THE ATHLETE

Athletic scholarships are not limited to those with prowess in the big sports--football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, and track. There is scholarship money for sailing, badminton, gymnastics, lacrosse, bowling, archery, fencing, rowing, synchronized swimming, skiing and volleyball.

There is considerable financial aid available at most colleges for students who are good, but not necessarily great, athletes. This aid is either "reserved" for athletes (through designated scholarships) or awarded on a preferential basis as part of the financial aid packaging process.

The key to receiving consideration for this kind of aid lies in the student athlete's determination to market his or her talents. This marketing procedure is based on contacting the appropriate coach at the desired college and getting that coach to shepherd the student's request for admission and financial aid through the bureaucracy of the various institutional admissions and financial aid offices. All college coaches, if convinced of the student athlete's potential contribution to their sport, will take an active role in facilitating the student's admission and financial requests.

For example, some schools have admission representatives whose main responsibility is to coordinate referrals from the athletic department. Here is a step-by-step outline that students should follow in marketing their athletic talents:

1. Start early. Discuss with your guidance counselor the range of colleges for which you are academically qualified. In selecting suitable schools, keep in mind that approximately 20% of all colleges will reconsider their admission standards to "land" an athlete.
2. Talk to your HS coach about the quality of college athletic programs for which you might qualify. Don't sell yourself short. Coaches need backup players as well as first stringers.
3. Narrow your college selection list to a manageable size, taking into consideration the quality of athletic and academic programs and your "fit" with them. In other words, you don't want to be a four-year bench-warmer; you do want to be challenged by the school's academic program (but not over- or underwhelmed).
4. Research the name of the coach in your sport at each college on your list. Best source: your high school athletic director's copy of The National Directory of College Athletics (there are separate editions of this book for men and women).
5. Draft a personal letter to each coach. This letter should include a profile of your academic interests and achievements. The letter's main part, however, should be a thorough and detailed discussion of your athletic accomplishments and be supported by statistics, clippings, letters earned, records, and honors. Include mention of any camps or clinics you've attended, and where appropriate, send a videotape of you in action (making certain you're easily identifiable on the tape)! Lastly, indicate you will require financial aid.
6. If your approach elicits interest on the part of the colleges, ask the high school coach to follow up with either a letter of recommendation or a phone call. You may also want to send the college a copy of your scheduled games in case recruiters are in the area!
7. Now you must decide where to apply. Few college coaches will take an interest in you unless your initial letter is followed by a formal application. And remember: here, as with any other application, apply as early as possible.
8. After applying, remain in touch with the college coaches. Inquire about the status of your application and request for financial aid. If possible, visit the college and the coach and sell yourself as a person and as an athlete. Get to know the coach, and make certain his or her coaching philosophy is compatible with your style!

Certification
Beginning August 1, 1994, a central clearinghouse began certifying athletic eligibility for Divisions I and II. If you intend to participate in Division I or II athletics as a freshman, you must be certified by this clearinghouse. Essentially, the NCAA wants to make certain all student-athletes are exactly that, and has instituted minimum academic requirements for athletes (e.g., a 2.0 GPA or combined SAT scores of 700). This is the infamous Proposition 48. Your counselors can obtain free registration materials by calling the clearinghouse at (319) 337-1492. Note: Eligibility certification has no bearing on your admission to a particular Division I or II institution.

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