Part IV: Committing to a School in .NET framework

Paint Code 128B in .NET framework Part IV: Committing to a School

(continued)

They would have lost one year of eligibility and would have been required to serve a year of residence (sit out one year) at the second school The same penalties would apply if they didn t fulfill the terms of the NLI completely (for example, they didn t attend the school with which they signed for at least one full year) Of course, there are extenuating circumstances or situations beyond your control that may force you to not meet the obligations of the NLI These could range from family emergencies to financial hardships If you re unable to fulfill the terms of the NLI, the penalty can be waived or reduced by sending a Release Request Form to the athletic director at the school where you signed the NLI, requesting a complete release If this request is denied, and you don t receive a complete release from the NLI, you may appeal to the NLI Steering Committee The Steering Committee has the ability to grant a complete or partial release from the NLI You have other options if you choose not to attend the school at which you signed a NLI You can attend any other school that does not participate in the NLI program (for example, an NAIA school or a junior college) without incurring any of the penalties we mention earlier However, if you ever transfer to another school that does participate in the NLI program, the penalties will be applied at that point unless you received a waiver

Because the NLI is based on recruiting, the NCAA does have some rules regarding when it can be signed, and those rules vary depending on your sport In the following sections, we help you navigate these waters in a way that works for you

Your coach may encourage you to sign your NLI early, during what s called the early signing period In fact, athletic programs commonly offer and spend most of their available scholarship money during the early signing period For example, if a basketball program has five scholarships available, more often than not, at least four of those will be offered and usually accepted during the early signing period If a coach hasn t received commitments from the prospects he wants the most, the coach may opt to save a spot (or a few spots) rather than offer it to a player he thinks may not be as good More spots often open after the early signing period because players already on the team become ineligible, quit, or redshirt

If the sport you play has an early signing period, there are advantages and disadvantages to signing at this time

The biggest advantage: After you sign the NLI, the recruiting process is over You ve made up your mind, and you ve been guaranteed a scholarship for the next year at your college You re now free to focus on your final year of high school (or junior college) If for some reason you haven t met the eligibility standards, you can concentrate on that so you don t lose the opportunity you just received Another advantage to signing early may come if you ve had a lessthan-stellar season The senior slump can hit hard, causing your usually excellent performance on the field or court to lag What with the pressure of school, scholarships, the recruiting process, and family, it s a wonder you can even play Many student-athletes are relieved to know that, despite a so-so season, their scholarship is safe after they ve signed the NLI Your college coach may not revoke a scholarship offer simply because you didn t have a great senior season