THE RECRUITING DICTIONARY.

A public promise, binding on nobody. Either side can walk away, and both do. It matters socially, not legally.

Until it is a written financial agreement, an “offer” is a coach saying they are interested at that moment. Offers get pulled — roster caps made that more common, not less.

The National Letter of Intent program ended in 2024; signing now means executing the school’s written financial aid or revenue-share agreement. That signature is the first legally binding moment in recruiting.

Coach-speak for “if you say yes today, we will sign you.” Many public “offers” — especially early ones — are not committable.

Headcount sports (FBS football, D1 basketball, a few others) give full scholarships only. Equivalency sports split a scholarship pool into partial offers — which is most sports, and almost all women’s sports.

A roster spot with no athletic money. “Preferred” means the spot is promised before enrollment — get it in writing, and know that roster caps deleted many of these entirely.

Practicing but not competing for a year, preserving a season of eligibility. Not a punishment — often a plan.

Delayed enrollment: the athlete starts college a semester late, pushing the eligibility clock. Usually offered when a class is over-signed — understand whose problem it solves.

A recruiting-status technicality that lets a school sign an athlete as a non-recruit and count them against next year’s class. Rare; if it is offered, ask why.

The hard limit on bodies a D1 revenue-sharing program can carry, which replaced scholarship limits in 2025. The reason walk-on math changed.

Windows when coaches can and cannot meet recruits in person. In a dead period, coaches can still call and text — they just cannot see you face to face.

The two most common dates when direct coach contact opens, depending on sport — June 15 after sophomore year, or September 1 of junior year. Silence before those dates is the rulebook, not rejection.

The school pays some or all of the trip. Limited in number, usually junior year onward — taking one signals mutual seriousness.

Your family pays; effectively unlimited. Where most real evaluation happens for both sides.

A coach watching the athlete compete or practice, counted and regulated separately from contacts.

Name, image, and likeness — endorsement money, separate from scholarships. Different rules in college and high school; see the HS NIL page.

Direct payment from school to athlete at opt-in D1 programs, capped per school, started 2025. Concentrated in football and basketball.

Combining athletic, academic, and need-based aid. The rules on what stacks vary by division and school — the four-year net number is what matters.

What your family actually pays after all aid — the only number worth comparing between schools. The True Cost Calculator exists for this.

Admissions flexibility a coach can spend on a recruit at academically selective schools. Coaches have few; asking whether you need one is a fair question.