12 Point Checklist When Signing a NLI

In one of our older blog articles, we wrote about "5 Things You Need to Know Before Signing".
That article will give you a good overview of the entire process, what's required of you and the implications of signing a National Letter of Intent (NLI); a binding document between you and a university, specifying the amount of athletics financial aid you will receive in return for attending the university for one academic year.
Definitely go ahead and check it out by clicking here.

Today however is all about making sure you complete the NLI the way you should, getting the formalities in place without missing any of the essential elements.

National Letter of Intent

Let's walk you through what you are typically required to do by starting out with the actual National Letter of Intent. Check the following list of points before and after completing your part of the work:

1. Is your personal information correct?
2. Did you sign on the line "Prospective Student-Athlete Signature"?
3. Did you put the date on the line "Signing Date (Mth/Day/Yr)"?
4. Did you put the time on the line "Time (Mth/Day/Yr)" and did you circle A.M. or P.M.?
5. Did your parent or legal guardian sign on the line "Parent or Legal Guardian Signature"?
6. Did your parent or legal guardian put the date on the line "Signing Date (Mth/Day/Yr)"?
7. Did your parent or legal guardian put the time on the line "Time (Mth/Day/Yr)" and did they circle A.M. or P.M.?
8. Did your parent or legal guardian put the name on the line "Print name of Parent/Legal Guardian"?
9. Did your parent or legal guardian put the phone number on the line "Telephone Number"? Did you include the country/area code?
10. Did your parent or legal guardian put the email address on the line "Email Address"?

Note that your parent or legal guardian only needs to sign and complete the NLI if you are below 21 years of age!

Institutional Financial Aid Agreement

The NLI is accompanied by a Institutional Financial Aid Agreement, specifying the amount of athletic scholarship money you are offered. Check so you complete the following two parts of the Aid Agreement:

1. Did you sign the athletic financial aid agreement?
2. Did you date the athletic financial aid agreement?

Note again that the university issuing the NLI might require your parent or legal guardian to sign the financial aid agreement if you are below 21 years of age, but it is not mandatory!

The coaches and the respective athletics department will support you in making sure you complete everything in the right way, but stick to these 12 points on the checklist and you will get pretty far. In case you are in doubt reach out to your contacts at the school, where you are about to sign. Feel free to also reach out to us at contact@smarthlete.com in case you have a question related to the signing of the NLI.

For all of you who are not close to signing a NLI yet, but who expect to be looking for a scholarship at a school anytime soon, check out what we have in store for you on Smarthlete.