Frequently Asked Questions

Ticket 2 Greatness knows that the recruitment process can be confusing. We want to make sure that all of your questions are answered so that you can promote your athletic abilities most effectively. The following questions are those that many athletes ask us. If you have a question that is not listed, please feel free to email us at support @ ticket2greatness.com. Every question is important to us!

When should I start the recruitment process?

Generally, the best time to start is in your freshman year of high school. At that time, schedule time with your high school guidance counselor to create an academic plan that will also help you achieve your athletic goals. As you discuss your academic plan, be sure that you are meeting all of the requirements of NCAA and NAIA as well as those of the colleges that interest you.

In your sophomore year, find out everything you can about the athletic programs that interest you and begin to contact coaches. Also, think about enrolling in summer camps that are hosted by those programs.

The most important year is your junior year. Coaches will be studying your athletic statistics, and the admissions departments will be looking at your academic record.

When you are a senior, you should narrow your list to five or six schools. Make sure that you establish a relationship with the coaches if you haven't already done so.

Take these steps seriously. All of this hard work and preparation will also give you the best chance for an athletic scholarship.

How do I obtain and upload a film of my best plays to Ticket 2 Greatness? Is there a cost?

It's best to have your game highlight films professionally prepared. Some coaches may already have film available for your use. Video packages generally range from $199 to $1,000 depending on how many clips are included, the types of features such as special effects and the number of DVDs that you need. Ticket 2 Greatness is working on establishing resources for this service. At this time, a Ticket 2 Greatness film package is only available in San Antonio, TX. (Please see package price below).

According to NCAA bylaws:

• These films are allowed to be shown to a prospect or a prospect's coach
• They may contain footage from more than one sports season
• Any narration must relate specifically to the event or the sports season
• They may only include clips of actual athletics contests and activities that occur on the day of the contests that are directly related to the contest
• Films that are related to the athletic programs may be shown in an athletics hall of fame and be viewed by prospects, provided that the facility is open to the general public on a year-round basis and the films were not developed for recruitment purposes

How do I sign up and how much will it cost?

Recruitment services and support can be very expensive. However, at Ticket 2 Greatness, we are committed to helping all athletes fulfill their dreams even if their financial resources are limited. Our nominal $650 fee allows you access to the entire "athlete’s content" on our website. To register, simply go to the "Sign up" option. Fill in the required information and pay the fee. We also offer a “suite” of services that will help you prepare for and choose the best recruitment path for your individual talents. These services provide both academic and athletic support and are designed to ensure that you reach your full potential.

Ticket 2 Greatness has recently partnered with Pathway 2 College to keep our costs affordable. This liaison allows us to offer services at costs that are significantly lower than similar organizations. Total monthly fees for our suite of services are a fraction of those required by our competitors. Our closest competitor charges at least $1,500 compared to our $650 for comparable services. Other competitors are even more expensive. Our commitment to “high value” signals that we will be by your side every step of the way and will always have your best interests at heart.

What information should I include in my player profile?

Your player profile should include as much contact information as possible. This means: your address; your phone numbers (home and mobile); and your email addresses. Also include your parents' contact information. Ask whether your current coach will allow you to add his or her contact information as well.

The next piece of information that you should provide in your player profile is your academic record. Grades are important. Make sure that you also include your ACT and SAT scores. Most schools do not have Ivy League standards, so don't worry if these scores aren't at the top. You may want to include your class rank as well. Good grades show that you lead a well-balanced life and can succeed in areas outside of sports.

A cautionary word about your athletic information – be realistic when you add this to your profile. You never want a coach to find out that you exaggerated your statistics. Honesty is a mark of integrity, an important value in the world of sports. In addition to your stats, include post-season honors and team accomplishments. If you excel in other sports, put that in your profile. It provides an added dimension to your talents.

Your player profile should also have your picture... be sure to smile!! Then coaches will be able to connect your name with your face.

