So, you’re a high-level athlete who wants to compete collegiately. You’ve committed time, effort, and energy to being the best athlete you can be, competing for your high school team, your club team, working on speed and agility, lifting weights, and developing your skill set.

Just like playing slots in a casino where the outcome is not something you can predict with any degree of certainty, so, too, is the game of collegiate athletic recruitment. In light of the Operation Varsity Blues scandal, the college admissions process and particularly athletic recruitment practices have come under heavy scrutiny, but the process is actually much more complicated and selective than many believe. Here’s a look at what really goes into being recruited as an athlete at the Division I level.

When watching the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, I was in awe of the high school-aged kids like Chloe Kim and Red Gerard on Team USA. How do they balance their intensive training and extensive travel schedules with homework and school commitments? Surely being an Olympic athlete is impressive, but how do sports affect the college admissions process for regular students?

Many high school athletes dream of continuing to play their sport at the collegiate level, whether it’s at a Division I, II, or III school. From football and basketball to swimming, baseball, softball, and more, there are a number of sports in which student athletes can be recruited to play at the next level, but it’s important for students to understand the basics of the athletic recruiting process before deciding if it’s an avenue they want to pursue.