Student-Athletes experience college admissions in a WHOLE different way than all other students. For one thing, they start the process by the end of sophomore year, sending optimally 50-80 initial letters and athletic profile resumes to colleges around the country, with the hope of hearing back from 10-15%. That takes some advanced planning!
Student-athletes must make academics a HUGE priority, starting in 9th grade to keep the most options open. Identifying a primary sport is critical and it’s a good idea to get some private training in the freshman and sophomore years, constantly working on improving skills and conditioning. By the time junior year rolls around, it’s time to build a videotape… this is the most critical recruiting tool a student-athlete has, so it’s important that it be done well.
Students need to talk to their coaches to assess what level play (D1, D11, D111???) they might accomplish in college. Their grades, test scores and interests determine what academic level they might fit into, and what majors they might like. At that point, a search must be done to mesh athletics, academics and the student’s own personal preferences for the college environment.
By the end of junior year, student-athletes need to register at the NCAA Clearinghouse Eligibility Center.
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