We all know that academics are very important in the college recruiting process. However, how important are they? Are academics more important than your ability to play your sport? In this article, I will discuss three things you need to know about the academic and athletic dynamic in collegiate recruiting. 

1. Athletic ability can trump academic standing

Most coaches and programs will not tell you this, but it is entirely true. In my personal experience, I have seen athletes land at schools they were not “qualified for” academically. If you are a talented athlete, you can land yourself at a prestigious Ivy League school. This is a phenomenal opportunity to receive a great education. Just because you didn't have the greatest GPA or SAT score in high school, doesn't mean you can't get an incredible education. 

2. Bad grades don't play anywhere

If you have terrible grades, you will probably have to go to a junior college. This might seem like a contradiction to my previous point. However, when I say terrible grades, I mean barely passing high school. DI coaches do not want to deal with academic liabilities on campus. You want to be as “low-maintenance” as possible as a freshman. Low-maintenance players always have the best chance to succeed. If you are in danger of flunking out of high school, your only option might be a junior college.

3. Being good academically might hurt your chance to get an athletic scholarship

Yes! You heard me right. You have to realize the reality of college athletics. Everything is a business. You have sports like Division I baseball with only 11.7 full scholarships to distribute among 40 players. If you are a high school player who can earn an academic scholarship to a university, the coach will likely give you less athletic money. They will want to save the athletic money for the players they want to get on campus who don't have the same academic prowess. 

Hopefully, these three aspects give you more insight into the academic and athletic dynamic of the college recruiting process. You might be surprised by some of these points! The important thing to realize is that any sports team is a business and they want to win. They are going to manage their team to do so. Because of this fact, athletics tend to trump academic prowess.