Transcript

College Athletics: You Apply to a College, Not a Division

Guest: Dave Morris
The College Talk Show with Chris Bell

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Cold Open

Chris Bell:

A lot of high school athletes say, “I want to play Division I.”

And I understand that. It sounds big. It sounds impressive. It sounds like success.

But here’s something important:

You don’t apply to a division.
You apply to a college.

And sometimes, when families focus only on the label, they miss a bigger opportunity.

Because the athletic recruiting process isn’t just about whether a coach chooses you. It’s a powerful way for you to evaluate a college as well.

When you go through recruiting, you’re not just sending film or stats. You’re meeting coaches. You’re talking with current players. You’re seeing how a program actually operates within a college. You’re getting access to a campus in ways many applicants never do.

Recruiting, at its best, is a discovery process.

It helps you figure out what playing college sports would really feel like — at that school, in that environment, with those people.

And if you’re a varsity high school athlete or an elite club player and you’re on the fence about whether to pursue recruiting, it may very well be worth considering.

Even if you ultimately decide not to play in college, the process itself can help you build a stronger, more informed college list.

Tonight, I’m talking with Dave Morris, who has coached and advised at every level of college athletics. We’re going to unpack what Division I really means, how the divisions actually compare, and how to use recruiting not just to chase a label — but to find the right fit for you.

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Introduction

Chris Bell:

My guest today is Dave Morris, the founder of College Athletic Advisor. Dave has coached and advised at every level of college athletics — NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, as well as the NAIA and NJCAA — and he brings a rare perspective on what athletic fit really looks like.

I’m excited to talk with him about how families can make smart, balanced choices in the recruiting process.

Dave, thank you for joining me tonight on The College Talk Show.

Dave Morris:

It is my pleasure.

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Division I and the Myth of the Label

Chris:

A lot of families hear “Division I” and think it’s automatically the best option. What do you wish more students understood about the real differences between the divisions?

Dave:

If you turn on ESPN, you’re going to see USC and Oklahoma — what people think of as “Power Four” Division I. That’s about 60 to 80 colleges.

But there are roughly 2,000 colleges in the United States.

You have a much greater chance of finding a great fit among 2,000 schools than among just 60.

Those 60 are great for some students. But they’re not optimal for many others. Some students go to big programs and discover the experience isn’t what they expected. They graduate — and that’s great — but there can be missed opportunities along the way.

You also can’t “go Division I.” You apply to and are recruited by a particular college.

Schools change classifications all the time. Hartford was Division I and moved to Division III. New Haven moved from Division II to Division I. These are administrative decisions.

So you want to pick the right school — not the right label.

And the dirty truth about varsity intercollegiate athletics is that there’s great talent across every division.

There’s nowhere you can go and assume it’s easy. In many sports, there’s very little difference in overall level between Division I, II, III, and NAIA. In fact, there’s often more difference between the top and bottom teams within a division than between strong teams across divisions.

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Recruiting as Discovery

Chris:

That’s really important for families to understand — because the purpose of the recruiting process is to discover what playing college sports might look like for you.

Dave:

Exactly.

Playing football at Alabama and playing golf at Grinnell are two completely different experiences. Both can be amazing — for the right student.

The purpose of recruiting and communication with coaches is to figure out what the right fit will be for you in college.

Students spend 12 to 15 hours a week in high school playing their sport — sometimes more. Why wouldn’t you leverage that to get to know colleges better?

When a coach asks for your transcript, they walk into a room you’re not allowed into and discuss whether you fit. Why wouldn’t you want to avail yourself of that process?

At no point in recruiting are you automatically committed to playing.

That comes at the very end — if you decide you want to play.

Up until then, you’re learning:

What are the kids like?
What are the coaches like?
What’s the experience really like?

You meet current students in ways you can’t through traditional admissions. You meet professors. You meet people who work on campus every day. You talk to peers who are a year or two older — and sometimes they tell you questions they wish they had asked.

There’s really no downside to gathering that information.

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First Steps in Recruiting

Chris:

For families just starting, what are the most important first steps?

Dave:

The best way to know if you’re recruitable is to communicate directly with college coaches.

People tend to ask neighbors, high school coaches, friends. But the only person who truly knows whether you can play at USC is the coach at USC.

So reach out effectively.

Most sports require video. Some sports rely on objective data — track times, swimming times, tennis UTR ratings.

In sports like baseball, statistics alone aren’t enough. Coaches want video and a short résumé — GPA, where you play, basic information.

Your first email should be concise — ideally three sentences.

And remember, the coach’s question is simple:

Can this student help us win?

Until you clear that bar, nothing else matters.

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Athletics and Academic Fit

Chris:

How do you help students balance athletic fit with academic fit?

Dave:

The objective is to be at a college that becomes a platform for the rest of your life.

If you’re at the right school — academically, socially, personally — and you look around and think, “These are my people,” that matters.

You’re going to spend four years there. You’re going to grow into that environment.

Athletics is part of the experience — but it’s not the whole story.

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How to Connect with Dave

Chris:

If someone wants to get in touch with you, how can they find you?

Dave:

Go to collegeathleticadvisor.com. My contact information is there.

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Top Tops: Key Takeaways

Before we wrap up, here are the Top Tips regarding college athletics.

6. You apply to colleges — not to a division.
Divisions don’t admit students. Individual colleges do. Focus on the school first, not the classification.

5. Great talent exists in every division.
There are outstanding athletes across D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and beyond. The difference between good teams often matters more than the division name.

4. Recruiting is a discovery process.
The point of recruiting isn’t just to get an offer. It’s to learn what playing college sports would actually feel like for you at that college.

3. Want to know if you’re recruitable? Talk to coaches.
Don’t rely on guesswork or hallway opinions. The most accurate feedback comes directly from the people building the roster.

2. Choose the right school — not the right label.
Your college should be a platform for the rest of your life. Athletics is part of the experience, not the whole story.

1. Exploring does not mean committing.
You can go through the entire recruiting process, ask questions, visit campuses, and gather information without locking yourself into anything.

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Closing

Chris Bell:

If you’re a high school athlete playing a varsity sport, it may very well be worth considering pursuing athletic recruitment as another way of building your college list.

And remember:

 

College is Awesome.