So you think you’d like to play your sport in college?

Rationale:
Why participate in athletics in high school?  Why look to participate beyond high school? It is a researched fact that students who engage in athletics (or other forms of extra curricular activity) while in high school have better grades, attendance, satisfaction with school, and long term career success combined with lower rates of disciplinary action, drug/alcohol and tobacco use.

In addition, the NCAA has determined that students who continue to remain involved in athletics at the college or university level have higher graduation rates (particularly female and minority students.)

Also, be prepared to have the “student” part of high school student-athlete given greater consideration by college coaches due to the NCAA’s recent academic reforms. Colleges and universities have to prove academic progress and satisfactory graduation rates among student-athletes in order to continue offering scholarships and aid in the amounts they are used to.

First: Get Organized:

The first thing you need to do is download and save your academic transcript. 

Second: Make a Student-Athlete Profile:
Then you’ll need to create a Student-Athlete Profile (similar to a professional resume) that you will eventually send to the coaches or recruiting coordinator for the schools in which you are interested. This document briefly, but in a clear and organized fashion, describes who you are as a student, athlete, and community member. As you progress throughout your high school career you should revisit this profile to update or add to your accomplishments. R

Third: Get to Know the NCAA:

To register with the NCAA upload the link from the NCAA’s Guide for the College Bound Athlete.  http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/CBSA.pdf to access the NCAA Guide to the College Bound Athlete . After having read through the Guide for the College Bound Athlete and having registered for NCAA Eligibility Center, make an appointment to see your OHS guidance counselor, to complete the NCAA Request for Release Form.

Fourth: Research Schools: 

You should also be considering where might be a good place for you to go: what schools compete in my sport? At what level of play? How do my skills, physical attributes, and academic performance match up with other students and athletes that are already there? Click here to access the www.NCAASportListing  to find out which colleges and universities offer competition in your sport. You may search by geographic sport or sport and level of play or region of the country.

Once you’ve found out what schools sponsor your sport in a part of the country or at a level you believe might be right for you (list them in your organizer) it’s time to discover if you and that school are a good fit.