The SAT and ACT are the two standardized tests that most American colleges and universities require as part of the application for admission. Most universities ask for one or the other and the student can choose the exam he/she likes the most or take both to see in which one he/she gets better results. These exams can be taken at any time, but students usually take them in the 4th year of E.S.O or 1st year of baccalaureate. The tests can be repeated as many times as you wish until the desired result is obtained.
Create a list of the 20-30 universities you are most interested in and initiate contact with coaches from the universities themselves. Later on, look for a scholarship depending on the universities they have answered, the price they offer and how well the student fits in that university.
Core Courses are an NCAA requirement as part of DI (Division I) and DII (Division II) eligibility. To be eligible to participate and receive athletic scholarships, students must take and pass a minimum of 16 core courses, covering English, math, science, social studies, a foreign language and religion or philosophy.
D – Division levels (NCAA division levels)
The NCAA is divided into three levels of divisions: Division I (first), Division II (second) and Division III (third). All athletes should be open to all divisions since each division has different offers that the athlete might be interested in, including level of competition, amount of scholarship, size of campus, and academic level of college.
E – Eligible
A person who meets all academic and athletic requirements to compete in college sports in the United States.
F – Fall/Spring Semesters
American universities have two admissions periods, Fall and Spring semesters. Fall starts in August and ends in December, while Spring starts in January and ends in May.
G – GPA (Grade Point Average)
The GPA is the average of numerical scores that measures a student’s academic performance. It is of great importance, because it is often an excluding factor for admission to certain universities.
H – Highlight and skill videos
A video showing your skills is crucial to the process. It is an opportunity for coaches to see your abilities as an athlete. The video will depend on your sport, but sometimes a good video can make all the difference in getting the desired attention from important coaches.
I – Intro email (introductory email)
The Intro Email introduces a few key statistics that may be of interest to coaches. This email includes contact information for current coaches and explains to college coaches why the athlete is interested in that college. It also links to your MAEducation profile and highlight video.
J – Junior college (Junior colleges)
Junior colleges offer a two-year associate degree and many may offer athletic scholarships. For many athletes, Junior College is an opportunity to improve and grow as an athlete while discovering different careers they would like to pursue. These types of universities are less expensive, so they are of interest to those looking for less expensive university options.
K – Key stats
Bringing your key statistics to light is extremely important. These statistics let coaches know if you are a good fit for their college both athletically and academically through your GPA and standardized tests.
L – Letter of intent (Compliance agreement)
The Letter of Intent (LOI) or National Letter of Intent (NLOI) is a compliance agreement between an athlete and a university, where the athlete agrees to attend that university for one year and the university agrees to provide athletic financial aid for one year.
M – Media mentions
Getting mentions in the newspaper is great but college coaches may not see them. A good way to get coaches to see local media mentions is to mail it to the coaches.
N – NCAA
The NCAA (National College Athletic Association) is the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which organizes most college sports programs in the USA.
O – Official visit
Any visit to a university campus where part of the visit is funded by the university is considered an official visit. You can begin making official visits after you start your first day of your senior year of high school. However, for some sports, there is a period of time at the end of the junior year in which the athlete can make an official visit.
P – Personalized recruiting materials
Customized recruitment letters vary significantly. Some are simple messages with the athlete’s name inserted in some places, indicating that you have been recruited by a coach. However, if the letter you receive is handwritten and includes personalized graphics, it is a clear sign that you are a valuable recruit.
Q – Questionnaires (Questionnaires)
Many college teams have online forms where prospective students can request information that is then sent to coaches. These questionnaires serve as a way to show interest in the program and get the coach to put you on his recruiting list.
R – Recruiting calendars
The NCAA Recruiting Calendars show the dates when coaches can begin signing athletes. The calendars are made up of four distinct periods; evaluation periods, silent periods, contact periods and dead periods. The type of recruitment activity depends on each type of period.
S – Showcases/Camps/Combines (Events)
These events are a great way to get college coaches to hear your name. Normally coaches do not discover athletes at these events but it is a way for coaches to evaluate you in person. It is important to make sure the trainer knows who you are before attending these events.
T – TOEFL
The Toefl is a standardized test of English language proficiency, specifically geared to non-native speakers of English. As a standard, this test is accepted by many English-speaking academic institutions around the world.
U – Unofficial visit (unofficial visit)
Any visit to a college campus that is paid for by the student’s family is considered an unofficial visit. Unofficial visits can be made at any age and several times a year.
V – Verbal commitment
A verbal commitment is a verbal agreement between you and the coach saying that you will attend that college. The offer does not become official until you sign the National Letter of Intent.
W – Walk-on
Walk-ons are student-athletes who are not offered academic scholarships. There are three different types; preferred walk-ons, recruited walk-ons and non-recruited walk-ons. It is important to talk to the trainer to find out what group you would be in.
X – Realistic eXpectations
To maximize your opportunities and target the right programs you must know what level you are at. You should talk to your coaches and consultants to determine what level of college athletics you are at.
Y – Your choice
At MAE we help you find the best option for you, adapting to your needs. We guide you and facilitate the process but at the end of the day, the decision is yours.
Z – Zero unanswered emails
It is important to reply to each and every email sent to you by college coaches. Even if you are not interested in a college at the moment, it is important to take advantage of every opportunity, as you may become interested in it in the future.Do you have any doubts? Email it to us at info@maeducationusa.com and we’ll get in touch. very soon!
