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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: SPRING SIGNING PERIOD
Here at NCSA, we believe in the power of recruiting education. The recruiting process has been rapidly changing over the past 10+ years, and knowing how the process works today can mean the difference between earning a scholarship and not competing in college. To help set you up for success, we’ve put together some valuable tips about the spring signing period!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SPRING SIGNING PERIOD: COMMITMENT TIMELINES COMMITMENT TIMELINES With all the publicity surrounding National Signing Day, this time of year can be the most exciting and the most stressful part of your recruiting process at the same time. For the athlete with several offers, making a final decision can be stressful if you don’t know to accurately weigh your options. For the athlete that hasn’t received an offer yet, you may feel like it’s too late. But the reality is that most athletes end up making their college decision after Signing Day! Regardless of your situation, the first thing to do moving forward is to understand when programs at each level finalize their roster. Having a timetable will give you a realistic view of when to make a college decision and it can help you decide which programs might still have opportunities available. Below is a breakdown of when each division typically finalizes their rosters by sport. *Note: There are rare cases every year where a recruit gets an opportunity late in the process.
DI
NAIA
DIII/JUCO
FOOTBALL
D1-A: Done immediately Done by April 1st 2017 after Signing Day (February 1st, 2017). DI-AA: Done by April 1st, 2017
Sign through spring ball period (April/May 2017)
Sign through spring ball period (April/May 2017) Low DIII sign through summer
SOCCER
Done immediately after Signing Day (February 1st, 2017)
Spots limited after Signing Day but sign through April 1st, 2017
Finishes throughout the spring in 2017 (varies by program)
DIII done by summer 2017. JUCO finishes throughout spring 2017
FIELD HOCKEY
Done recruiting Americans by Signing Day (February 1st, 2017). International recruits sign through summer
Sign through the beginningmiddle of spring 2017. International recruits sign through summer
No NAIA programs
DIII done by March 2017 (after NIT’s). No JUCO programs
M. WATER POLO
Done in February 2017
Top DII done in February 2017. Lower DII sign throughout spring w/ official visits into March and April 2017
Top NAIA sign in February 2017. Done by March/April Lower NAIA sign throughout 2017. Lower DIII sign spring w/ official visits into throughout summer March and April 2017
Top-Tier Academics
Mid-Tier Academics
Low-Tier Academics
Most done by Signing Day (February 1st, 2017) but there are top DI programs that recruit as late as May 2017 if the recruit can get into the school
-Done by February/ March 2017
-Done by July 2017
TRACK & XC (MORE ACADEMICALLY FOCUSED)
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DII
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: SIGNING DAY
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SPRING SIGNING PERIOD: PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS TIPS OF THE TRADE PACKAGING AID
No matter when you commit, outside the top-tier Division I programs and rare exceptions, most coaches will only have the ability to offer a partial scholarship. Between a limited recruiting budget and scholarships they need to divide amongst their entire roster, it’s very difficult to put together a great financial aid package for everyone.
Most coaches can only offer partial athletic scholarships that combine with academic and merit scholarships to get you the best aid package possible.
Depending on your sport, a 50% athletic scholarship can be uncharacteristically high. In a perfect world, every coach would love to offer everyone a full ride, but all they can do is split up their offers to the best of their ability. That’s why it’s so important to have good grades and test scores. It’s not uncommon for a coach to combine an academic scholarship with an athletic scholarship to get you the best package possible. The fact that these coaches offer partial scholarships also means they’re negotiable. If a coach is seriously interested in you, if you may not be able to afford the program or you have several offers you can leverage, a coach may be willing to give you more money. Check out our online Scholarship Negotiation class and Financial Aid resources for more info.
ACCELERATING COMMUNICATIONS WITH COACHES Whether you’re comparing your offers or still hunting for one, you need to have frequent contact with college coaches. This may mean re-evaluating which programs you target to give yourself as many opportunities as possible. Phone calls are the most personal and direct way to get in touch with them, but we encourage you to open multiple lines of communication. It’s nearly impossible for a coach to come see you compete if they haven’t already, so make sure you’re getting a copy of your video to each coach that hasn’t seen it. To make sure you reach out to coaches the right way, we strongly recommend reviewing the Coach Communications pages in your Resource Library, sign up for a Coach Communications: Upperclassmen recruiting class and review any Roster Openings to find any opportunities coaches are still looking to fill! For more detailed information on everything recruiting, from communicating with coaches to financial aid, visit the Resource Library under the Recruiting 101 tab in your RMS or contact our Recruiting Coach team (email: recruitinghelp@ncsasports.org - phone: 877-845-6272).
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: SIGNING DAY
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For more detailed information on everything recruiting, from communicating with coaches to financial aid, visit the Resource Library under the Recruiting 101 tab in your RMS or contact our Recruiting Coach team (email: recruitinghelp@ncsasports.org - Phone: 877-845-6272).