As the go-to source for information about the college recruiting process, we here at NCSA get a lot of questions. NCSA helps recruits manage their recruiting process, provides checklists to help student-athletes stay on track, edits highlight videos and so much more. With all the questions that our team receives, which do you think are the most common? Keep reading to find out.

Highlight and skills video are an important aspect of the recruiting process because coaches don’t always have the time or budget to travel to see recruits in person. Getting the proper footage is crucial in ensuring that your video is one that a college coach would like to watch. Coaches only watch the videos for a short amount of time, so be sure to showcase your best athletic ability. Find out if your sport requires a highlight or a skills video. For a full rundown on recruiting videos, you’ll want to read the NCSA guide to college recruiting videos.

College camps are a great way to make a positive impression on a coach. However, you don’t want to simply go to a camp because it’s in your area or because your friends will be attending. You want to attend camps that will be beneficial to your recruiting process and that you could potentially receive an offer from attending. First, consider camps at schools that you are interested in attending. Next, determine if you will be attending the camp as a “recruit” or a “camper.” The difference is that recruits receive personal invites from the college coach because the coach is seriously interested in them. Campers, on the other hand, receive a generic invitation. While campers may not be on a coach’s radar at the beginning of the camp, they can be by the end if they reach out beforehand and perform exceptionally well. It can still be beneficial to attend camp as a camper, but you should read up on the ins and outs of camps, combines and other events.

Succeeding as a walk-on athlete is no easy task, but it is possible if you take the proper steps. Unrecruited walk-ons participate in an open tryout for a chance to make the roster. In most cases, the student-athlete qualifies for admission to the school and communicates with the coach before the tryout. It is important to note that walk-ons don’t receive athletic scholarships. There are few cases when a walk-on does receive an athletic scholarship further down the line, but it is important to make sure you have figured out how you will be able to pay for your education.

Recruits need to be proactive in their recruiting process. You should always be researching colleges and communicating with coaches. Sending introductory emails with your video, following up and responding to all communication from coaches will help you stay on their radar. If it’s possible, attend college camps so that coaches can evaluate you in person. Send your schedule out to coaches who are in close proximity, as well. You’ll need to brush up on how to contact college coaches.

Student-athletes with NCSA profiles become discoverable by college coaches from across the country who are looking for athletes to fill out their rosters. Recruits need to ensure that their profiles have enough information and that it stays up-to-date so that they can generate coach views. Add key stats and measurables, upload highlight video and contact your top matched schools directly to get recruiting attention. You also want to include your GPA, standardized test scores and a high school transcript.

Athletes are 17 times more likely to receive coach views with an uploaded transcript and 12 times more likely to receive coach views with a video. A complete profile also boosts their chances of showing up in results when a coach searches NCSA for athletes based on criteria like position or key stats and measurables. Interested in giving online recruiting a try? Join the NCSA network for free today.