The recruitment process is different for every sport and every school. Division I schools tend to be more aggressive in their recruiting process, because scholarships are involved. However, my skills as a tennis player were useful in my acceptance to play for a Division III school.

Because Division III schools often do not aggressively seek out athletes, it is important to fill out a form for a prospective student-athlete found on their website. Division III schools, such as Amherst, Williams, and Swarthmore work on a point system. However, the amount of leeway given to an athlete depends on the school. Williams, the most athletically inclined out of the three, gives significant advantages to a top recruit and may admit someone solely for their sports skills. On the other hand, Swarthmore is far less lenient toward possible athletic recruits and will only admit someone with the average academic base for the school.

Despite these admission differences, the most important factors of recruitment are speaking to the coach and constantly competing. If a coach is thinking about recruiting a player, he must know the player’s personality and skill in the sport. A possible recruit can easily be rejected if they have a poor personality and low team spirit. Coaches do not want players who cannot work or contribute to the team. A personal coach or school coach contacting the college about a specific player may help chances of acceptance, too. Competition and rank are pivotal factors, as well. Players must constantly demonstrate their ability through matches, tournaments, and games. They have to, at the very least, match the level of the average athlete at their intended school. Even after being recruited, players are advised to continue competing.

Understandably, the recruitment process can be stressful. However, practice, patience, and persistence can only increase chances. Good luck!