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Guide for the College-
Bound Student-Athlete
Preparing to Play Softball at the
Collegiate Level
Dear STUDENT - Athlete
Your academics is the first priority and you
must meet the college’s or university’s
academic requirements above all else!
If you are failing or are only marginally
passing, college coaches usually are not
interested – that’s the hard reality
This presentation is ONLY a summary of
information to assist you in meeting the
minimum requirements for playing softball at
the collegiate level.
Choosing a School
Assess Yourself
examine your interests and goals to identify fields of study
and careers
Things to Consider
Talk with your parents and your counselor
Shop around
Visit schools
Ask questions, lots of questions
Check and Understand Costs
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/
english/choosing.jsp
Choosing a School
Types of Schools
College
University
Community College
Junior College
Career school, technical school, or
vocational/trade school
Applying for Financial Aid
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA)
form used by virtually all two and four-year
colleges, universities and career schools for
the awarding of federal student aid and
most state and college aid.
The official FAFSA is at www.FAFSA.ed.gov
Types of Aid
Grants and Scholarships – free money
Work-Study Programs
Loans:
Federal
Student – Stafford, Perkins
Parent - PLUS
Private
Types of Aide
Alternate Financial Aid Programs
National Service
Tuition payment plans
Employer support
Military service
Tax credit
Financial Aid
Tip 1: Prioritize your efforts, starting with the federal
government. Then turn to the private sector for additional
assistance. Visit www.finaid.org to learn about all your funding
opportunities.
Tip 2: Learn all you can about the college financial aid process.
Be sure to meet your aid administrator and establish a
relationship.
Tip 3: Submit a FAFSA, even if you don't think you qualify for
aid. Being rejected for federal aid is sometimes a prerequisite
for private awards.
Tip 4: Apply for aid as soon as possible after January 1. The
early bird always gets the worm -- and sometimes the
scholarship!
Tip 5: Inform financial aid administrators about atypical
expenses. Certain allowances may be made to assist you.
Financial Aid
Tip 6:
Take advantage of tuition prepayment discounts. Some colleges
offer up to a 10% discount for early payment.
Tip 7:
Money from grandparents should be paid in your name directly
to the school. This avoids gift tax liability.
Tip 8:
Investigate company-sponsored tuition plans. Many employers
will invest in the education of their employees.
Tip 9:
Apply! You can't win awards or receive funds for which you do
not apply, so pay attention to deadlines.
Tip 10:
Use scholarship search engines like FastWeb at
www.fastweb.com to help you find the private sector assistance
you need!
Achieving Softball Eligibility
Freshmen and Sophomores
Start planning now! What is your career path and
which college(s) can meet your academic needs?
Work hard to get the best grades possible.
Take classes that match your school’s NCAA list of
approved core courses.
You can receive your school’s NCAA list of
approved core courses at
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.
Achieving Softball Eligibility
Juniors
Beginning of junior year, register at
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and complete the amateurism
questionnaire.
Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the Eligibility
Center code (9999) as a score recipient.
Double check to make sure the courses you have taken
match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses.
Ask your guidance counselor to send an official transcript to
the Eligibility Center after completing your junior year.
Prior to registration for classes for your senior year, check
with your guidance counselor to determine the amount of
core courses that you need to complete your senior year.
Achieving Softball Eligibility
Seniors
Take the SAT and/or ACT again. The Eligibility Center will use the
best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your
best cumulative score.
Continue to take college-prep courses.
Check the courses you have taken to match your school’s NCAA list
of approved core courses.
Review your amateurism questionnaire responses and request final
amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for fall enrollees) or
October 1 (for spring enrollees).
Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible.
Graduate on time (in eight academic semesters). If you fall behind,
use summer school sessions prior to graduation to catch up.
After graduation, ask your guidance counselor to send your final
transcript with proof of graduation.
Eligibility Requirements
Division I Colleges
Graduate from High School (on schedule)
Complete 16 core courses (see College-
Bound Student-Athletes booklet)
Earn a minimum required GPA in core
classes
Earn combined SAT or ACT sum score that
matches core-course GPA sliding scale
Eligibility Requirements
Division II Colleges (2008 – 2013)
Graduate from High School (on schedule)
Complete 14 core courses (see College-
Bound Student-Athletes booklet)
Earn a 2.0 or better GPA in core classes
Earn combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT
combined score of 68
(2013 or later – 16 core courses)
Eligibility Requirements
Division III Colleges
Does not use Eligibility Center
Contact Division III college or university
Core Courses
Division I Division II (2008 –
4 years English 2013)
3 years math (Algebra 1 or 3 years English
higher)
2 years math (Algebra 1 or
2 years natural/physical science higher)
including 1 year lab if offered
2 years natural/physical science
1 extra year of English, math, including 1 year lab if offered
or science
2 extra year of English, math,
2 years social science or science
4 years of extra core courses 2 years social science
(from above, foreign language,
3 years of extra core courses
nondoctrinal religion or
(from above, foreign language,
philosophy)
nondoctrinal religion or
philosophy)
Sophomore Year
Recruiting
Method Summary of Recruiting Rules Division I
Recruiting • You may receive brochures for camps and
materials questionnaires.
