Looking to transfer...information and things I need to know. (Run for a very good college program currently)

I transferred.

You will have to be released by your school at some point, and you would be better off if they heard it from you. They will probably have no desire to train you for somebody else’s program, though. That’s not realistic.

If you transfer to the same division or to a higher division, you will lose a year of eligibility. If you transfer down a division, you will keep all of your eligibility.

At least, that’s the way it was 15 or so years ago.

Same division as in D1,D2,D3 or division as in the conference they are in?

D1 D2 D3.

The exception is that you can move from d3 to d3 without penalty. Or, you could 15ish years ago.

I don't think in track/cross-country you would need to sit out. I know of transfers who switched and they just ran at the school the following year.

If you want to start looking at other schools you need a release.

If you get a release your coach will know you are transferring; he will likely ask you to leave the team. They probably will not be rude about it, but no one wants to work with someone who is checking out.

Your current school will likely clear you to compete, provided you don't transfer within the conference or region, so you will not have to sit out at your new institution.

If you are confident you are transferring it is best to just get it over with and begin looking at other schools.

This is pretty universal for freshmen transfers. A lot of coaches have a different philosophies when it comes to 5th years.

We barely race the other schools I am interested in but at the regional meets the schools are there. I am a good runner but nothing amazing to where it would have a huge impact at least right this moment. Do you think the coach would make me sit out and how would I know if he did or not?

#1. Talk to your coach

#2. Talk to your coach

#3. Talk to your coach

Then go see compliance.

Anything you do in this process without permission from your current coach and school will come back to bite you as most of it is against NCAA rules, and the remainder of it is unethical.

I repeat the step BEFORE writing on let'srun was to TALK TO YOUR COACH.

I do not want to have to go a whole second semester without running and be at this school and just train on my own. Wouldn't if I did this process early I would not be able to compete outdoors and get kicked off the team?

TransferCollege wrote:

I do not want to have to go a whole second semester without running and be at this school and just train on my own. Wouldn't if I did this process early I would not be able to compete outdoors and get kicked off the team?

you wouldn't train on your own you're just not able to compete in meets for your new schoolif you have to "sit out a year." Can still race but you race unattached and obviously cannot compete in Conference/Championship meets.

I am talking about the old school the second semester would not want me to run for them if I alerted them this early and got a release to talk to other coaches

Looks like you are attempting to avoid consequence for your choices. You chose to attend your current school, signed a scholarship agreement for a year, perhaps even signed an NLI. that choice comes with rights, responsibilities, rules and penalties. You are subject to all of them. So make your choice and accept your consequence. Speak to your coach and speak to compliance. If you coach has to replace you on next year's team, he is recruiting RIGHT NOW for next year. Telling him in the middle or end of semester 2 makes replacing you more difficult. Do the right thing.

College is about maturing. If you made the wrong choice to attend your current school, learn from the mistake and accept your consequences.

If you choose to act in violation of ncaa rules, or good ethical standards, be sure you are willing to accept the consequences of those choices as well.

#1. Talk to your coach

#2. Talk to your coach

#3. Talk to your coach

Then go see compliance.

Anything you do in this process without permission from your current coach and school will come back to bite you as most of it is against NCAA rules, and the remainder of it is unethical.

I repeat the step BEFORE writing on let'srun was to TALK TO YOUR COACH.

This.

Also, and very important additional consideration...assuming you are in your first year, you need to complete one year in residence at your current school. If you leave current school after 1 semester, the clock starts ticking again and you need to wait one year until you are eligible to run for new school. This residency rule is separate from getting your release from current school (if they don't release you, you can't compete for new school until you sit for a year).

If you are on a scholarship at your current school (NCAA D1, D2?) and looking to lateral transfer or transfer up to another school then you will (eventually) need a release from your current school to be eligible at the new school. If you don't get a release, then you can expect to "red-shirt" a season at the new school before becoming eligible to compete again. If this other school is in the same conference or a regular competitor with your current school, then they may be less motivated to grant the release.

If you transfer down (D1>D2>D3), then you don't need a release.

If you aren't on scholarship, then this should be much less of an issue.

Excuse me for giving conflicting advice, and I may be wrong about this, but you don't want to "poison the well" with your current coach until you know you will be admitted (and when) at another school. If a coach at the new school can't/won't talk to you because of NCAA rules, they will let you know. It's best for you to do the leg-work to find out what school is a better fit for you and apply and get admitted so then you have an option and a decision to make.

Most coaches would want to know sooner than later what your plans are as far as continuing with the team (or being on a scholarship), but until you know for sure that you have a better option then you are better off keeping a low profile. If you coach finds he has another scholarship to award when a new season starts, he can offer it to current walk-on athlete if it's passed the recruiting window.

It's OK to say that your educational goals will be better met by the new school for your reason to change schools, and most people will understand.

Finally, if you are unhappy with your current school but unsure of where you want to go next, look into transferring to a community college that has a XC/track program and transfer agreements with other schools.

with the exception of division 3, you need a release in ALL instances. EVEN WHEN TRANSFERRING DOWN. Shoot, even if you don't run at a school and want to transfer to run at a new school, the new school has to get a release from the current school., even though you aren't an athlete at your current school.

So AGAIN, TALK TO YOUR COACH and TALK TO COMPLIANCE because the bad advice you are getting here will cause you even more difficulty if you choose to accept it as correct.

And even if you are the number 1 guy on the team, life will go on for the coach and the program you are in. Do the right thing, not the easy thing.

The reason you would sit this spring is because once notified, a coach is going to stop investing in a freshmen who is transferring.

As I said before, a coach will probably be professional about it; but not pleased. They will look to make a clean and immediate break. The coach will know (because compliance will tell them if you don't) about your intent to transfer. You need to declare this sooner rather than later if you want to start looking into other schools and programs.

Just get it over with and accept that you will be red shirting this indoor and outdoor. You can use those seasons as a graduate student if you are on a four year plan (although most transfers have a hard time graduating on time and need a fifth year anyway).