Influences on college choice of student athletes at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III institutions

The purpose of this study was to identify: (a) the factors that are most important in the college choices of student-athletes, (b) the most effective recruiting methods used to recruit student-athletes, (c) whether the recruiting services of athletic departments are more effective than those of admissions offices in recruiting student-athletes, (d) which method of initial contact is utilized by student-athletes more, and (e) which method of contact during the recruiting period following initial contact is more effective in recruiting student-athletes in District 2 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level. The study also examined if the importance of factors influencing college choice differed by selected demographic variables. The sample consisted of 281 student-athletes, representing 15 sports at 15 NCAA Division III institutions.;As a result of the findings of this study, the following conclusions to the research questions were reached: (1) Opportunity to play, high academic rating, financial aid package, faculty-student ratio, academic offerings, and compatibility with coach's personality were the most important factors in rank order in the college choices of student-athletes. (2) Telephone calls from the coach, mailings from the coach, campus visit, interview with coaching staff, and observations of student-athletes during visit were the most effective recruiting methods in rank order. (3) Mailings, interviews, observations of student-athletes, and telephone calls were more effective recruiting methods when used by the athletic office; however, the campus visit was more effective when used by the admissions office. (4) Mailing from coach was utilized more than a recruiting service for the initial recruiting contact. (5) Telephone calls from the coach were more effective than visits by the coach at home or school as a method of contact during the recruiting period following initial contact. (6) Women placed more importance on school-based factors, while men placed more importance on personal-based factors. (7) Respondents whose parents attended college placed more importance on school-based factors. (8) Student-athletes who intend to seek a graduate degree placed more importance on school-based factors. (9) The smaller the institution, the more importance student-athletes placed on personal-based factors.