A College Tennis Guide

John Isner
Photo: Getty Sports

For some there is a heartbreaking decision between going Pro or following a college career. Nevertheless the ones faced with this consideration to be an ATP or WTA Pro are a minority.

A large majority of eligible young tennis players will follow the College route, which in my opinion is a very wise decision.

Very few have what is needed to be successful at ATP or WTA professional level. John Isner is one of the few exceptions, he went to college first and then turned pro.

While young men and women players will have enough quality for college level tennis they can also develop excellent careers as lawyers, engineers, doctors, economists... you name it.

Collegiate tennis playing opportunities abound, but your careful research will allow you the most options and perhaps even the best ones.

As most people know the Ivy League Colleges are the most coveted and they attract students like a bee to honey. The truth is a very small elite group of very rich kids, geniuses or super-talented athletes get in, even though in most of these schools sport takes second fiddle to academics.

Nevertheless you should never be discouraged if you can not make it into an Ivy league college, there are many other high quality colleges around with the right education and sporting opportunities for you.

Without a question this will be one of the most important decisions in your life and you should get as much good information about this subject to make an intelligent and positive decision.

Here is a way to take the right steps that will determine your future as a student and the rest of your professional life in the work force.

Once you enter your freshman or sophomore year you should start taking your first steps:

- Meet with your guidance counselor

- Ensure that you are taking the required core courses.

- Read the Preparation Calendar for College Tennis .

When you are ready, download or request the following resources:

- Get the NCAA.org Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. (Download free copy) This is the lexicon of College info.

- You can also get a free download at the NAIA NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete

- The USTA guide can also be helpful USTA Guide to Tennis on College Campuses

Clearinghouse - Initial Eligibility
You may want to play as a freshman in a Division I or Division II college, for that you must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.

The clearinghouse organization is not the NCAA. They just verify and evaluate your student-athlete academic records to determine if you are eligible to participate in Division I or Division II college athletics/tennis as a freshman.

- Do not register until after your junior year.

- After you have completed your junior year, complete the student release form online at ncaaclearinghouse.net.

VERY IMPORTANT: The clearinghouse Initial-eligibility certification does not guarantee your admission to any Division I or Division II college. A separate application for college admission must be made to Division I or Division II colleges.

Division III does not use the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.

Division III requirements vary from school to school, you will need to contact each Division III college you are interested in and request information regarding academic requirements for student-athletes.

NCAA College Rankings can give you an idea of the the level of tennis you will be looking to fulfill, also which are the schools with the best players and possibly with the best tennis programs.

This could be a very good reference to which Division you should be aiming for.

NCAA College Rankings:

Tennis - Men's

Tennis - Women's

What are your personal college goals?
Make an assessment of what you want out of your college studies in order of importance:
- Quality of Studies - Academic
- Sports Program - Tennis opportunities
- Future Employment - Career preparation
- Impact in your Life - Social
- Demographics / distance from home
- Campus size (how many students) - college/university
- Type of College - Public vs. private
- Religious affiliation
- Financial burden - Scholarships and financial aid

Make a realistic evaluation of what assets you have to offer to the schools; intellectual (good grades), sporting (National ranking and recent results), economical (your financial status). Start making a list of schools to write to if you have answered all of these important questions.

For Swiss players trying to go to College in the USA here is a good ressource;

College USA

Wish you all the best with your College/University studies!

Sergio Cruz

Student Athlete Handbook for the 21st Century: A guide to recruiting, scholarships, and prepping for college (Paperback)

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The Student Athlete Handbook for the 21 Century: a guide to recruiting, scholarships and prepping for college details the steps student athletes should take if they want to pursue college athletic scholarships. This book is packed with tips and tricks to prepare the best application, athletic video, and letters to contact coaches and be recruited. It also has websites for scholarships, NCAA sites, and more!

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A College Tennis Guide

Tennis - Men's

Tennis - Women's

Student Athlete Handbook for the 21st Century: A guide to recruiting, scholarships, and prepping for college (Paperback)

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