Why should I enroll in CollegeSoccer.US?

CollegeSoccer.US offers personalized guidance as you navigate the athletic, academic and financial parameters in choosing the right college. It is our goal to assist the families of soccer players throughout the college soccer recruitment process so that the players may be successfully recruited to play college soccer. Not only does CollegeSoccer.US connect you to the many colleges and universities available to you, but we also advise on the national academic ranking as well both the regional and national ranking of the school and league.

Why should I enroll in CollegeSoccer.US? My coach will help me get recruited.

Every coach does indeed have the intention of helping all their players get recruited, it reflects well on their school/ club too. But, helping you get recruited and getting you recruited are worlds apart. Most colleges look for a specific position to be filled. Recruiting has become a very competitive business, and each year thousands of quality athletes do not receive offers. Your coach's job is to assist in evaluating your skills, work ethics, potential, etc. and when and if a college becomes interested in you provide them with the information they request.  CollegeSoccer.US is many ways an assistant to your club coach with personal contacts to 100's of colleges across the country because of all the former college players & coaches on our staff.

Does CollegeSoccer.US offer free evaluation interviews?

Yes, enrolled members of college soccer receive an evaluation of the soccer prowess and academic ability against the soccer level and ranking and academic rigor and ranking of the college they would like to play for.

What are my chances of playing college soccer?

Only a small percentage of high school soccer players play competitive college soccer. If you want to play college soccer, you MUST research on teams that interest you. See how you line up with their current players and don’t hesitate to contact the coach to see if he is interested in a player with your talents and skills.

How good am I and where can I compete?

Honestly assess your soccer talent–You can start by asking your coach for his/her opinion. When you research college programs that interest you see where your talent fits in. Camps and showcases can also give you invaluable insight into where you stack up. CollegeSoccer.US will help you with this.

How do I know if I will play?

Look for the best fit for you. A great question to ask yourself is, “Would I consider attending this school even if I’m not going to play sports?”Does the college have the academic majors and social features that are suited to you? What are the graduation rates for student-athletes and in what sports? Do you want to live at home, close to home, or be as far away from home as possible?What size school do you want to attend? Are you willing to go to a college affiliated with a religious denomination that is not your own?You will want to start a list of things that are important to you in a college and revise the list as you refine your search.During the recruiting process ask the coach if you are being recruited for a starting position or to add depth to the team. Ask about the soccer player that currently holds that position, how you stack up against them and what year they are in school. Coaches often have a good idea of what positions are set for the following year. Always keep in mind that your primary goal is a quality college education. CollegeSoccer.US provides you with additional academic information on your college choices.

When am I allowed to contact college coaches?

According to eligibility rules you are allowed to contact college coaches at any time. It is against the rules for a coach to contact you at certain times but if you initiate the conversation or contact they can reply. Make sure that when you make contact you have something noteworthy to tell them or have well thought-out questions to ask–you don’t want to be known as the recruit who wastes their time.

What is an unofficial visit?

An unofficial visit is a visit that you take to a college campus at your own expense. Un-official visits can be taken at anytime and as many times as you would like. While on an unofficial visit the athletic department is allowed to give you up to 3 tickets to a sporting event, but no other perks or gifts.

What is an official visit?

An official visit is a visit that you make to a college paid for by the team or athletic department. The school is able to pay for transportation, lodging, meals and reasonable entertainment for the recruit while they are on their visit. The visit may be up to 48 hours long. Official visits can only be taken in an athlete’s senior year and each recruit can take five.

When should I start the recruiting process?

A good rule of thumb is to start your freshman year of high school. Successful college soccer players typically have a strong strategy by the start of their junior year.

How important are grades and test scores?

Getting good grades and having good test scores is just as important as having good statistics in your sport. A coach can only recruit you if you are academically eligible to compete at that specific school. Not only do you have to qualify for the academic requirements of the NCAA but you will want to make sure you know what the academic requirements are for the school you are interested in attending. CollegeSoccer.us helps in assessing your soccer prowess and academic ability in comparison to the colleges you are interested in attending. A coach still has to answer to the College or University and NCAA on the GPA and graduation rates of their athletes. Most coaches won’t gamble on a student-athlete who hasn’t demonstrated he/she can handle the academic responsibilities of the school. Remember it’s called Student-Athlete. You need to perform in both.

