When does contact occur between a coach and my parents or me?
Contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with you or your parents off the college's campus and says more than hello. Contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing.

What is an evaluation?
An evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate your academic or athletics ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you practice or compete.

What is considered an official visit?
Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college. The college may pay the following expenses:

• Your transportation to and from the college;
• Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and
• Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest.

Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you will have to provide the college your SAT, ACT or PLAN score and register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

When do I become a prospective student-athlete?
You become a “prospective student-athlete” when:

• You start ninth-grade classes; or
• Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your relatives or your friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide to students generally.

What is considered an unofficial visit?
Any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like and may take those visits at any time. The only time you cannot take an unofficial visit is during a dead period.

What is a verbal commitment?
This phrase is used to describe a college-bound student-athlete's commitment to a school before he or she signs (or is able to sign) a National Letter of Intent. A college-bound student-athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal commitments have become very popular for both college-bound student-athletes and coaches, this "commitment" is NOT binding on either the college-bound student-athlete or the school. Only the signing of the National Letter of Intent accompanied by a financial aid agreement is binding on both parties.

What kinds of policies does the NCAA have regarding the recruitment of college-bound student-athletes?
The NCAA has policies governing the recruitment of college-bound student-athletes. The rules specify when and how coaches can contact you and send you materials and when you can visit campus. The rules differ depending on which sport you play.

Who administers the NLI program and what is an NLI?
The NCAA Eligibility Center administers the National Letter of Intent program. The National Letter of Intent is a contract between a college or university and a prospect that requires the prospect to attend the college or university for one academic year and the college or university to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year. This is a legal document and should be read carefully before signing.

What is some information on financial aid?
Athletics grants-in-aid are awarded by individual colleges or universities on a one-year, renewable basis. They may be renewed for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Aid can be renewed, canceled or reduced at the end of each year. If your aid is reduced or canceled, your college or university must provide you with an opportunity to appeal.

Grants-in-aid are awarded in a variety of amounts, ranging from full packages (including tuition, fees, room, board and books) to smaller packages known as equivalencies. Most athletically related financial aid in Division II is provided as equivalencies. All financial aid from any source must be reported to your college financial aid office. The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team can award may be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete can accept aid from other sources.

Athletics financial aid can be a tremendous benefit to most families, but some costs are not covered by the scholarship (for example, travel between home and school).