Athletic Recruiting

By Chris, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor and Former Associate Dean of Admission at Wesleyan University So, you’re a high-level athlete who wants to compete collegiately. You’ve committed time, effort, and energy to being the best athlete you can be, competing for your high school team, your club team, working on speed and agility, lifting weights, and developing your skill set. You’ve made an investment in something you love and want to continue at a high level, and it’s time to leverage that in the college search.

COVID-19 has changed many components of the college application process and athletic recruitment is no exception. With many high school sports programs on hold, it can be particularly difficult for students to navigate recruitment season. Although the process may look slightly different than it has in years past, student athletes can set themselves apart by doing their research and staying on top of their to-do lists.

Many high school athletes dream of continuing to play their sport at the collegiate level, whether it’s at a Division I, II, or III school. From football and basketball to swimming, baseball, softball, and more, there are a number of sports in which student athletes can be recruited to play at the next level, but it’s important for students to understand the basics of the athletic recruiting process before deciding if it’s an avenue they want to pursue. Just as it is in the typical college search process, recruitment is a two-way street.

Just like playing slots in a casino where the outcome is not something you can predict with any degree of certainty, so, too, is the game of collegiate athletic recruitment. In light of the recent Operation Varsity Blues scandal, the college admissions process and particularly athletic recruitment practices have come under heavy scrutiny, but the process is actually much more complicated and selective than many believe. Here’s a look at what really goes into being recruited as an athlete at the Division I level.

As a Master College Admissions Counselor at IvyWise, Nat is excited to help students reach their goals and get into their best-fit schools. He previously served as an Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at his alma mater, Skidmore College, and was the Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at New York University and, most recently, at the hyper-selective NYU Abu Dhabi. We asked Nat some questions about his education and admissions history, and we put him on the spot with some of last year's college application questions.

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