<p>We live in mid west. Our HS Junior wants to go to college someplace warm, larger school, solid swim program. Grades are mediocre (3.3), 100 breast at 1:07. Hasn't taken the ACT/SAT yet. She's interested in either biology with plans for vet medicine or something to do with fashion marketing (might mean a business background). We'd like her to be at a school that challenges her views. We have 5 days in April to tour but if we fly we need to buy 3 airline tickets. If we drive, we have a lot of road to cover. Any suggestions? We've looked up info on Arizona State, University of Arizona, Florida State, Fordham University(they sent a letter of interest due to her swimming) and UC San Diego. Open to any suggestions that might meet our criteria. Thanks.</p>
<p>Hi Warmweatherfan:</p>
<p>:)Please don’t be alarmed by my title. You’re starting the recruiting marathon at a good time- Junior year. </p>
<p>In an effort to help you narrow your search for potential Colleges/Universities with swim programs, here is some information which might be helpful to you…</p>
<p>From what you’ve mentioned, check out the swim TIMES at UCSD, (as well as the other schools you’ve listed) for information in regards to how fast those Teams are swimming this year? Check the individual conference championship PDF results (School/Conference information can be found on the individual websites) for top 16/top 8 championship Finals stats. If your Swimmer has TIMES in the range of some of these schools swim programs, then that’s a great early indication of possible interest from Coaches. You want to find a “solid swim program” and here in CA (from a financial standpoint) that could be anyone’s guess? I don’t know how the swim program at UCSD is looking in the foreseeable future? Have your daughter talk with the Coaches there (UCSD) and try to get a feeling for any possible concerns. With the UC and CSC systems facing $500 million dollar financial cuts this year (both systems) those of us Parents here in CA are just a bit worried. </p>
<p>Glad you have some Arizona Schools on your early list! </p>
<p>On another note…</p>
<p>Is your daughter registered with any recruiting services? Consider recruiting services such as berecruited.com to help highlight her academic and athletic accomplishments. $60.00 investment that allows use of a “letter generator” which can assist your daughter in sending pre-typed, pre-addressed emails to schools of her choosing. The letter generator alone is worth the $60.00 dollar investment. All your daughter has to do is hit the “send” button and she can forward up to 25 letters a day to the schools she wants to contact. The Berecruited.com site also can list for you and separate (by chosen selection) all individual NCAA D1, D2 & D3 and NAIA Schools registered with their website. You will be able to further consider additional schools/programs that perhaps you might have been previously unaware of. For more information as to how FAST individual college swim programs are fairing, visit collegeswimming.com, and “click” Teams then “click” fastest Times. This will allow you to see the Times (per event) that Swimmers (from your Schools of interest) have swum this year. You’ll be able to further narrow your list based on the information you review from the forementioned sites and begin to target programs that seem to offer a good “fit” for your daughter.</p>
<p>If you’ve yet to do so, register for the NCAA Eligibility Center at- [url=<a href=“http://www.eligibilitycenter.org%5DRedirecting%5B/url”>http://www.eligibilitycenter.org]Redirecting[/url</a>]. All student athletes who are recruited to participate in NCAA Division 1 & 2 programs must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to being able to receive an athletic scholarship. *NCAA Eligibility Center clearance is not required for NCAA Division 3. If NAIA Schools are on your list for consideration, your student must also consider registering with the NAIA Eligibility Center. (The NAIA Eligibility Center clearance requirement is new. As of September 2010, all NAIA student athletes participating in NAIA sponsored athletics must be registered and cleared by the NAIA Eligibility Center. This requirement is for all NAIA athletes beginning competiton in Fall 2011). </p>
<p>Complete the individual recruitment Questionnaires (found on each college’s athletic website) as soon as possible. This will place your daughter’s profile and stats in front of the coaches at the schools she’s considering. Update the information regularly, as your daughter’s stats improve or she receives additional academic or athletic awards. Are you interested in visiting Fresno State University? There is an informative article in Collegeswimming.com (a very recent article) about Head Coach Jeanne Fleck. Check the archives section of Collegeswimming.com if you’re interested in reading about Coach Fleck. </p>
<p>Your daughter will need to complete the ACT or SAT as soon as possible, and forward those results to the NCAA Eligibility Center/and or the NAIA Eligibility Center. All potential coaches interested in recruiting your daughter will want to know her test scores (as early as possible) as her GPA and test scores will give them some indication as to her academic/athletic eligibility. *Remind your daughter to follow up with each and every school that contacts her. Even if she’s not initially intested in certain schools, you never know what might develop? </p>
<p>Good luck to you and your daughter! Have a wonderful road trip, and a most successful recruiting experience.</p>
<p>Forget UCSD. Univ of Ariz has a good swim team and fits with your daughter’s grades.</p>