Swim Cuts (Time Standards)
Swim cuts are time standards that qualify a swimmer for a championship meet. Major cuts include Olympic Trials cuts, NCAA cuts (A and B), Futures, US Open, and Sectionals. Hitting these cuts in high school is a major signal in college swim recruiting.
NCAA cuts come in two tiers: A cuts (automatic invite to NCAA Championships) and B cuts (eligible if the field needs more swimmers). Hitting an NCAA B cut as a high school senior puts you on the radar for top D1 scholarships.
University Swim Fit's per-school recruiting standards (A/B/C tiers) are different from NCAA championship cuts — ours describe what a specific program looks for in incoming recruits. NCAA cuts describe what's needed to score at the national meet.
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