6 Big Changes in College Admissions

Ever wonder if a "video essay" (as opposed to a written essay) will help your chances of getting into your dream school?  What about Early Decision... are "instant admissions decisions" in our near future? 

The college admissions process has encountered drastic changes in recent years.  Here are just a few of the more prevalent ones... read more

Could Facebook change college recruiting forever?

With the release of Facebook's new messaging system last month, it appears the social media superpower may have single-handedly changed NCAA recruiting rules for good. Before the launch, clear-cut definitions were in place to regulate college coaches and the vehicles they could utilize for interacting with prospects.

That's all likely going to change, thanks in part to Facebook's launch of a messaging system that combines email, text messaging, instant messaging, social networking and "push notifications," for which the NCAA currently has no rule.

Is this the beginning of a massive shift in college recruiting regulation? Is it no longer possible for the NCAA to differentiate the various forms of text communication, and will they ultimately go back to allowing coaches to send text messages to prospects?

What do you think? Post your comments below and let us know your thoughts on how Facebook may impact the way college coaches interact with student-athletes.

Newton ruling has some questioning NCAA's integrity

SAS President Rex Grayner comments on the Cam Newton controversy in Pete Mundo's article, Can the NCAA be "bought"? 

December 8, 2010
The Independent (NY)

Regretting your college decision? Perfect Fit U. may still be out there

High School seniors, are you regretting your college decision? Have you selected your school and  now you're experiencing "buyer's remorse?" Are you open to hearing about other college options this late in the game?

First off, you're not alone. Thousands of athletes feel this way. If you feel like you "settled" on a school due to a lack of options, then you probably did! The reality is, if you verbally committed to a school and regret your decision, then there's a strong chance this feeling will carry over into your first year in college, and it's likely that you won't last more than a year or so at that school. 

True, if you've already signed your NLI, then you're locked into your decision for at least a year. But if you haven't signed yet, then there is still time for you to evaluate additional choices and find that "perfect fit." And despite what you may have heard, there are plenty of college coaches out there who want to connect with you.

Check out this article by Dan Tudor of Tudor Collegiate Strategies. Dan offers a program for college coaches to help them recruit more effectively, and he has some phenomenal tips for college coaches. Parents and athletes can benefit from this information, too. The more you're educated about the other side of the college recruiting process, the better prepared you'll be to increase opportunities for yourself.

For help finding "Perfect Fit U," call SAS toll free (888) 234-6735

NCAA Recruiting Rules

NCAA rule backfiring on juniors... full article

Bylaw 13.9.2.2 reads:
Written Offer of Aid Before Signing Date. Prior to August 1 of a prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school, an institution shall not provide a written offer of athletically related financial aid or indicate in writing to the prospective student-athlete that an athletically related grant-in-aid will be offered by the institution. On or after August 1 of a prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school, an institution may indicate in writing to a prospective student-athlete that an athletically related grant-in-aid will be offered by the institution; however, the institution may not permit the prospective student-athlete to sign a form indicating his or her acceptance of such an award before the initial signing date in that sport in the National Letter of Intent program. (Revised: 4/29/10 effective 8/1/10)

Another Inspiring SAS Letter

Letter from Andrew's mom

At SAS, we're so blessed to wake up each day and help families with what can often be a tumultuous, stressful experience.  And fortunately, for our valued clients, our formula for success is quite simple... we have great people with a ton of passion & experience.

We receive many thank-you letters and testimonials. Each is very special, as it's the gratitude of clients that fuels our passion and drives us to continue to do great for each and every family we go to work for.

This letter today from Andrew's mom was pretty inspiring, and I wanted to share it with our team members, parents, coaches & athletes.
 

5 Most Important Soft Skills for College Success

Great post today from Brad Smith of mysoccerimage.com. 

While most people worry about math or sciences, it’s actually the soft-skills that you need to master to succeed in college. Here are five of the most important skills that will make or break your college career.

Full article...