Over the past few weeks, I have met with some very talented student athletes and discussed with them their desire to play collegiate sports. However, the most troubling part of our conversations was none of them had applied to the NCAA Clearinghouse. Worse, all of them were seniors. Lets stop right here! The first official step in the recruiting process begins by applying to the NCAA Clearinghouse. Ideally you want to register with the Clearinghouse in your junior year of high school.

The NCAA Clearinghouse registration is relatively easy and only costs $60. That’s a small investment to prevent the heartache that may follow when you find out that your son or daughter is being recruited by a Division I or II college program, and has been past over for not applying to the Clearinghouse. Your athlete may even qualify for a waiver of the fee. Registration with the Clearinghouse is a Division I and II college requirement that colleges will not look past. So don’t wait for your coach. Your coaches can’t walk every parent and every student athlete through the entire recruiting process.

Today’s parents and student athletes are going to have to do their own due diligence to find out for themselves what is required to attend and participate in athletics at a Division I or II collegiate program. You may be the most athletic student in your high school, but if you are not prepared when your recruiting season really kicks in you very well may be skipped over by that college you had your heart set on playing for. That college has moved on to the next talented athlete who had their recruiting package together. Noticed I mentioned a recruiting package. A recruiting package will get you selected. Getting noticed and being selected are two different things.

As our Recruiting 101 Series continues, we will discuss how to create a Recruiting and Scouting Campaign, or what is commonly known as your recruiting package.  For now you student athletes and parents of student athletes, please, at the completion of reading this article visit www.NCAAClearinghouse.net. The registration process is not complicated. Once you have completed the registration application, you will need to check with your high school guidance counselor to make sure all of you transcripts are sent to the Clearinghouse. The NCAA can’t approve you’re clearinghouse status until they have received all of your transcripts and SAT or ACT test results.

As you take and retake the SAT or ACT test, you can update your clearinghouse status. Division I and II member colleges can’t and will not provide scholarships to athletes who have not registered. So don’t delay, register today! Seniors, it’s not too late.