Students interested in college athletics face added responsibility and obligations during the college search and application process.
Popp & Associates provides specialized athletic counseling services to address the unique college admission needs of student-athletes. These services include consultation, eligibility assessment, strategy development, and offer evaluation.
P&A’s athletic counseling services begin with an Athletic Consultation Package that assesses a student’s candidacy for college athletics and provides guidance regarding where to direct the student’s search. The package includes up to three hours of athletic counseling services.
After the initial consultation, student-athletes can enroll in a comprehensive Athletic Counseling Package that provides up to eight hours of athletic counseling and includes the following services:
- Detailed assessment of academic and athletic strengths
- Evaluation of candidacy for athletic scholarships
- Assistance with applying to schools and attracting college athletic recruiters
- Recommendations for Division I, II or III programs that best fit client’s needs and goals
- Advice regarding the following recruitment processes:
- NCAA recruitment procedures, rules, deadlines, and policies
- NCAA Eligibility Center and related policies for student-athletes
- Athletic-admissions rubrics including the Ivy League Academic Index
- Recommendations for engagement in athletic camps, clinics, and showcases
- Development of strategies for coach-to-coach contact
- Creation of athletic resumes and cover letters for athletic coaches
- Guidance for generating film highlight packages
- Review of athletic and admission offers from colleges
Note: The Athletic Counseling Package may only be purchased in conjunction with a college counseling package.
Click here to download a complete list of Athletic Counseling Services available.
For an overview of Popp & Associates College Counseling services, click here.
Tom Walsh
P&A Athletic Counselor
A Boston native and a career educator, Tom has been helping students navigate the college search process for over twelve years with a special interest in the area of athletic recruitment. He has guided students through the recruitment process within all levels of intercollegiate and post-graduate play for a variety of sports. Tom has also coordinated panel discussions on the topic and regularly attends symposia focused on the role of athletics in college admission. In addition, Tom has extensive coaching experience at the varsity and middle school levels of American football, basketball, and lacrosse and has played American football, lacrosse, and collegiate rugby.
Tom is a magna cum laude graduate of Bowdoin College (Classics & English) and holds a Master’s degree from Dartmouth College. Since 1983, Tom has been a secondary school teacher and administrator where he has held various positions, including Director of Admission, Foreign Language Department Chair, and Associate Director of College Counseling. Currently he serves as the Director of College Guidance and as a Latin teacher at a local independent school. Tom is a member of the New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC) where he served on and chaired the Current Trends subcommittee. In addition, Tom is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Boston Independent School College Counselors Association (BISCCA) and the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS).
