DECISIONS
The recruiting process can be a very tough and stressful time for families. There are a lot of factors that go into making a decision as to what college to attend. Hopefully, the information here will make the process a little easier. To Read More About Recruiting Guidelines and Timelines Click Here.
RECRUITING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
• Take a proactive approach and research the college programs that you want to attend.
• Target the schools that are an athletic and academic match for you
• Reduce the number of potential schools to 50 or so from the 1,400 colleges in the nation that offer a baseball program
• Gather information on the internet regarding universities and their athletic programs. You can also speak with your guidance counselor, look through the Peterson's 4 year college Guide or The Sports Official Baseball Guide for information.
INVESTIGATE THE TEAM ROSTER
• Recent Recruits– Who's coming in with you. Is the coach stockpiling players at your position?
• Past Roster Patterns– How many Junior College players are on the roster and what is the ratio of upperclassmen to lower classmen?
• How many players are at your position and what year are they?
• Where are the players from? (This indicates how the coach focuses his recruiting efforts.)
• Playing Time? Check underclassmen statistics to see how much playing time they had received
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A COLLEGE
Location • Size of School • Cost to Attend • Social Life • Academic Reputation • Areas of Study
FACTORS IN ACCEPTING AN OFFER
• Distance from Home? Do you want to watch your son play a lot and will your son become homesick?
• Family's financial situation
• Playing Time
• Is the school the right place without baseball?
• What size college do you want?
• Do you like the Coaching Staff?
• The off-season conditioning and training facilities
• What kind of community support do they have?
CONTACTING COLLEGE COACHES
• Begin your initial contact letter with the coaches last name in the salutation. 95% of all letters that start, Dear Coach, are thrown into the trash can.
• Player should write the letter yourself. If your handwriting is bad then type the letter.
• Players should return all questionnaires to ALL schools that contact them even if they are not interested.
• Remember, Coaches talk to other coaches!
• Players should fill out their own questionnaire. Coaches can tell if your parents wrote it.
• Keep your contact letter brief– if you write too much, they will not look (One Typed Page Maximum)
• Do not contact college coaches at their home
• Do not lie about your athletic abilities, accomplishments or academic standing.
• Do not send your school application to the coach to be processed
QUESTIONS TO ASK AT A COLLEGE VISIT
• What position/role do you see my son in?
• What players and what class make up those roles in the upcoming season?
• What other recruits make up those roles for the seasons beyond?
• What is the total cost to attend school (In State vs Out of State)?
• What is the highest scholarship offer currently on team (Don't Ask for Names)?
• What scholarship level do you envision for my son?
• How many years has the coaching staff been together?
• What's the graduation rate of the baseball program?
• Is there a solid academic support team in place to help assist student- athletes?
• Can you name some players that have increased their draft status after attending your school?
NCAA Division I
• 11.7 full scholarships
• Scholarship monies can be divided
• Full scholarships are very rare
• Some lower level Division I schools do not fully fund all 11.7 scholarships
• Blending of athletic and academic scholarship monies is permissible
NCAA Division II
• 9 full scholarships
• Scholarship monies can be divided
• Full scholarships are very rare
• Many DII programs do not fund all 9 scholarships
• Blending of athletic and academic scholarship monies is permissible
NCAA Division III
• 0 athletic scholarships available
• Many Division III schools do a very good job of finding the players academic and other aid funding
NAIA
• 12 full scholarships
• Scholarship monies can be divided
• Some NAIA programs don't fund the 12 scholarships
• Blending of athletic and academic scholarship monies is permissible
NJCAA Division I
• 24 full scholarships including tuition, room and board books and fees
• Blending of athletic and academic scholarship monies is permissible
NJCAA Division II
• 24 scholarships including tuition and books. No room and board or fees.
• Blending of athletic and academic scholarship monies is permissible
NJCAA Division III
• 0 athletic scholarships
• These programs are able to field very competitive teams because they are typically very inexpensive to attend
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER
• A 50% offer is considered a "good offer"
• Most Scholarship money goes to "up the middle" players (Pitchers, Catchers, SS/2B and Centerfielders)
• Two way players generally receive the highest offers
• Know what the offer covers– full tuition, books, room and board, student fees, etc.
