Don’t Forget to Fill Out (and Update) Recruiting Questionnaires

By Next College Student Athlete, 08/02/18, 12:00PM PDT

Completing the questionnaire is an important first step that cannot be ignored

“If you haven’t filled out our questionnaire, you’re not on our radar.”

Filling out a recruiting questionnaire, let’s face it, is not the most exciting part of the recruiting process. However, the recruiting questionnaire is, without a doubt, an important first step that cannot be ignored.

QUESTIONNAIRES GET YOU ON THE RADAR

How important? Renee Barrows, an NCSA colleague and former head softball coach at Keystone College (not to mention a distinguished college player in her own right), tells us what coaches have shared with her is that, “If you haven’t filled out our questionnaire, you’re not on our radar.”

What information will you be you expected to share? It varies somewhat by sport, but generally, you will be asked to provide:

Personal and family/guardian information
A connection — if any — to the institution
Measurables such as height and weight
GPA and SAT/ACT scores
A link to a video/online profile
NCAA ID number/Eligibility Center certification (Division I or Division II)
Sports played in high school or prep school and position
Senior and career statistics (Team captain? Championship teams? Honors?)
Links to your social media

Insider Tip: It only takes one tweet or one video to derail your recruiting plans. Be sure there is no unsuitable content on your social media accounts. The internet is full of teachable moments about recruits who have had scholarship offers pulled.

KEEP UPDATING YOUR QUESTIONNAIRES

When a questionnaire is completed, that information is put into the coach’s database, which is then used to rate student-athletes, organize students they will evaluate at upcoming events, track top recruits, communicate upcoming camp information and much more.

“Without that questionnaire, they’re not putting you on those lists,” Barrows cautions.

But just because you have filled out the questionnaire doesn’t mean you are done. Make sure your questionnaire continues to work for you throughout the process.

For example, if you fill out a questionnaire your freshman year (the earlier the better, I recommend) your academic and athletic stats will change. It’s good to update any time there is new information worth sharing.

You should also revisit your questionnaire if there has been a coaching change at your target school. Part of the coach’s role is managing the recruiting database, and a new hire may want to change the form or start fresh. It’s good to reconnect and let the new coach know of your interest in the program and direct him or her to your questionnaire, or perhaps fill it out again.

DON’T IGNORE OR DELAY FILLING THEM OUT

The benefits of filling out a recruiting questionnaire far outweigh any hassles of having to fill one out. Remember, if you don’t you are just putting yourself steps behind – especially if a coach reaches out and has invited you to complete the questionnaire. Putting it off or not doing it at all sends a signal that you are not interested in the program.

Insider Tip: Recruit Spot is a time-saving platform created by Front Rush that allows you to enter all of the info needed in recruiting questionnaires. It then fills out any of the more than 8,000 questionnaires integrated with Recruit Spot with a single click. As you go through the process, you can access and update your questionnaire at any time.

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