Many people end up at the wrong school because they can't differentiate between NCAA Divisions I, II, and III. If you wind up in the wrong athletic division, you're bound to be miserable.

So let's consider some of the key aspects of NCAA Division I recruiting. Division I recruiting differs from recruiting in the other divisions in several ways.

First of all, coaches are typically afforded several athletic scholarships. Scholarships can be both good and bad. On the one hand, a scholarship can lessen the financial burden of going to college. On the other hand, scholarships can often entice you to a mismatch school. An important point for NCAA Division I recruiting: Scholarships can be dangerous.

Here are a few other points to remember when preparing for the NCAA Division I recruiting process:

• Division I colleges are big: And as such, roster spots are often very competitive. It is in a coach's best interest to attract as many talented players as possible. Sometimes, a coach may conveniently forget to mention that he has already offered a scholarship to another player who plays your position. Remember: Division I recruiting can be tricky.


• Year-round commitment: Sometimes coaches won't make this entirely clear, but when you're being recruited for Division I athletics, you're being asked to play sports year-round. For some people, this is great. For others, this stinks. If you were planning to use your free time to try a bunch of new activities in college, you should perhaps opt not to be recruited for NCAA Division I.


• Top teams compete at an elite level: But not all D1 teams do. Some lower Division I schools, which may not be quite as talented, are still forced to play the dominant powerhouses. In many cases, there are Division III schools with talent comparable to that of lower Division I schools, the main difference being that these DIII schools won't be over-matched on a routine basis.

For many students, the NCAA Division I recruiting process is a blessing. In the best case, you would get a large scholarship to play for a great-fit college. In many cases, though, this is not what happens. The point is that Division I is not for everybody. The recruiting process is meant to help you, not hurt you.

Compare Division I recruiting to NCAA Division II recruiting and NCAA Division III recruiting.