<p>I just posted this in the specialty admissions but thought I might get a few btdt responses here.</p>
<p>A friend's son, a soccer recruit at a D2 school, is not happy with the situation at his school and wants to transfer. He was in the top 300 for his position, and his goal is a D1 school. He's a Ca. resident and would like to apply to several schools in Ca., both private and state, as well as one or two others.</p>
<p>I see that Cal State schools say they don't take transfers with less than 60 credits. Is he totally out of luck there? What about UCs? The deadlines are coming.</p>
<p>He knows he needs a release from his coach and he's willing to come back home and go to the local CC if need be.</p>
<p>If anyone has gone through this or has experience, please share.</p>
<p>He should not count on sophomore level transfer (although it can happen) and make backup plans to go to CC and try again for junior level transfer if UC (or CSU) is his goal.</p>
<p>Note that, for sophomore level transfer, high school record is still relevant.</p>
<p>Of course, athletic recruiting may change things.</p>
<p>NCAA D1 schools in California include:</p>
<p>UCs: B, D, I, LA, R, SB
CSUs: SLO, B, FRES, FULL, LB, N, SAC, SD, SJ
Private: LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine, St. Mary’s, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, USC, Stanford</p>
<p>If the schools are athletically recruiting him, then the normal rules on transfer admissions may not be as firm as they would be otherwise (of course, there are also NCAA rules to consider).</p>
<p>What is the student unhappy with at his current school? Nobody can really give him advice unless thy know what problem they are trying to solve.</p>
<p>The head coach is the problem. The team was winning at the beginning of the season but them lost a bunch of games at the end, and the coach stopped having mandatory practices. The kids were left to work out on their own. This is a kid who is a highly disciplined athlete and is used to being on a top team with intense workouts all year round. Off the field, the coach is nice, but this student wants to be a professional soccer player and needs the intense workouts with teammates. Student was recruited by assistant coach.</p>
<p>Many athletes transfer after or during their freshman years. My understanding is that they would be on scholarship (assuming they would be anyway, but that’s less likely for soccer) but they might have to sit out for a year. Other coaches should have answers and experience with this – although remember that the student can’t talk to them until they’ve gotten the release.</p>
<p>If the player is unhappy with the head coach he should wait and see what happens to the coach. The coach may very well be let go. The lack of intense workouts is not a product of D1 vs D2. My son plays D3 football and they have a very intense workout schedule. It sounds like an individual issue with the coach. Just like when a student is initially recruited he should cast a wide net when looking for a transfer school.</p>
<p>The student should contact the NCAA and find out what the NCAA’s rules are regarding transfers so he does not do anything to mess up his eligibility. Individual coaches may have ways to get around the regular university transfer policies but the student needs to make sure he takes care of his own eligibility.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, eireann and proudpatriot. </p>
<p>The coach is in the second year of a three year contract, so nothing would change for at least a year. Student is meeting with athletic director and coach this coming week and will ask for his release then. He heard of one student being refused a release so he’s a little worried about that.</p>
<p>I did encourage his mom to have him look into the NCAA rules. There’s definitely one school that needs his position next year, so they’re eagerly awaiting his release so they can talk to him.</p>
<p>At any rate, the mom is encouraging him to apply to his schools this weekend, or at least the Cal State and UC schools with deadlines.</p>
<p>Well coaches with a contract can still be fired. You never know. </p>
<p>The student should look into whether there are procedures for a student forcing a release if the school will not give him one. I know that when my son played youth football many clubs did not want to give unhappy players a release and there was a league policy where parents could get a release from the league. I realize college is different but there may be a way to petition the NCAA to give the student a release if the school will not do so. </p>
<p>I wish him luck. I always feel bad when players are held hostage by people who can give a release but won’t.</p>