When do you become a prospective student-athlete?

You become a "prospective student-athlete" when you start ninth-grade classes. Before the ninth grade, you become a prospective student-athlete if a college gives you (or your relatives or friends) any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide to prospective students generally.

You become a "recruited prospective student-athlete" at a particular college if any coach or representative of the college's athletics interests (booster or representative) approaches you (or any member of your family) about enrolling and participating in athletics at that college. Activities by coaches or boosters that cause you to become a recruited prospective student-athlete are:

Providing you with an official visit;

Placing more than one telephone call to you or any other member of your family; or

Visiting you or any other member of your family anywhere other than the college campus.

In addition to general recruiting regulations, no alumni, boosters or representatives of a college's athletics interests can be involved in your recruiting. There can be no phone calls or letters from boosters.

The restriction doesn't apply to recruiting by alumni or representatives as part of a college's regular admissions program for all prospective students, including non-athletes.

You (or your family) may not receive any benefit, inducement or arrangement such as cash, clothing, cars, improper expenses, transportation, gifts or loans to encourage you to sign a National Letter of Intent or attend an NCAA college.

Letters from coaches, faculty members and students (but not boosters) aren't permitted until September 1 at the beginning of your junior year.