Summer is right around the corner and for every prospect that is in the hunt to match his or her talent with the right college program, opportunity approaches. Summer opens up more time on the daily schedule and with that, the chance to close in on some key elements of the college search.
The average cost of a 4 year college experience has increased dramatically during the past 10 years and financial aid is becoming a hot topic in the college search for athletes. Competition for athletic scholarships is fierce and for some student-athletes and families (particularly nearly all male gymnasts and all walkons/Division III/Ivy League athletes), they also need to look at need-based financial assistance or alternative forms of grants and scholarships to help pay the freight. This article takes a simple approach in identifying key components of financial aid.
The NCAA Manual is the “go to” resource for prospects and families as they begin to build their education base in the college search. Between the Division 1, 2 and 3 manuals there is well over 1,500 pages of helpful information! The aim of this article is to direct you toward these resources, help you simplify your search and wrap your arms around recruiting terms, rules and procedures you will encounter as you navigate your personal college quest. First, let’s search for a copy of the manual! Go to www.ncaa.org. Click the “resources” tab. Under “Resources,” Click either the Division…
We are entering into our final weekend of competition, and the Race to the Regionals is heating up!  Teams are chasing one of 36 spots available in post-season competition.
As most parents know the high school years can be challenging, add to that the college recruiting process.  I know first hand as we went through it with our daughter.  Many times it is awkward for girls at this age to feel confident in putting themselves "out there" to be judged by anyone, let alone college coaches.  The temptation for the parent is to take the lead and actually write the emails and make the contacts. Whatever you do ........do not do this! It is however appropriate to encourage your daughter and help her set goals to getting recruited.  Sitting…
We're already down to the last few weeks of the season, and teams are jockeying for one of 36 spots at the Regional meet.  However, there are several meets left before the end of the season, so we're still likely to see a significant shake-up in the standings.  Here's a few observations from the action in February...
The college search for athletes is a quest, and unless you are the blue chip kid that the coaches are hovering over, you need a vehicle to drive the recruiting process in your favor. Personally, I believe the manner and how often you communicate with college coaches can make a big difference in your results.
*Link Updated*  This month, instead of an article, we're providing an MP3 podcast of a recent chat Tom Kovic and I had regarding early recruiting.  In the recording, Tom chats a little bit about the recruiting process, and how early recruiting has changed the recruiting process. You can play the audio file by clicking play below.  Or, you can download the file at this link.  (right click to "Save As") About Tom Kovic: Tom Kovic is a former Division I college gymnastics coach (Penn) and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on…

Media

Every serious gymnast who wants to compete in college can! It is just about finding the right Division and program that fits her as an athlete. So the question still remains, are you Division 1, Division 2 or Division 3? In this article I will be focusing on the athletic side of making a college decision. I have outlined several different things you can do to help you define which Division will best fit your skills and abilities. 1.  Talk with your coach: Have an honest conversation and get feedback from the people that know your skills and work ethic…
Page 13 of 18