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Questions to Ask College Coaches: by Cathi Aradi
The recruiting process can make your head spin, and it's easy to forget those things you most need to remember. When looking at college media guides, you may "ooh and aah" over the beautiful campus and state-of-the-art athletic facilities, but forget to ask the questions that help you determine if you will fit into this idyllic picture.
Here's are just a few questions you might want to ask coaches about their college, their team and their financial aid picture. When you talk to a coach or visit a school, you'll probably come up with some of your own questions as well. (For a more detailed list of questions, check out my book, Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level.)
About the School
1) What are the admission requirements--GPA and SAT/ACT scores? Do you need to take the SAT II (Achievement Tests)?
2) When is the application deadline? Can the coach help a student get in after the deadline has passed? Can the coach get the application fee waived if he or she has asked you to apply?
3) What type of academic advising and tracking is offered to athletes? Does someone work with athletes so their course load accommodates athletics and vice versa? Do athletes get pre-registration or class guarantees?
4) What type of housing is offered and are freshmen guaranteed housing? Is off-campus housing affordable in case upper classmen are not guaranteed on-campus housing?
About the Team
1) How many athletes are carried? Are all athletes recruited ahead of time, or does the coach allow/encourage walk-on's to try out? How many walk-ons usually make the team? When are tryouts held?
2) What does the coach look for in his/her athletes? What does the coach expect from his/her athletes--e.g., dress, behavior, weigh-ins, study habits, off-season competition?
3) What can athletes expect from the coach? For example, are returning starters guaranteed spots or are new recruits given the chance to take away a starting spot from a returner?
4) What kind of conditioning or training program is followed?
5) How many games and tournaments does the team usually play? How much traveling does the team do? What is the average travel time for a trip? How many overnight trips are there?
6) What percentage of team members graduate in four years? (Note: The NCAA requires Div. I and II schools to provide "recruited" athletes, their parents, guidance counselor and coach with information on student-athlete graduation rates.)
About Scholarships/Financial Aid
1) If athletic scholarships are offered, how many are available? Do most scholarship recipients get full or partial scholarships? Does the school offer out-of-state fee waivers and under what conditions?
2) What do athletic scholarships cover--tuition/fees, room/board, books, and other expenses? (Note: Scholarships are not handled the same way at every school. Be sure to get the specific details from each school that's offering you a scholarship.)
3) What might cause a scholarship to be revoked?
4) What happens to your scholarship if you're injured or can't compete for some reason?
5) Are athletes who walk on as freshmen and become starters ever offered athletic-based aid for following years--i.e., as sophomores, juniors, seniors?
The following question is particularly important if no athletic scholarships are offered.
6) What is the process for applying for financial aid? When is the deadline? What other types of aid—academic, need-based, etc.—are available?
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Cathi Aradi's book "Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level" presents all the facts on college scholarships and opportunities.
Remember, this is just a starter list with some specific questions you should ask.
There are many other questions that might help you determine if this is the right type of team for you. For example, you may want to ask how many kids leave the team each year, how many kids try out and get cut and how many kids end up playing for four years.
Talk to current and former players and ask for their input on the coach. Both positive and negative responses can be helpful, particularly if you want to see both sides of the picture. Few teams are perfect and the most conscientious and caring coach can have a bad year or have players that just don't fit with his or her program. It is important, however, to make sure you fit with the program before you decide that's where you want to spend your collegiate career.
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