I know next to nothing about how my sports skill level relates to what division of NCAA I could be recruited in. A lot of the colleges that I would love to go to have a Division 3 or a club men’s volleyball team, could anyone tell me what level I would have to be at during high school to be recruited by a division 3 school in men’s volleyball (or what year I would need to hit varsity at to be a favorable candidate for recruitment)?
It will vary by school. Look at the rosters at the schools that interest you to see where the players came (and what their accomplishments were prior to college). If you play for a club that regularly sends kids to college programs, ask your coach where you would fit. If there is an ID or development camp nearby, you could attend. Make sure you pick one that gives assessments. The latter assumes you are still a year or two away from college.
You can probably find and watch some games online. That should give you a good idea the level of play the individual players have.
Where are you playing now? Your high school or club coach should have a handle on how good you are and what level you’d be suited for. And how big are you now, and how tall are your parents? Have a talk with someone who knows the boys’ game in your area who has seen you play.
Comparing D1 and D3 isn’t really the right comparison. There can be a D3 team that plays a lot closer in skill to a pretty high D1, and there can be D3’s that are not better than high school.
You could be a low (athletic team skill) D1 and a mid D3. You could be a low D1 or a low D3. Ask your current coaches for suggestions. If there are any schools with teams in your area, go to a game and see if you play at that level. If you watch enough games, you just know.
What year you’re on varsity won’t really matter too much. Playing on a competitive club team that plays USAV bid tournaments will be your best bet for being recruited. There is a huge range of skill levels for college mens volleyball. Check out the rosters, schedules and records of the teams you’re interested in and see where you might fit in.