Recruiting questionnaires and camps: what they actually do for you

Questionnaires and camps are the two doors almost every college program asks you to walk through. In our look at 25 programs' recruiting pages, 23 asked for the questionnaire and 9 pointed to camps or ID clinics. Here's what each one does, from the programs' own pages and the NCAA's rules.

The recruiting questionnaire

Where it goes

When you submit a program's questionnaire, it goes into that program's recruiting system:

Tufts lacrosse says filling it out automatically places you in our recruiting database.
Kenyon says your questionnaire will be sent directly to that sport's head coach.
Middlebury women's soccer says it creates your player profile, so coaches can see it and send you information. Its form also notes that your information may be shared with third parties.
Springfield men's soccer shares it with the college's admissions office.

Many colleges run these forms on recruiting software (Brown's teams use Teamworks, for example). That's why the link sometimes opens on another website. On HomeTeam, the "Recruiting form" button on each team shows where the form lives.

What it asks

A typical form asks about your academics and intended major, your high school and club teams, positions, playing history, awards and physical measurements. A junior college volleyball form we read also asks for height, vertical jump and approach touch. Have your schedule, video link and grades handy before you start.

What it isn't

Not an application. DePauw's volleyball page notes that the questionnaire is not the college's admission application. You still apply to the college.
Not an offer. Whitworth men's soccer says they don't typically offer spots based on video alone, and the same goes for a form alone.
Not the last step. Gordon, St. Lawrence, Springfield and Whitworth all ask you to follow up with your own email, video, schedule and, later, your transcript. Here's how to write that email.

Why a coach might not answer yet

Filling out the form is always allowed. Whether the coach can reply depends on the level, sport and your grade:

NCAA Division I: coaches can't send recruiting emails or questionnaires before a set date. VCU's compliance office lists June 15 after sophomore year for many sports and September 1 of junior year for others, such as baseball and women's basketball. In softball it's September 1 of junior year.
Division II: the NCAA's 2026-27 guide allows recruiting materials and communication at any time.
Division III and NAIA: far fewer limits. The NAIA says you can contact its coaches at any time.

Camps and clinics

Why coaches hold them

For many programs, especially at smaller colleges, the camp is where recruiting really happens:

Whitworth men's soccer calls its ID camp the most important part of our recruiting process.
Middlebury women's soccer says our assessments take place during our on-campus clinics and camps.
Springfield men's soccer runs ID clinics so the staff can assess your skill set in person.
St. Lawrence volleyball: There is no better way to demonstrate your skills.

There is no better way to demonstrate your skills.

St. Lawrence volleyball, on its camps

You also get to see the campus, the facilities, and how the coaches run a practice. That counts as much as being seen.

Prospect camps vs. youth camps

Read the camp page's grade line and its purpose:

Prospect or ID camps are for high school athletes and say so. RIT's softball prospect camp is for college bound softball players in grades 9 to 12. Its men's soccer prospect ID clinic includes evaluation by the staff. One-day prospect clinics we saw cost about $120 to $195.
Youth or skills camps are for younger players (grades 4 to 8, or ages 10 to 18 "all skills") and focus on skill development. They can be great, but they aren't recruiting events. HomeTeam only lists camps open to 7th grade or older.
Showcases run by outside companies bring many college coaches to one place. Some programs list the outside events their staff attends, which is the best way to know a showcase is worth it for you.

The rules coaches follow

Open to everyone. NCAA Division I camps must be open to any and all entrants, limited only by number, age, grade level or gender, and advertised at least 14 days ahead (NCAA Quick Guide, February 2026).
No special deals. A college can't give a recruited athlete free or reduced camp admission (NCAA Bylaw 13.12.1.7). At Division III, a free or reduced camp after starting ninth grade can affect your eligibility.
Same treatment. The University of Georgia's compliance office notes that prospects at camp cannot be treated differently from other campers.
No recruiting talk too early. Coaches can coach you at camp, but recruiting conversations wait until your sport's permitted date.
Softball and volleyball: for camp rules you count as a prospect from seventh grade.
NAIA: camps and clinics do not count as a tryout.

How to make a camp count

Pick programs that fit you first: academically, athletically and financially.
On each program's card, open Camps and clinics. HomeTeam shows the next date and, for many programs, the camps currently open, with price.
Fill out the program's questionnaire before camp, so the staff knows who you are.
Email the coach that you're coming, with your name, grad year and position. (How to write it.)
Add the camp to your list as a date. HomeTeam suggests when to register and when to let the coaches know you'll be there.
Afterward, a short thank-you in your own words, and an update when you have new video or a new schedule.

Sources

All pages read November 13, 2026.