BOTN Industries actually reproduced the rules, per class and per NCAA Division, just a few posts earlier. Please consult that listing. The information provided in this answer is the rule of thumb that we always provide, but for the most accurate information, consult the earlier posts.

Thank you for that. It really was a big help.

What are the so called "dream schools" ??? What girls or boys are going to the top academic or soccer schools to play ?? Have players been able to use their soccer to get into a much better school than they could of gotten into without soccer? Or are more people lookingfor the $$ to go to a lesser school and pay less

It is an individual choice. I know some players going to schools that they would never have gotten into without soccer, but these are usually top players. Some schools will offer attendance into the school, no money, so soccer can help there but they reserve the right to hold the offer until scores and GPA are checked. Some will go for a school that will give them some soccer and some academic. The higher the school the harder the academic money. The less the academic standing the more academic money. You have to check the current rosters. Money is based on what they need. If they are losing a forward that is what they look for first. You need to check the school soccer ranking. UNC only takes national players. Check the academic status and programs each school offers. The descion should not be based on soccer and money only. Many schools offer co op programs that gives a student paid work experience in the field they are interested in. With todays economy that may be a program worth looking into. The kid has to be happy it has to fit. And hopefully your coach will help everyone on the team not just his favorites.

As a parent, I can offer that our daughter used her soccer to get into Brown University. She was a good student, but others in her high school had higher GPAs and SAT scores. Because the coach supported her in Admissions, she was one of the 4 kids from her high school accepted at Brown. I should mention that the coach did 'prequalify her before he supported her' by having her send him her HS transcripts and SAT scores. He told us that any students he recruited had to be within a 'bar' of their regular academic standards. (Ivy's do not offer athletic scholarships as some parents have asked)

She is a sophomore now and has not seen a lot of playing time from the soccer roster of 32 girls. Although she would like to play more, she understands that the most important thing is that she got into a great school through her soccer.

The best advice I can offer as a parent is to choose your school for academics and then try and use soccer as leverage if you can. My daughter has been plagued with injuries and last week, just suffered a big concussion at practice. The big question your child should ask is "If I didn't play soccer here, would I still love the school."

My daughter was recruited by Johns Hopkins, Univ. of Chicago and Brown University....all great schools and she chose those schools for academics first when contacting the soccer coaches in her HS Junior Year. Her PatriotsFC club coach (CL) was a college coach, so he knew some of the coaches and was able to put in a good word for her. Ultimately, she was recruited by Brown when the coach saw her at his summer residental camp just before she went into her senior year.

As many previous posters have said, make sure your child's academics come first. Without decent grades, the coaches would not have given her a second look. After this major concussion, we're not sure if she will continue to play. However, she loves her school and is getting a great education which is all that really matters.

Dreams schools are defined by the family and the player themselves. It is a school that brings academics, curriculum, sports, non-sports activities, location, environment, and campus culture together into a single package that convinces a young person that they want to spend the next four years of their life committed to that college or university. To some students, a Top 40 college or university is a dream; to others, a Top liberal arts college is the answer while others will see local New York options as their dream. When a student's top college choice greets him or her with an "accepted" letter, you have your dream school.

BOTN Industries discussed this a few pages back in Post #348821 :
Discussion on 2009, 2010, and 2011 Collegiate Signings

Yes.

Yes.

Excellent posting from this parent associated with Borwn University. Some comments on the lessons that can be pulled from this report.

Lesson #1 : Top schools will still require some level of academic clearance.

Lesson #2 : Ivy Leagues do not give either academic (merit) or athletic money. These schools, along with many in the upper echelons, are need-blind. In essence, many top schools have shifted academic funding over towards need-based programs.

Phil Pincince at Brown is known for keeping a rediculously large roster of players.

Lesson #3 : Be sure that you know about the roster size and what your role might be to avoid disappointing results.

For this player, the school was the goal, so the lesser playing time becomes a side issue, not the core concern.

Lesson #4 : It isn't about the time with the sports team exclusively - you need to love the whole experience, not just the sports.

Lesson #5 : A good relationship (and an honest one) with your club coach can pay dividends. A coach interested in only wins might not be the coach who will help your son or daughter at crunch time.

Lesson #6 : Attending soccer camps can provide huge value if you have already made contact with the coach to confirm that you are on their recruitment radar.

Lesson #7 : Academics, academics, academics!

Lesson #8 : The best laid soccer plans can go astray - academics will last a lifetime.

I just love this board - it is soo helpful and I hope it keeps going and going. My question is with all the div I schools out there - most of them are excellent in academics, how do you possibly chose? Also how much play time does a freshman get when they have jr and seniors that have been there 2-3 years already? Same question on Div II

1-You go visit them in your kids junior year. If they like the "feel" of the campus(my son visited 5 before settling on SUNY UB...he just felt "at home" there(& I loved the cost!). You'll see...at some point, your kid will say "This is the place for me"!

2- How much play time does a freshman get?
Answer: Not much!unless, of course, that freshman is an incredible player, OR...if they have a spot that needs to be filled, either through graduation, injury, or burn out.
BTW...burn out is a common occurence.You may want to ask the coach about that. If he's honest(so many of them are not), he'll acknowledge that it's a factor. With the pressures of academics and a rigorous training regimen, some student athletes find out that they really don't like the constant scheduling and loss of "ME time", and opt out of college soccer altogether, and focus on just academics alone..Quite often, they join a local mens club team for fun.
So once again, academics and campus life are really a deciding factor in where your kid goes.

Odd question, not much in demand, I know.

There is the rare kid who, due to economic circumstances and family situation, may not want to go to college. He/she may speak English as a 2nd language, and prefer to go overseas.

Whereas the kids here go to college, 99%, granted, til 20-21 yrs-old. But in Europe, the best players are in Academies by 18. If you get the rare kid who doesn't want school & would rather try to join a 3rd division club overseas, what to do?(Michele Grella just did that by asking that MLS didn't draft him - he's at Leeds United after a trial landed him an 18-month contract. Sure, he went to college, so he's one of the older guys to start out over there.)

Is there a procedure for the kids who wants to do this vs. maybe joining the Army at 18 or going right into the workforce?