The transfer portal has been a great addition to the NCAA's policies and guidelines by creating a more fair and efficient way for college athletes to move schools if they want to escape a bad situation or even just play for a more competitive program. However, with any new policy there are many myths and misconceptions that have arisen. 

Waivers and Eligibility

Many people think that the transfer portal addresses transfer waiver decisions, but in fact that has nothing to do with it. The main role the portal plays in college sports is allowing athletes a simpler way of moving schools. It allows them to be easily contacted by college coaches across the NCAA to obtain offers at different schools. Player's eligibility upon transferring is a part of a different policy created by the NCAA. Division I athletes are allowed a one time exemption, allowing them to transfer schools and immediately be eligible to play instead of having to sit out a year. Schools have to sacrifice a scholarship spot in the following year, resulting in many programs forcing transfers to be ineligible.

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Transfer Credits

Another concern for college athletes is that upon transferring, they might fall behind in their classes. This should not be a concern for athletes as most credits should transfer from one school to another. Transferring should not affect your graduation status or your ability to graduate on the timeline that you have created for yourself. With this in mind, college athletes should take advantage of the portal if they see a different school being a better fit.

Scholarship Shopping

The biggest problem with the transfer portal is that it can not be used as a way to “shop” for new scholarship opportunities. In many cases, schools will force athletes to give up their scholarship eligibility at the benefit of the school. This puts college athletes in a predicament where they are forced to pay for their education, which many can not afford to do. It is important to understand that if you are looking to transfer to obtain more scholarship money that you may end up spending more money in the long run due to eligibility issues.

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Transferring and the portal provide great opportunities for many athletes, but it is important to understand how it works before entering your name into the portal. If you are looking to lessen the financial burden of being a college athlete, transferring may not be the answer to your problem. If you are simply looking to find a better school fit for your goals as a college athlete, the portal facilitates that process for you in a time efficient manner.  

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* Originally published on September 13, 2022, by Royce Linder