While it's important to create a full profile, don't weigh it down with irrelevant facts. Coaches don't have time to waste. And make sure that it is in a format that can be easily opened by coaches. Use a Word or PDF document. Some athletes have formatted their profiles in Microsoft Excel. Keep the extension as .doc, .pdf or xls to make it easy for the coaches to access.

Remember... your recruiting profile is an important introduction to coaches. Let Ticket 2 Greatness help you with this. Electronic communication is easier than writing individual letters.

How do I update my profile?

Profiles are automatically updated by answering the questions posed during the initial setup on Ticket 2 Greatness. Ticket 2 Greatness will generate the profile as a product at the time it is sent to a coach.

Can I change my picture? How do I do that?

This is very easy. Simply upload a new photo on the Ticket 2 Greatness website.

Do I also need a biography?

Yes. Although your player profile is most important, sometimes athletes like to include a brief biography that will give additional insight to their character, such as special achievements, interests and volunteer work that may be outside of the parameters of an athletic and academic history.

Just answer the questions on the initial setup of Ticket 2 Greatness and the information will be automatically updated. The biography will be generated and sent to coaches during an athlete's application process.

How does the connection between athletes and coaches work?

Simply put, by using Ticket 2 Greatness, you can share profiles, biographies, statistics, pictures and video highlights with a wide range of coaches, scouts and agents. At the same time, coaches search for talented athletes all over the world and can market their camps and instructional videos. All connections are conducted in a safe environment.

How do I decide which college or university has the best team for me?

One of the most important first steps is to be clear what level of play is achievable for you. Your high school coach can be a big help in evaluating your skills and potential and in recommending an appropriate Division. He or she may even recommend a specific college program. Then try to attend a summer sports camp at a college within that Division. When you play in a summer camp, the college coach will have an opportunity to see your skills first hand. Visit different colleges. Attend their athletic events. The tools that are available on Ticket 2 Greatness can also help you with this selection process.

What is the first step in finding a scholarship?

It's important that you are proactive in your search for a student-athletic scholarship. Once you understand your level of talent, find out which schools match your eligibility. Contact the coaches and let them know about your interest. But be sure that you have your player profile written and videos that highlight your best sport plays available. If coaches are interested in you, they will help lead you to scholarship opportunities. In addition to athletic scholarships, private funding also may be available. Search our interactive database to conduct a free scholarship search.

How important are test scores and academic records?

They are important. There's no doubt about it. If you are a student-athlete, grades and test scores are important. Coaches can recruit you only if you can compete academically at your selected school. You will also need to meet the requirements for the NCAA or NAIA. Coaches will want to know whether you will be able to handle the responsibilities of both your studies and the athletic program.

NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 use different testing criterion for student-athletes who want to play college sports.

NCAA Division 1 uses a sliding scale. This means that a student that has a high GPA can have a lower SAT or ACT score. If a student does very well on the SAT or ACT test, can be eligible with a lower GPA (although not lower than 2.00).

NCAA Division 2 students must score a minimum of 820 on the SAT or 68 on the ACT and also maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00.

If you are not sure which test is best for you, it's helpful to know that ACT is an achievement test that measures English, Math, Reading, Science and Writing. SAT is an aptitude test that is based on critical reasoning, math and writing. The NCAA scores the total of the ACT test, whereas it only counts the critical reasoning and math sections of the SAT test.

NAIA requirements are a little different. A minimum composite score of 18 is required on the ACT test or an 860 minimum SAT score (critical reading and math) to meet entering college freshman standards.

Do athletic scholarships cover all of my tuition? Will I still need to pay?

Most athletic scholarships only offer partial funding. You will need to find the rest. This is important, because you want to emerge from this process with minimum debt. Our site will be continually alerting you to scholarship opportunities. You may also want to check out sources of additional federal aid from FAFSA. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Can I play even if I don't get an athletic scholarship?

Yes. Athletes with scholarships are called student-athletes. Since there are only a limited number of student-athlete spots on teams, you may qualify as a "walk-on." Get in touch with the coach first to find out about available spots and when try-outs are scheduled.