• You may make calls to coach at your
expense only.
Telephone calls
• College coach cannot call you.
Off-campus
contact • None allowed.
Official visit • None allowed.
• You may make an unlimited number of
Unofficial visit unofficial visits.
Junior Year
Recruiting Method Summary of Recruiting Rules Division I
Recruiting
materials • You may begin receiving September 1 of junior year.
Telephone calls
• You may make calls to coach at your expense only.
• Once per week starting July 1 after your junior year.
College coaches
may call you
Off-campus • Allowed starting July 1 after your junior year
contact
Official visit • None allowed.
• You may make an unlimited number of unofficial
Unofficial visit visits.
Senior Year
Recruiting Method Summary of Recruiting Rules - Division I
Recruiting materials • Allowed.
Telephone calls • You may make calls to coach at your expense only.
College coaches may call • Once per week starting July 1.
you
Off-campus contact • Allowed.
• Allowed beginning opening day of classes your senior year.
Official visit
• You are limited to one official visit per college up to a maximum of
five official visits to Division I and II colleges.
Unofficial visit • You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits.
Evaluation and contacts • Up to seven times during your senior year.
How often can a coach see
me or talk to me off • A college coach may contact you or your parents/legal guardians
the college's campus? not more than three times during your senior year.
Division II and III Summary of
Recruiting Rules
Recruiting Summary of Recruiting Rules - Division II and
Method III
Recruiting
materials • You may receive printed material any time.
• You may make calls to coach at your expense.
Telephone calls • No limit on number of calls or when they can be
made by the college coach.
• A college coach may begin to have contact with
Off-campus
you or your parents/legal guardians off the
contact
college's campus after your junior year.
• You may make official visits starting the opening
Official visit day of classes your senior year.
• You may make only one official visit per college.
• You may make an unlimited number of unofficial
Unofficial visit visits any time.
2008-09 Division I Softball
Recruiting Calendar
August 1 - September 1 Contact period
September 2 - November 27 except
for: Contact period - no evaluation
October 10 - November 2 Contact period
November 10 - 13 Dead period
November 28 - January 1 except for: Quiet period
December 9 - 14 Dead period
January 2 - July 31 except for: Contact period
April 6 - 9 Dead period
May 26 - June 4 Dead period
During high school regional and state
championship competition that
Evaluation period
does not occur during a dead
period
****** All dates subject to change and are for informational purposes only. ******
Recruiting Terms
Contact. A contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face
contact with you or your parents off the college's campus and says
more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with
you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are
competing or practicing.
Contact period. During this time, a college coach may have in-person
contact with you and/or your parents on or off the college's campus.
The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and
your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and
telephone you during this period.
Dead period. A college coach may not have any in-person contact
with you or your parents on or off campus at any time during a dead
period. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during
this time.
Recruiting Terms
Evaluation. An evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate your academic
or athletics ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you
practice or compete.
Evaluation period. During this time, a college coach may watch you play or
visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or
your parents off the college's campus. You and your parents can visit a college
campus during this period. A coach may write and telephone you or your
parents during this time.
Official visit. Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by
the college. The college may pay all or some of the following expenses:
Your transportation to and from the college;
Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and
Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary
admissions to a home athletics contest.
Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you will have to provide the
college with a copy of your high school transcript (Division I only) and SAT,
ACT or PLAN score and register with the Eligibility Center.
Recruiting Terms
Prospective student-athlete. You become a “prospective
student-athlete” when:
You start ninth-grade classes; or
Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your
relatives or your friends any financial aid or other benefits
that the college does not provide to students generally.
Quiet period. During this time, a college coach may not have
any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college's
campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high
school during this period. You and your parents may visit a
college campus during this time. A coach may write or
telephone you or your parents during this time.
Recruiting Terms
Unofficial visit. Any visit by you and your parents to a college
campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may
receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home
athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like
and may take those visits at any time. The only time you cannot talk
with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period.
Verbal commitment. This phrase is used to describe a college-bound
student-athlete's commitment to a school before he or she signs (or is
able to sign) a National Letter of Intent. A college-bound student-
athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal
commitments have become very popular for both college-bound
student-athletes and coaches, this "commitment" is NOT binding on
either the college-bound student-athlete or the institution. Only the
signing of the National Letter of Intent accompanied by a financial aid
agreement is binding on both parties.
Where Do I Get Information?
www.ncaa.org
Academics and Athletes
Eligibility and Recruiting
Information for College-Bound Student-Athletes and Parents
(downloadable booklet)
www.ncaastudent.org
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/nli
High School Counselors
Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level
(latest edition) by Catharine Aradi
Where Do I Get Information?
Federal Student Aid website:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp
/students/english/index.jsp
Scholarship search engine:
www.Fastweb.com
Financial Aid search engine:
www.finaid.org
