Do Preferred Walk-Ons Get Help With Admissions?
If you are planning on becoming a preferred walk-on or are interested in the possibility, you may be wondering if college coaches can help with admissions. You may have heard that some coaches have helped athletes get accepted into a school but are unsure if that is the case for preferred walk-ons. So, can preferred walk-ons get help with admissions?
Yes, preferred walk-ons can get help with admissions, but depends on the sport. In general, it is unlikely that a coach will recruit a preferred walk-on with an academic profile that will need their help. It is important to know that this is not a universal thing for all programs. Coaches and universities reserve the right to not assist an athlete with admissions and may only be able to assist a certain number of athletes.
Universities and college programs can assist student-athletes with admissions and it does not matter if the athlete is a preferred walk-on or a scholarship athlete. Depending on the academic caliber of the university and the policies in place, coaches can decide whether or not they want to assist preferred walk-ons with admissions.
How Can Coaches Help With Admissions?
Many universities and athletic departments give coaches a certain amount of assistance that they can provide for incoming athletes.
Preferential Admission: Any time a school allows for an applicant to be flagged as a priority for admission, is known as a preferential admittance. These can take many forms but are often allowed for students whose families have attended a school for many generations or for athletes who are a priority for the athletic department.
It’s Not A Free Pass: Even if a coach is allowed to flag an athlete as a priority for admissions, it isn’t a free pass to admit any student they want.
Grades And Scores Still Matter: If the coach has voiced that you are getting help with admissions, your academics still matter. Schools will allow for your academics to be below the standards for the general student population, but only to a point. They still expect the recruit’s grades to be within a reasonable range of their overall average GPA and SAT/ACT. Admissions departments want to ensure all students can succeed academically at their institutions - even athletes.
Limited Amount: Coaches are typically limited in the number of athletes they can flag for admissions. For this reason, coaches like to recruit athletes with good academic profiles. If a coach needs to step in during the admissions process it is because the recruit’s academics are below the standard of the general population of the school. Coaches usually only do this for the most talented of athletes.
Coaches can help their athletes through the admissions process, but as a preferred walk-on, do yourself a favor and have an academic profile that will easily be admitted at your target schools.
What Happens If A Coach Cannot Help With Admissions?
If a coach cannot help you with admissions, it means you have to get accepted on your own. This is often the case with universities who are of high academic caliber. Due to the university's policies, coaches’ ability to help with admissions will be limited.
Coaches Still Value You: If a coach has offered you a spot on the team, this means they want you and highly value your athletic ability. Even if they cannot help you with admissions, know that this is the case for many athletes and you should not let this scare you away.
Coaches Still Want To Help: As a preferred walk-on, the coach has personally recruited you and wants to help in any way possible. This means they will often connect you with the best people and resources so that you have a great chance to get accepted.
Time To Put In Some Work: If the only thing that is holding you back from being a collegiate athlete is your grades or ACT/SAT scores, you should be doing everything you can to change that. If you have poor grades then you should be focusing on getting a high ACT/SAT score and vice versa. This is the moment to do everything in your power to make sure you can get into the school.
Be Aware Of The Academic Rigor: Universities that are considered to be “academic powerhouses” give athletic departments very little power, if any, in swaying admissions. You should be aware of this before you accept an offer from one of these programs so you know if it’s realistic for you to be admitted to that school.
Coaches who cannot provide admission assistance either are not allowed to give it or have exhausted all their given resources for other athletes who need it.
What Do Coaches Want To See In My Academics?
As a preferred walk-on, coaches want to see that you have good academics. When a coach does not have to worry about your potential acceptance into their school, they will view you positively as a recruit and your academics may even put you ahead of other recruits on their list. Here are what coaches look for when it comes to academics.
Solid ACT/SAT And GPA: While this may seem like an obvious one, depending on the school and the academic rigor, admission offices place a lot of emphasis on these numbers. Do your research on the school so you know what the average ACT/SAT and GPA of the student population is so you know what to aim for.
Extracurriculars: Coaches and admissions departments love to see athletes who are not only strong in academics but also participate in activities that help add to their all-around achievement. This includes activities such as clubs, student government, committees, and other involvements. When applying to schools, if you have a strong extracurricular involvement, your academics can have greater leeway because admissions offices can evaluate you on more than just your numbers.
Proactive Initiative: If you are communicating with the coach early on within the recruiting process about what kind of grades and test scores you should be aiming for, it shows that you are not only doing your part but also planning for the future. Coaches look very highly on this and will be more inclined to give help when it is needed.
Athletes with a solid academic profile, can expect a smoother recruiting and admissions process. Even if your academics are a little bit under the standard, if you are doing all that was stated above, coaches will look highly upon you and help in any way they can.
Things To Keep In Mind
Good Academics Can Put You Ahead: If you are wanting to become a preferred walk-on and have stellar academics but are not as confident in your athletic ability, academics can be your advantage. Coaches see offering a recruit with amazing academics as a way for them to improve the team GPA and for there to be a positive academic influence on the team.
Athletes Are Not Automatically Accepted: Many high school athletes are under the assumption that schools give out an automatic acceptance to athletes. This is not true. Athletes must still apply and be admitted to the programs that offer them a roster position.
Schools Are Beginning To Increase Their Standard: Due to the increased cases of athletes being admitted to colleges who do not deserve to be, many schools are increasing their admission standards for athletes. To prevent your recruiting process from being affected by these increased standards, be sure to do as well as you can academically.
Academic Performance Doesn't Stop After High School: Some athletes are under the impression that once they get into school, the hard work is over. This is the opposite, once you begin at the school you still have academic standards to meet.