June 2017 | 29 Subscribe today at juniorgolfmag.net B uying a car in a dealer showroom is a far cry from pursuing an athletic scholarship. That being said, your scholarship can be negotiated if a full ride is not offered. As with many parts of the recruiting process, however, it depends on the situation (my favorite two words, “it depends”). There are some cases where the amount of money being offered is truly the maximum amount that a coach has available for a stu- dent-athlete. All of the school’s scholar- ships may be tied up in current players and committed recruits. If this is the case, then you can ask what the possibility is that your scholarship amount could increase after your freshman year. You also want to find out if that option would be based on performance or guaranteed. For Division I women’s golf programs, each school is allowed a maximum of 6 scholar- ships (max of 4.5 for men), and for DII pro- grams, the max is 5.4 for women, 3.6 for men. The total limit for NAIA is 5, while the max number for Junior College is 8. Division III offers academic money only. Keep in mind that these are the maximum “allowed” schol- arships, but not all institutions fully fund all of their athletic programs. A DI coach may only be working with 1 or 2 scholarships among all players on the team. In other cases, a program may be fully funded but the coach only gives out 6 full rides instead of dividing them up among more than 6 players. In short, scholarships can be offered and divided up in many different ways. During your campus visit, you can ask gener- al questions about the numbers and distribu- tion methods to get an idea of how the coach handles his or her scholarships. Just don’t get too far ahead of yourself and assume that you are going to be a scholarship player. One of the main reasons I encourage players to contact a lot of coaches, take numerous visits and keep their options open is that this can give them some leverage when they re- ceive offers. I highly discourage any player from wasting a coach’s time if they genuinely aren’t interested in the program. But when you do have several offers from schools you like, then you can sometimes negotiate a bet- ter scholarship offer to your top choice. Just remember to negotiate in good faith be- cause it’s the right thing to do and coaches talk to each other. I have heard numerous stories of families claiming an untrue offer amount at one school in order to get a bet- ter deal at another – not realizing those two coaches were communicating with each oth- er. This can sometimes lead to having your offer withdrawn, so just be honest when ap- proaching this situation. Without any other offers your negotiating powers are a bit limited, but you can still ask the coach what else may be available. You might even suggest options for academic or need-based aid. Most coaches understand the financial situation of a family and the ex- citement that comes with earning scholarship money. At the end of the day, however, they want you to make it about the right fit and not about where you are getting the best scholar- ship deal. Brandi Jackson, a former All-American collegiate golfer and LPGA Tour player, runs her own college recruitment consulting company. She has worked with families all over the globe to consult and guide them throughout the college recruiting process. AreScholarshipsNegotiable? BYBRANDIJACKSON PART4 OF 6: CAMPUSVISITS The more visits you take, the more you will refine your communication skills and discover exactly what you’re looking for in a school. Visiting some of your top choice schools is also a great source of motivation! UNOFFICIAL VISIT REGULATIONS There are no restrictions on when or how many unoffi- cial visits you may take. During a visit you are permit- ted to meet on campus with coaches, current players, admissions staff, academic advisors and trainers. Keep in mind, you and your family pay for all expenses associated with the visit. Official visits, in your senior year, are paid for by the school. WHAT TO DO I always recommend getting the feel for a typical day as a student-athlete when you are visiting the campus. You should hope to experience the following: • Campus Tour • Golf and Athletic Facilities • Freshman Dorms and Dining Areas • Formal Meeting with Coach (usually in his or her office) WHAT TO BRING I recommend that every recruit bring a few things along on the visit. These might include: • Notepad for taking notes during meeting (prepare a few questions beforehand) • Resume (2 copies printed) • Upcoming tournament schedule (2 copies printed) That’s four down and two to go. Next issue, tune in as webreakdownwhatcoacheslookforduringon-course recruiting and how to get a coach to watch you play. Lastly, we wrap up with key points to consider as you negotiate a scholarship offer! John Murphy, a former All-American Scholar and Team Captain at UC Berkeley, is the founder of Recruiter Elite, which assists families with college recruiting and athletic development. Journey