Does my athletic scholarship cover my entire time in school?

An athletic scholarship is a contract that must be signed and agreed upon every year by both the coach and the athlete. This means your scholarship is year-to-year. Every year you will have to earn a renewal of your scholarship by proving yourself as an asset to the team on the field and in the classroom.

Will I still need to pay for school if I have a scholarship?

Now is the time to start your research on college finances. You certainly want the best deal for yourself and the least amount of debt possible when you graduate. Text books alone can cost more than $1,000 a year. Many athletic programs will not offer you a full-ride scholarship but rather a partial athletic scholarship, which means you will have to come up with the additional funding. Information about applying for additional federal aid (FAFSA). Most colleges and universities have on campus employment opportunities in their athletics department, so be sure to ask about such opportunities

What kinds of schools can offer athletic scholarships?

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 other than athletic scholarships.

Can I afford a DIII college?

Many DIII colleges provide substantial financial aid. This process can be intricate and CollegeSoccer.US has enormous experience in this field and provide you step-by-step guidance and helps you understand why your financial aid needs are being treated differently from college to college.

Can you still play college soccer without getting an athletic scholarship?

Absolutely. Scholarship athletes are student-athletes who are invited to be on a team. There are, however, more spots on the team than allowed scholarships. Students who try out and make a collegiate athletic team are called walk-ons.

If you are looking to walk on to a team make sure you contact the coach to find out if there are available spots, when try-outs are, and what they are looking for in their athletes.

College coaches typically send out a workout routine to their new players the summer before the season starts, so be sure to stay in shape so as to be at par with the rest of the soccer players during preseason.

Can my High School or Club Coach help me get recruited?

You should always involve your coaches in your recruiting process. College coaches value the recommendation of other coaches. But don’t rely on others to do your recruiting for you. You alone should be heading up your recruiting process. If your coaches want to get involved you should ask them for letters of recommendation or–if they are willing–to be listed as references on your resume. Recruiting help is always appreciated, but you should always take the lead in your own recruiting. CollegeSoccer.US provides personalized advice on what role your current coach should play in your recruitment process.

How important is timing when I’m trying to get recruited?

Timing is everything. Coaches recruit based on what they need to complete their team. If you play a position or do an event that the team is currently strong in chances are they will not need to recruit you. When looking at programs you will want to research their current roster to see what their depth chart is relative to your talents.

How early can I give a verbal agreement?

You can give a verbal agreement at any time in the recruiting process. This verbal agreement is telling a coach that you intend on joining their program. You should keep in mind that a verbal agreement is not binding if there is a coaching change or if you have a career ending injury a school does not have to offer a scholarship. Even though a verbal agreement is not binding student athletes that brake verbal agreements are not looked favorably upon. Once the signing date for college soccer approaches you will sign a NLI with the school that will make the scholarship agreement binding and official.

As for DIII, the verbal commitment will hold until you got accepted into a college and you have signed the acceptance letter.

Where can I find the recruiting rules and regulations?

Recruiting rules change every year. Check with the NCAA to make sure you have the most accurate information. You should also be able to review the rules in the compliance department of the athletic department that you are interested in. Make sure you review all the rules while you are in the recruiting process. Don’t make yourself ineligible because you didn’t know the rules. Due to our personalized service, CollegeSoccer.US will always alert you to such changes.

I am getting letters from schools and coaches. Am I going to get a scholarship?

Unless you are getting phone calls or hand-written letters from coaches, chances are you are not being actively recruited. Coaches and colleges send out thousands of recruiting letters in order to get student-athletes to respond with information about themselves. If you receive a letter from a school that interests you fill out their questionnaire so the coaches can learn more about you. There is no substitute for being proactive. If there is a program you are interested in you should contact the coach.