Preparing for College: Exercising Your Options: Tips for Student-Athletes

You are an athlete. You look forward to working out, to pushing yourself, to competing against yourself and others. Perhaps you're a first-string quarterback, or a top gymnast or a star forward. Maybe you aren't a star, but you certainly give your competitors a run for their money. Or you may be happy to play just for the love of your sport.

Whatever your sport or skill level is, college offers you the opportunity to continue your participation and even to raise your skill to a higher level. From big-name varsity teams to campus intramural leagues, colleges have a variety of ways for student-athletes to hone their skills. To help you sort through the many options available to college-bound athletes, here are some things to consider when choosing a college.

The Fundamentals

"Choose the school, not the team," says Sarah McGinty, an independent educational consultant and supervisor of the Harvard Graduate School of Education teacher accreditation program.

It's easy to be dazzled by an exciting sports program or a great coach. But keep in mind that college is more than sports.

"The main factor in choosing a college should be academics," says Susan Hannon, guidance counselor at Rye Neck High School (NY). "Why academics? What if a student-athlete suffers an athletic career-ending injury or is unhappy with the team and quits? Will they still be happy at the school they chose or are they going to have to transfer to find this happiness?"

A good strategy for student-athletes, then, is to consider their sport as just one of the many characteristics to look for in a college.

Making the Team

One of the most important aspects of assessing your college athletic options is assessing your own skills and interests. It's fun to daydream about playing football for a Big 10 school or playing in the NCAA basketball finals, but you need to give your athletic abilities a cold, hard look.

"Athletes who overrate their ability may be set up for disappointment later on," says Hannon.

Talk to your coach about what NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) division may fit your abilities and interests. You may also want to participate in a college showcase that "rates" student-athletes according to what different divisions require. The NCAA has three divisions:

• Division 1 is the most competitive, has the highest profile and offers athletic scholarships.
• Division 2 is the second tier, with an above-average level of competition, a somewhat lower profile and scholarship opportunities.
• Division 3 is made up mostly of smaller colleges, which range from division powerhouses to no-cut teams. Athletes in this division are students first, athletes second; there are no athletic scholarships (but Division 3 schools still have financial aid and academic scholarships).

Admission and athletic experts generally agree that if you are Division 1 material, you'll know it fairly quickly. In Division 1, sports are a serious business, and recruitment efforts are extensive and nationwide. If you're not being recruited by Division 1 schools, you should probably turn your attention to Division 2 or 3 schools.