When can I get in touch with college coaches?

You can do this at any time. There are times that coaches aren't allowed to contact you, but if you reach out them, they are allowed to reply... but remember that their time is valuable, so only get in touch with them for reasons that are noteworthy.

What is an official visit? What is an unofficial visit?

An unofficial visit is a visit to a college at your own expense. You may visit anytime and as often as you would like. The athletic department is allowed to offer you up to three tickets to a sports event, but no other gifts. An official visit is paid for by the athletic department or the team. This would include transportation, meals and lodging. The visit may last no more than 48 hours and are only allowed in your senior year. Please note that you are limited to five visits.

What is a verbal agreement, and how early can I give it?

You actually can give a verbal agreement at any point in the process. The agreement lets the coach know that you intend to join their program. This is not binding on either end, but if an athlete breaks a verbal agreement, it does not help his or her reputation.

What is NCAA? What is the difference between the NCAA Divisions I, II and III?

NCAA (or the National Collegiate Athletic Association) monitors and oversees the regulations of many college athletic departments. The membership is divided into three divisions depending on the sport. They are Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3. Football and basketball each have a Division 1A as well. These divisions have specific regulations that athletic departments, athletes and coaches need to honor to remain eligible.

The main difference in these Divisions relates to the ability to award athletic scholarships. Division 1, 1A and 2 are allowed to award athletic scholarships. Division 3 schools are not allowed to give athletic scholarships, but they can give academic scholarships and other forms of financial aid.

Explain the NCAA Clearinghouse and the NCAA NLI?

The "Eligibility Center" is a department within the NCAA that was formerly called the "clearinghouse." This center determines whether you are academically eligible to participate in college athletics. Your eligibility is based on core courses that you need to take in high school and the minimum GPA and ACT/SAT scores required. If you are hoping to play at the NCAA Division 1, 1A or 2 levels, simply register at the NCCAA Eligibility Center

An NLI stands for a "National Letter of Intent." It is a written commitment that you give to a college in your senior year stating that you will attend the school the following year and will accept their offer of an athletic scholarship. An NLI is only required if you are receiving a scholarship. Once you have signed an NLI, you no longer can be recruited by other colleges.

What do NAIA, NJCAA, and NCCAA stand for?

The NAIA (or the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes) oversees the sports programs of over 300 colleges. Most NAIA schools compete at the NCAA Division 2 level and are generally smaller colleges.

The NJCAA (or the National Junior College Athletic Association) members are Junior colleges that offer an affordable opportunities for a quality education and the opportunity to play college sports. NJCAA schools in Division 1 and 2 are allowed to offer athletic scholarships. NJCAA Division 3 schools do not offer scholarships. This two-year option is a great way for a student to transition to an academic and athletic environment before transferring to a 4-year college. It gives players time to mature both academically and athletically.

The NCCAA is the National Christian College Athletic Association and are often members of NCAA or NAIA. The NCCAA is divided into Division 1 and 2 schools. Scholarships are only awarded by NCCAA Division 1 schools.

Where on the website can I find a list of tournaments and other events?

There is a link labeled "tournaments" on the Ticket 2 Greatness website. This list is continually updated.

If I'm participating in a tournament, can Ticket 2 Greatness cover it?

At this point, Ticket 2 Greatness does not cover tournaments, although we will provide stats.

What if I am a post-graduate athlete? What services are available to me?

As a post-graduate athlete you have all of the privileges as undergraduates. This is especially important since professional agents and coaches of professional teams will be actively searching Ticket 2 Greatness for recruiting purposes.

 

Highlight Film info

Highlight Video Package 2 is available everywhere.
Videotape Athlete, Highlight video package 3, and Highlight video package 4 available only in San Antonio, TX.

We hope the answers to these questions help you better understand the recruitment process. Let us know if your questions are not fully answered. Always feel free to get in touch with us for further clarification!