Faq

For most student-athletes it begins during their sophomore year of high school. Many of the upper level D1 programs have a long list of sophomores and even freshman. Therefore, getting out there early and beginning to communicate with these coaches is very important. Many times a player lays the ground work with a coach before they see them play or make an offer. Ideal time to start: sophomore year. However, if you are a junior or senior and want to continue playing into college, it is not too late.

NCAA Division I & II schools, NAIA schools, and some Junior Colleges are all eligible to give athletic scholarships. NCAA Division III schools are able to give other types of scholarships and financial aid.

This all depends on whether a college coach sees you or not. There are many athletes across the country that go un-recruited because of a lack of exposure. A player's statistics are good but alone they do not determine whether you will get recruited or not. 643 Recruit, Inc., works with you to develop/create a plan that will get the exposure to your target list of schools. Knowing when and which camps to attend is crucial to having a "right time performance" and spending your money wisely.

Yes. All players need a skills video to use as their "business card" when marketing themselves to colleges. Coaches do not have the time or recruiting budget to go and see every prospect. They like to get an overview of the player first before committing the time to go and see him.

Yes. See "How to Make a Baseball Skills Video" for step by step instructions. Having someone who throws good batting practice and can hit good groundballs helps a lot. Editing the video proves to be the harder part. Picking the right swings, pitches, grounders and angles along with editing out the wasted time is very important to capturing a coach's attention.

No, but it is advised. College coaches do the bulk of their recruiting in the summer and fall. Having a recruiting plan to get exposure to them at that time, whether through games or camps, is essential.

Yes. Choose your events wisely based off of your target list of schools. Do your homework on each event and be prepared to perform at your best. First impressions are super important.

No but every day that goes by the opportunities become less. Some schools recruit hard earlier and some wait longer before getting commitments. November is the early signing date for the National Letter of Intent and April is the late signing date. There are more options than you realize once you get started.

Never cross a school off your list or do not respond to them because you see a high tuition fee. There are several steps you have to take before getting to the net cost. Find out your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), send in your Free Application for Federal Student Aid and ask the coach about scholarship money that might be available to you.

Honestly assess your athletic talent–You can start by asking your coach for his opinion. When you research college programs that interest you see where your talent fits in. Camps, showcases and combines can also give you invaluable insight into where you stack up.

Players can make one official paid visit to no more than five NCAA institutions. Players may make an unlimited number of unofficial (unpaid) visits. Official visits may only be made during the player’s senior year. Unofficial visits may be made anytime.

This is simply a verbal agreement between the student-athlete and the school. This is not a binding agreement. The student-athlete or the school may change their position. Nothing is signed until your senior year when the National Letter of Intent (NLI) takes place. Once you sign the NLI it becomes a binding agreement with the institution for one academic year.

Division I baseball schools are allowed a maximum of 11.7, Division II schools have 9.0 full scholarships. These are usually split between 25 players, with the highest percentage going to pitchers, then catchers and shortstops. Anything over 50% is a great offer and remember, they can increase their scholarship offer, which frequently happens if the player gets drafted high in the amateur draft.

Most high school coaches will do extra work to help their players move on to the collegiate level. Some coaches will even do a lot, but some none at all. Keep in mind that it is not your high school coach's job to get you recruited or spend extra time working off the field with you. Your relationship with your coach is very important in this process. A college coach will almost always call a coach of yours to do a background check. If your high school coach is involved and helping you, consider that a huge bonus and be sure to work closely with them. If your high school coach is not involved, set up a meeting with him to discuss your drive and determination to play college athletics and ask for any help or advice he can give. He may be more responsive than you think and begin to do more on your behalf. Recruiting help is always appreciated, but you should always take the lead in your own recruiting.

YOU and only you. You can get assistance from your parents, coaches and recruiting services, but ultimately you are the only person who can make your dream of playing college sports come true.