Senior Year

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A Verbal Offer Is NOT a Scholarship

If you don't have a signed scholarship agreement or NLI, you do not have a scholarship. Keep recruiting until ink is on paper.

Understanding the NLI

The National Letter of Intent is legally binding. When you sign, you commit to attending for one academic year. The school commits to your scholarship for that year. Read every line before signing.

Scholarship Negotiation Is Possible

If you have competing offers: "We have an offer from [School] at this level — is there flexibility?" Academic scholarships stack with athletic aid. Always file FAFSA.

Senior Year Checklist

01File FAFSA the moment it opens — October 1, no delays
02Complete the NCAA Eligibility Center Certification Account (~$90)
03Read every offer letter and scholarship agreement in full
04Build a side-by-side comparison: athletic + academic + need-based + revenue share
05Negotiate — multiple offers are leverage, use them honestly
06Do NOT sign an NLI without understanding every clause
07Confirm your final transcript meets all admission requirements

How to Read an NLI Before Signing

The National Letter of Intent is a legally binding contract. Most families sign it the same day they receive it. Here is what to actually read and verify before any pen touches paper:

01Scholarship amount and duration. The NLI guarantees one academic year only. Confirm the accompanying scholarship agreement specifies what happens in years 2, 3, and 4.
02Release clause language. If the head coach leaves, you want to know whether you are entitled to a release. Some schools grant automatic releases. Others require a formal petition.
03What voids the NLI. Missing the enrollment deadline, failing to qualify academically, or being ruled ineligible by the NCAA all void the NLI — which means the school's scholarship commitment may also void.
04Transfer penalty language. If you transfer without a release, you must sit out one academic year at a D1 school. Confirm you understand this before signing.
05Have a third party read it. A high school counselor, a family attorney, or a recruiting advisor should review any document you are legally committing to. Do not rely solely on the coaching staff's explanation of their own contract.

Signing Day Red Flags

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Stop and Ask Questions If You See Any of These

The scholarship agreement is verbal only. If a number is not in writing it does not exist legally.

The coach cannot explain the revenue share in writing. Revenue share is new. Some schools are making commitments they are not certain they can fulfill. Get it in an addendum.

You are being pressured to sign before comparing other offers. A program confident in their offer has no reason to pressure you away from comparing it.

The total financial package math does not add up. Run the real numbers: scholarship + academic aid + FAFSA + revenue share + COA gap. A full ride at a $75,000/year school still costs $0. A 50% scholarship at a $30,000 school costs $15,000/year. Do the math.

After You Sign — What Happens Next

01Notify every other school that was recruiting you. Do it by phone, same day. This is a matter of professional respect and coaches remember it.
02Complete your NCAA Eligibility Center certification. Submit your final transcript and test scores as required. Deadlines vary by sport and signing period.
03File your FAFSA if you have not already. Financial aid at the school level is a separate process from your athletic scholarship.
04Connect with your future teammates. Most programs have a group chat or summer orientation process. Get plugged in early.
05Start training at the collegiate level. Ask your new coaching staff exactly what physical benchmarks they expect on arrival day.

Up Next

NIL & Revenue Sharing →