets, “we tend to favor students who show an interest in us,” said Bill Beaney, the men’s ice hockey coach at Middlebury.  Contact colleges during the spring or summer before your senior year.  When you visit a college, be sure to schedule an interview with the coach, and send the coach a copy of your application.

Listen carefully to what coaches tell you.
Coaches may face the temptation to string recruits along, so remain clear-eyed about  where you stand with a college – both academically and athletically.  “A phone call from the coach is not the same thing as an acceptance letter from the admissions office,” warned Christoph Guttentag, director of undergraduate admissions at Duke University.  “When the coach says he’ll do what he can for you, he’s not telling you you’re admitted.”

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