Transferring from one Ivy to another!

Athletic Recruits
1

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>Let's say Bob, a top swimming recruit his senior year who committed to Ivy School X, finds himself dissatisfied with X after being there for a couple weeks. The team doesn't feel too warm, the coach is being weird, the vibe just isn't what he thought it would be. Bob is starting to consider transferring to another Ivy League school. </p>

<p>Bob remains a highly valuable prospect for any Ivy League program. He was on a recruit trip at Ivy School Y his senior year, and is now beginning to think he'd rather be there. Bob knows he has to stay at X for at least the remainder of freshman year. </p>

<p>In a situation like this, what would the athletic transfer process look like for Bob, who wants to transfer to School Y after his first year at School X? When does Bob begin contacting coaches about his interest, considering transfer deadlines are in March? How different is the process for transfers in comparison to incoming freshmen?</p>

<p>Thank you for any information!</p>

2

<p>I think this is a tricky question. There are the NCAA rules on transfers, and there are the Ivy rules on transfers. The best person to ask is the compliance officer at the current school. In the meantime, I think that the person in question should not swim for the current school in competition to preserve eligibility.</p>

<p>There are some random bits of info in my head – like sitting out a semester or a season, needing a ‘release’ from the current coach, things like that. You might be able to find the rules online – and I would certainly spend an hour or so googling. But definitely look at the Ivy rules as well as the NCAA rules on transfers – and then ask the compliance officer. You don’t want to mess this up.</p>

3

<p>Might you want to have an intermediary (former coach?) inquire on your behalf with coach at School Y? That might help to determine the level of interest, possibility of support, and just how such a change would work.</p>

4

<p>cnp55 said…“There are the NCAA rules on transfers, and there are the Ivy rules on transfers. The best person to ask is the compliance officer at the current school. In the meantime, I think that the person in question should not swim for the current school in competition to preserve eligibility.”</p>

<p>Agree 100% with cnp55, unless this is due to freshmen uncertainty their first month. All D1 athletes go from the little pond to the big pond. Bob needs to adjust to his new team, surroundings and role for the team he selected. THere are stiff eligibility penalties if he is not able to do so according to NCAA D1 Transfer Guidelines. The other challenge is Ivy rules around transfer, and finding an Ivy that allows for transfers. I know some Ivys will not allow a transfer until junior year (at least for baseball). </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

5

<p>I want to emphasize Fenway’s remark about freshman uncertainty. A month into school is WAY to early to be second guessing yourself about your choice. Mentally making a decision to transfer is only going to make your current situation more ambiguous. College is a big transition and it takes longer for some kids than for others. Instead of spending your time thinking about School Y and what might have been, make sure you are doing all you can at School X to get to know your hallmates, teammates, and work hard at your academics. I guarantee that if you really make that kind of effort, you will feel differently at the end of your freshman year.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the quick and detailed responses, guys! Remember, this is purely hypothetical. I am just curious of how the process works, if a student such as Bob decided he wanted to transfer.</p>

<p>I’d appreciate if you would also help me interpret something. Below, I have found a section of NCAA and Ivy League-compliant information regarding a transfer from X to Y.</p>

<hr>

<p>The decision to transfer from X to another institution is a matter that requires very careful thought. If your consideration of transfer to another institution is unrelated to athletic participation, i.e., you have no interest in investigating athletic opportunities at the other institution, you may proceed with your investigation of such opportunities without involving or informing any member of the X Athletic staff.</p>

<p>However, if you wish to investigate athletic opportunities at another institution, then under NCAA regulations you are required to have written permission. You should request this permission prior to making efforts to contact athletic representatives from another institution.</p>

<p>It is important for you to understand if you or your parents make contact with another institution’s athletic representatives, NCAA rules obligate athletic representatives at that institution to inform X Athletics and request permission to speak with you prior to having any discussions regarding your participation in one of their intercollegiate programs.*The new school must receive written permission from Xs Director of Athletics (or designee) in order to have discussions with you.</p>

<p>Processing Request for Permission to Contact</p>

<p>Requests for permission to contact athletic representatives at another institution are approved in accordance with the following:</p>

<p>Request Initiated by Enrolled X Student</p>

<ol>
<li>The X Athletics Compliance office has confirmation that the student‐athlete’s head coach is knowledgeable of the student‐athlete’s desire to investigate transfer and athletic participation opportunities at another institution.</li>
</ol>

<ul>
<li><p>You are encouraged to meet with your program’s head coach to inform him or her of your desire to investigate intercollegiate opportunities at another institution, that is, to have discussions with the coaching staffs of other institutions.</p></li>
<li><p>If you prefer not to have such a discussion with your program’s head coach or another member of the coaching staff, the Compliance office will inform your head coach of your request for permission to contact another institution prior to sending permission to the requested institution.</p></li>
</ul>

<ol>
<li><p>Student‐athlete submits names of schools to receive contact permission.</p></li>
<li><p>Upon satisfaction of the first two criteria, the compliance coordinator will prepare and send requested permission to contact authorization via email to the institution’s compliance officer or athletics director. As the student‐athlete, you are to be copied on all such communications, as will your X head coach.</p></li>
</ol>

<hr>

<p>So, knowing that there must be written and official permission to contact Ivy School Y, when exactly would be the time to start the transfer process? In other words, is Bob allowed to start swimming this year, and decide towards the end of the season (in January) that he wants to transfer? Is it possible to be “too late?” Is this something that should already begin now, before the official winter season begins?</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

7

<p>Without athletics you can transfer anywhere, anytime as long as the school accepts transfers.</p>

<p>With NCCA athletic transfers, you are subect to NCCA guidelines and considered a 4-2-4 transfer… Page 19. First you are subject to NCAA guidelines and then Ivy guidelines. If Bob has practiced with the team then he may have to sit out a year unless an exception is allowed. So he would not be eligible to participate in an event (he can practice) until he is a junior by a strict interpretation fo the rule. I would suggest Bob call both the NCCA and Ivy office to determine specific guidance.</p>

<p>[NCAA</a> Publications - NCAA Transfer Guide - 2010-11](<a href=“http://www.ncaapublications.com/p-4200-ncaa-transfer-guide-2010-11.aspx]NCAA”>NCAA Publications - NCAA Transfer Guide - 2010-11)</p>

8

<p>Edit above ^^^^ 4-4 transfer not 4-2-4. One year academic in-residence would be required for qualifiers.</p>