FAQs

Why should I enroll in the Diamond College Advisory Team program?

Quite simply, to improve your chances of gaining acceptance to the college of your choice. That choice will likely be based on a number of factors including academics, baseball, social life, etc. We have the depth of knowledge and experience to be able to provide you with a huge advantage as you go through the process. Your participation in the Diamond College Advisory Team program is a great investment in your future.

Who may apply for the Diamond College Advisory Team Program?

The Diamond College Advisory Team Program is national in scope and anyone may apply from anywhere in the country. Because applicants enter the program at different times, it does not matter when a student-athlete applies for admission. The program is available to all freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. The earliest a student-athlete may apply is June 1 of the summer before the start of his/her freshman year.

What kind of student-athlete makes the best candidate for the program?

The Diamond College Advisory Team program is not for everyone. It is geared to the serious college bound student-athlete. We are interested in assisting individuals (and families) who are eager to learn and who are willing to work with us to find the best college fit. Ideal candidates have a strong aca-demic record, are academically diligent, possess college level baseball ability, and are well regarded by their references. The program director and advisors review each candidate for admission on a case-by-case basis and consider all relevant information before making a final decision.

The program is designed for potential college baseball players in any division. Whether you are a "blue chip" division l prospect or someone fighting for a spot on a division lll team, DCAT can tailor a program designed specifically for you.

What if I am a Blue Chip prospect?

Sometimes being heavily recruited is a tougher road than being barely recruited. You may have numerous choices, all of which sound pretty good, and you may not want to say "no" to a coach who has put in long hours recruiting you. The pressure to verbally commit, sometimes even during a visit, can be overwhelming. Because we understand these pressures, we:

• Help you to navigate between the various offers and put them on a level playing field
• Assist you in understanding the full ramifications of each offer including the quality of the coaching staffs and the relative academic institutions
• Appropriately garner and use leverage
• Assist in appropriately communicating with coaches in a classy and effective manner
• Help to finalize difficult decisions based on objective reasoning and instinctive "feel"

What if I'm not a Blue Chip prospect?

The vast majority of high school athletes (over 90%) are either not recruited or lightly recruited. The reality is that many of these athletes are not recruited because they don't know how to go about getting recruited so they sit back and wait. Coaches want players to show an active interest in their programs. The DCAT will help you:

• Understand how to "recruit yourself" to coaches
• Develop a proactive self-marketing plan
• Increase your baseball options
• Plan unofficial visit strategies
• Act as an ongoing sounding board to help make sense out of the seemingly confused college admissions process

When is the best time to apply for enrollment into the Diamond College Advisory Team program?

While we believe the best time to begin actively thinking about the college admission process is the summer before a student-athlete's sophomore year, there is technically no "late" enrollment for the program. Still, we strongly encourage student-athletes to get a jumpstart on the recruiting process. The earlier this begins, the more consultation is received and the better prepared he will ultimately be entering college.

We understand that many student-athletes will discover the program at different times during their high school years, so we will accept applications at any point after the first day of freshman year.

How do you assign an advisor?

Advisor assignment is based upon your preference and the advisor's availability. We have the utmost confidence in all of our advisors.

Can we change advisors midway through if it's not working?

Our goal is your satisfaction and acceptance to a great school for you. If you feel that that can be better achieved by switching advisors, we will do our best, pending time availability, to accommodate your wishes.

Will you call some coaches for me and push to get me into a school?

It is not the DCAT's duty to contact coaches on your behalf. College coaches do not want anyone acting as an "agent" for players and much prefer to be contacted by student-athletes who express their interest and ask questions themselves. Their recruiting mentality is the same as ours at Diamond: they look for leaders who display initiative, exude energy and confidence, and show a "take charge" attitude.

We will arm you with the tools you need to gain acceptance on your own, through your own work and dedication. We will act as references (as appropriate) for you and will speak with coaches and admissions counselors in that capacity only.