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College Athletics 101

If you're thinking about playing college sports, there are some key things to know before you take a deeper dive into athletics. Although this post will focus on the NCAA, there are two other national athletic associations, NAIA and NJCAA, you should become familiar with by viewing this video.

Having a basic foundational knowledge is important for setting realistic expectations and avoiding misunderstandings. Of the roughly 7.2 million high school athletes, only 7% will move on to play for an NCAA team. The NCAA separates colleges into three divisions:

• Division I - these are typically schools with large student enrollments and athletics budgets, and they offer the most athletic scholarships, with 57% of student athletes receiving some athletics aid. Competition for a spot on a Division I team is the hardest, and your schedule will prioritize athletics.

• Division II - these schools are smaller than Division I, and offer some some level of athletics aid to 63% of student athletes.

• Division III - these schools tend to focus on academics combined with competitive athletics, and while there are no athletic scholarships offered, roughly 80% of student athletes receive merit or need based scholarships. This means that if a student leaves a D III team, their merit and need based scholarships will remain with them.

If you're interested in Division I or II, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, and it's recommended you do this by the start of sophomore year of high school to ensure you're taking all the right courses. You should register even if you're undecided or considering Division III so that you receive an NCAA ID, can create a free profile page, and receive communications and reminders from the NCAA.

Timing

Recruiting timelines vary by sport and division, and there are rules regarding when a coach can contact students and their families directly, including recruiting materials, on and off campus visits, emails, texts, social media messages, letters and phone calls. For example, in Division I, coaches can begin calling you from January 1st of sophomore year to May 31st of your junior year, depending upon the sport, with further limitations on the number of contacts. In addition, there are limitations on when you can call coaches, and the limitations vary by sport. This is why it is so important to look deeper into NCAA sports eligbility and recruiting. For a wealth of information and resources, here's the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete.

Student Responsibilities

Students must be proactive in the recruiting process by reaching out and building relationships with coaches at colleges where they're interested in playing sports. Talk to your current high school coaches and seek their advice and assessments on your level of play. Find ways to develop as an athlete and get in front of coaches through camps, tournaments, and showcases. Start creating an athletic resume, including sport specific stats, personal stats, and even a highlight video.

Finally, you should keep in mind that the most important part of picking a college is finding a good fit for you in terms of academic interests and goals, social opportunities, budget, and courses of study available in your future major. Even the best laid plans can go awry: coaches may leave and cause big changes in programs, athletes can be injured, and some sports may cease to be offered at a college when budgets no longer support them.

Sources and Resources for More Information:

• NCAA Recruiting FactSheet

• NCAA vs NAIA vs NJCAA: What is the Difference?

• NCAA Initial Eligibility Presentation

• NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete

• NCAA

• NAIA

• NJCAA

Neurodivergency Support in College

Support for a Learning Disability (“LD”) can vary widely amongst colleges, and the laws governing accommodations in K to 12 are different than those for college. I’d like to focus on the basics of LDs in college, how support varies, and things for students and families to think about as they search for colleges and the services they offer.

• The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) covers students from age 3 to 21 and is designed to ensure public schools serve the educational needs of students with disabilities. This includes any testing when necessary.

• The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) covers all ages, and while it does require “reasonable” accommodations at no cost to the student, the specifics are not prescribed, nor is there a requirement to provide testing to identify a disability.

Support Levels at Colleges Differ

Support varies from minimal, no cost services all the way to comprehensive fee-based programs. Students and their families will need to research and determine what type of college and program is best for their needs.

No Cost Programs

These may include minimal or several accommodations, and there may or may not be professionals on staff. Students may have to self-advocate, or there may be some advocacy. Tutors may be peers or professionals, and help may be by appointment or on a drop-in basis.

Fee-Based Programs

These tend to be fully comprehensive programs with a full time program director and multiple staff members who may be involved in the student’s admissions process and advocate on behalf of the student. Professional tutors are the norm and there are likely to be specialized programs or workshops for things such as organizational skills, time management and social skills.

As an example, here’s a link to University of Denver’s Learning Effectiveness Program, which has a fully comprehensive program at a cost of $4,500 per academic year in 2022-2023. Another approach is offered by University of Connecticut’s Beyond Access Program, which offers a tiered program depending upon what level of support a student may need. It ranges from $1,800 to $3,600 per semester for the 2022-2023 academic year.

What to Know When Seeking Support at College

There are big changes when students leave high school and embark on a college path, so there are many things to understand and consider as you evaluate schools and programs. Here are a few things to think about:

• College days are much less structured - high schoolers spend about 7 hours per day in class whereas college students may attend class 0 - 5 hours per day.

• College students must be able to manage themselves (waking up, taking medications, staying on top of assignments, getting materials if they miss a class) whereas high school students often receive a lot of support from parents, teachers and counselors.

• Assignments in college can be more complex and require solid planning and time management skills.

• Students must self-advocate and reach out for help - in high school, parents and other adults help look out for them.

• Students must give permission for the college to communicate with parents.

• Most importantly, make sure the services available meet the actual need.

Sources and Resources for More Information:

• LD Expert Elizabeth Hamblet

• CollegeWebLD Database of College Programs

• The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences

• IEP versus 504