Student-Athletes Answer 14 Questions about the Transfer Portal

A Step Toward Fairness or a Free-For-All?

The NCAA transfer portal has changed college sports. For some, it’s a step toward fairness. For others, it’s a free-for-all that’s destroying team culture.

Coaches are frustrated. Fans are disoriented. Athletic departments are scrambling. But what about the student-athletes themselves?

This month, I used my NIL Research Poll (a panel of 5,000 current college student-athletes) to go straight to the source. I asked student-athletes to talk about what they really think about the transfer portal. Below, I explain some of the key issues and share the latest poll results.

Why the Portal is “Broken”

The specific problem you have with the transfer portal depends on where you live in the college athletics ecosystem.

  • Coaches say it’s harder than ever to build a program and re-recruiting their own players has become a full-time job.

  • Administrators have to manage scholarship numbers in real time.

  • Fans feel like the “team” they support is constantly shifting and they find it hard to stay emotionally invested in players.

  • The Media often frame the portal as chaos, especially during high-profile transfers.

But the reasons we (mostly) agree on that the portal is broken include…

1. Lack of Roster Stability

  • Coaches lose key players with little notice

  • Teams struggle to build long-term systems or culture

  • Constant turnover leads to short-term thinking on behalf of student-athletes

2. Free Agency

  • The lack of guardrails makes it feel like pro sports—without contracts

  • Athletes jump programs for short-term gain

  • Critics argue loyalty and development are no longer valued

3. Tampering and Poaching

  • Student-Athletes are being recruited while still on another team’s roster

  • NIL money is used to lure athletes away from their current programs

  • This undermines fairness and creates distrust among programs

4. Mid-Major Programs Being Drained

  • Mid-majors programs develop talent, only to see those athletes transfer

  • Power 4 schools swoop in with the promise of more exposure and NIL potential

  • Competitive balance may be worsening

5. Academic Concerns

  • Many student-athletes lose credits when they transfer, forcing them to switch majors or take extra semesters to graduate

  • Athletes may meet NCAA eligibility rules while falling behind on actual degree completion due to inconsistent academic requirements between schools

  • Some athletes now prioritize athletic and NIL opportunities over academic goals, raising concerns about long-term career readiness

What Do Student-Athletes Think?

Student-Athletes see it differently.

Many support the portal because it gives them the same freedom coaches already have. They also say it protects their mental health and opens up new opportunities.

But they also see the downsides—stress, uncertainty, pressure to perform, and being labeled disloyal.

To get beyond the anecdotes, we asked 1,095 student-athletes to share their experiences in this month’s NIL Research Poll.

1. Do you think current NCAA transfer portal rules are fair to student-athletes?

  • Yes – 72%

  • No – 18%

  • Not sure – 10%

Interpretation: Most student-athletes support the current rules because they feel it gives them the same freedom coaches have.

2. Should student-athletes be allowed to transfer once without penalty (no sitting out)?

  • Yes – 85%

  • No – 7%

  • Only under certain conditions – 8%

Interpretation: A large majority favor the current one-time transfer freedom as a basic right.

3. Do you believe the transfer portal has helped student-athletes overall?

  • Helped – 64%

  • Hurt – 18%

  • Neutral / No impact – 18%

Interpretation: While most believe it’s a net positive, a sizable minority think it creates new problems.

4. Do you personally know someone who transferred because of:

  • Lack of playing time – 70%

  • Coaching change – 60%

  • Mental health or toxic environment – 45%

  • Academic fit – 30%

  • Better NIL opportunities – 20%

  • Other – 10%

Interpretation: Most transfers are still driven by on-field or coaching factors, not NIL.

5. On a scale of 1–5, how confident would you feel about entering the portal if you wanted to transfer?

Average: 3.2 out of 5

Interpretation: Athletes are cautious. They know entering the portal doesn’t guarantee a landing spot.

6. Has the transfer portal made you feel more or less secure in your current team role?

  • Less secure – 52%

  • No change – 34%

  • More secure – 14%

Interpretation: The portal has created a more unstable environment where athletes feel more replaceable.

Opinions on Potential Reforms or Improvements

7. Should student-athletes be allowed to transfer more than once without sitting out?

  • Yes – 44%

  • No – 36%

  • Only with special approval – 20%

Interpretation: Opinions are split. Many support one-time freedom but want some structure for repeat transfers.

8. Should there be stricter rules against tampering and recruiting players already on a roster?

  • Yes – 76%

  • No – 12%

  • Not sure – 12%

Interpretation: Even athletes recognize that tampering is widespread and undermines trust.

9. Should athletes be required to meet certain academic progress to transfer?

  • Yes – 49%

  • No – 36%

  • Only at certain schools or divisions – 15%

Interpretation: Nearly half support minimum academic progress, but many worry this could limit flexibility.

10. Would you support a designated "transfer window" (a limited time each year to enter the portal)?

  • Yes – 58%

  • No – 25%

  • Depends on the timing – 17%

Interpretation: Most are open to the idea of structure, as long as the window is reasonable.

11. What would make the transfer portal process better for student-athletes?

  • More education about risks and benefits – 70%

  • Guidance from third-party advisors – 62%

  • More transparency from coaches/programs – 55%

  • Guaranteed academic support after transfer – 40%

  • Access to NIL opportunities before transferring – 25%

Interpretation: Education, transparency, and neutral advising are top priorities.

Open-Ended Reflections (Sample Summaries)

12. What do you like most about the current transfer portal rules?

Summary: Most athletes value the freedom to leave a bad situation and find a better fit. They appreciate having control over their own careers.

13. What concerns or frustrations do you have with the current portal system?

Summary: Athletes worry about the uncertainty of finding a new team, being ghosted by coaches, and the fear of ending up with no options.

14. What changes would you make to improve the transfer process for student-athletes?

Summary: They want more honest conversations with coaches, access to neutral advisors, and better protections against being tampered with or misled.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Like NIL, the transfer portal is here to stay.

But also like NIL, we need change - and student-athletes support change in the form of

  • Tighter transfer windows

  • Academic requirements

  • More enforcement around tampering

About Bill Carter

Bill has advised brands on Name, Image, Likeness for 25 years—first in pro sports, now at the college level. He was the Co-Founder of the Gen Z sports agency Fuse, which he sold in 2019. In 2020, he founded Student-Athlete Insights and consults on NIL strategy with Fortune 500 companies and 30+ DI universities. Read more about Student-Athlete Insights.

Bill Carter