Take challenging courses, keep your grades up and work on study skills.
Begin talking with your counselor about core class requirements and let them know of your interest in playing collegiate level athletics.
Attend sports camps and start a sports resume, building on it each year.
Realistically analyze your athletic abilities and start thinking about academic and career goals.
Sophomore Year
Keep your grades up and choose challenging courses.
Update your sports resume (and maybe begin a videotape – upload to YouTube).
Talk with high school and club coaches about your abilities and ambitions.
Begin compiling a tentative list of colleges. Use your parents, coaches and guidance counselor as resources.
Make preliminary inquiries to colleges that interest you (send interest letter, resume and schedule of upcoming sport activities). Try to do this before the summer tournament/recruiting camp season.
Take every opportunity to participate in your sport to maximize your exposure and increase your skills in the summer before junior year and fall of junior year.
Junior Year
Keep your grades up and choose challenging senior year courses. The GPA reported to colleges is the one you have at the end of your junior year.
Talk with coaches about a realistic assessment of which college level you can play.
Talk with your counselor about career goals and core course requirements. Make sure you understand the transcript request process and what services and resources your counselor can help you with.
Take the SAT or ACT at least once in the spring of your junior year, twice if possible (March & May or June).
Refine your list of schools. Know each schools entrance requirements (courses, SAT II’s, etc.)
Update your sports resume.
Make unofficial visits to some of the schools you are interested in. Try to meet with the coach on these visits.
Make second contact with coaches expressing your interest at the end of the junior year. Send updated academic and sport info, including schedule of upcoming summer participation.
Work on lining up teachers and/or coaches for letters of recommendation.
** If you are a spring sport athlete, you need to make contact with coaches before your junior season so they can see you early on. Also consider a camp between junior and senior year when peak recruiting begins.
Summer before Senior Year/Early Fall of Senior Year
Take every opportunity to participate in your sport to maximize your exposure and increase your skills.
Fulfill NCAA Clearinghouse obligations in mid-summer to early fall if you are thinking Div I or II.
Talk to college coaches about visits (official and unofficial). Be aware of recruiting rules regarding visits.
Make sure the courses you have registered for fulfill graduation requirements and meet NCAA Clearinghouse regulations.
Keep your grades up. Colleges will be looking at senior year grades and courses.
Register for the SAT, SAT II’s or ACT, if necessary.
Sit with your parents and coach to list pros/cons of each school you’re considering. Make your final decision based on a meaningful education, good career prep, and a satisfying athletic experience.
Attend college fairs, financial aid info sessions, and sign up for college admission visits in the guidance office.
Consider info about Early Decision or Early Action admission to college and Early Signing (of the National Letter of Intent) for athletic participation and/or a scholarship (www.national-letter.org).
Decide which colleges to apply to and make sure to meet their deadlines.
Send completed applications and transcripts to colleges, preferably before winter break.
When you decide on a school, notify all schools recruiting you and thank them for the opportunity.