<p>Jumper is wrong. It totally depends on the school. The Amherst coach told us he had 4 “slots” for his team, and that he wouldn’t give one to our son, but he would give him a “tip”,; the “slot” is a guarantee, and the “tip” is a little push for the qualified. It varies hugely by school and sport, but it absolutely exists. Read other posts as suggested by prior posters.</p>