| So you want to play COLLEGE SOCCER...
Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics Beyond the High School Interscholastic
Level: http://www.ncaa.org/research/prob_of_competing/
Check out the
current RANKINGS at the colleges
you are interested
What are the DIFFERENCES between DIVISIONS?
WHAT are the ACADEMIC requirements to
play college sports?
First of all-can you get in
to the university with your test scores/GPA/and or class rank? You need to check the admission
requirements for the UNIVERSITY you are interested in. The best way to do that is to go to :
www.collegeboard.com
and do a college search
under college matchmaker. This
allows you to create a list of schools that you are interested in. You can re-visit you list every time
you log in. Check the admission
requirements FIRST. Clean up your
list and take off the colleges you are ruling out as a match for you. You need to end up with one list that
is a list of real possibilities for you academically. Don’t worry if you do not know what you want to major
in. Many students are unsure and
the first two years gives you an opportunity to explore your options. Once you have a list of “your
schools”…you need to check your NCAA Clearinghouse eligibility. Click below to read about that process.
Are you ELIGIBLE to play college sports? Read the NCAA Clearinghouse
requirements for athlete eligibility-
http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/membership_svcs/eligibility-recruiting/faqs/initialeligibility.html
TIMELINE
Freshman
year-WORK
HARD and attend as many SHOWCASE tournaments as possible. You won’t get a look yet-but you need the experience of
playing the competition. You need
to build your Player Profile. PLAY
TO WIN. Go to camp for fun. Take a look at different camps-
Sophomore year-
- start thinking about colleges and take your
PSAT
- Check out your scores and get real about your
college choices. The PSAT is
a very strong indicator of how you will do on the SAT. You will be able to bring up your score
a little but usually it is not a significant increase.
- What if
your scores aren’t all that?
Take your score-go out to the College Board website and seach for
the schools that will accept your scores. There are great schools out there-with good programs that
you can match up with-Don’t give up-you just need to look for your match.
- talk with your trainer and get REAL feedback
regarding your playing ability
- Give your trainer the list of schools that you
are interested in and ask them if you have the ability to compete and play
at that college. You trainer
will give you an honest assessment and will discuss your college list and
your options.
- Revise your list and begin concentrating on
contact with those schools.
- Think about your course offerings that you are
signing up for as a junior.
Are you taking the courses that the Clearinghouse says that you
need?
- Helpful hint: For students on the academic fast track: if you are deciding between dual
embedded credit (also known as concurrent enrollment) or AP…check your
list. If your schools are out
of the state of TEXAS-then you will want to choose the straight AP
route. Dual Embedded credit
*(also known as concurrent enrollment) is usually not accepted out of
state. You need to start your
junior year off on the right track as you move toward your goals.
Summer
between Sophomore and Junior year: You
may want to review your list and attend any summer camps at the universities
you are reviewing. This is also a great time to make an unofficial college visit. It is really important that you go to
the campus and take a look up close and personal. Often-people visit the campus they thought was a first
choice and they realize that it is not a good fit and they revise their
list.
After
September 1 of your Junior year:
- Register with the Clearinghouse
- Contact the college coaches of the school that
you are interested in attending by sending them a letter of interest and
signing up on their page under “recruiting”
- You will need to talk with your trainer so
your trainer can make the necessary contact with those schools. This may be a conversation or
written letter. Your trainer
will determine which is best depending on the school.
Prior
to each showcase email the coaches your profile and another letter of
interest. Tell them what your
tournament schedule will be and invite them to come and see you play.
After September 1 of your Junior year a college coach can
contact you.
****Important
rule applicable to only five states and TEXAS is one of them-You cannot accept
any kind of item from any interested colleges. This includes a decal-bumper sticker-shirt-hat-poster
etc. If you play high school
soccer this is a direct violation of Texas UIL regulations and guidelines. This
will disqualify you as a player for your high school program*****
How do you know if a
school is interested in you?
You
will know because they will bombard you with contact. You will receive constant emails and letters. The letters will be very specific. They will state that they saw you play,
where they saw you play, and they will issue invitations to visit their
program. These letters will be
very different from any letters received prior to September 1 of your Junior
year. As a sophomore, you may
receive letters that are commending you on your academic performance after you
take the PSAT’s. These letters will
offer you information about that school’s academic programs, and will invite
you to consider them as a college choice.
If this happens to you, sift through those letters and keep the ones
that are from schools on your list. The
schools have your information from the College Board. The College Board sends your test scores out to schools
everywhere. As a sophomore you will receive invitations to CAMPS. When you attend showcase tournaments,
the colleges get lists of teams and they send mass mailings to all teams. This doesn’t mean anything. This just means that they are trying to
make more money by having a huge camp.
Important***if
you have contacted a school and they are not initiating any contact with
you-mark them off your list. They
are not interested. If they ARE
interested in you they will be initiating a lot of contact with you on a
regular basis.
So
you have been in touch with a school-you have visited the school-you love it
and the coach of that school wants you to play for them-now what? You will sign a letter of intent.
What is the National
Letter of INTENT?
What is the RECRUITING
CALENDAR for
Div I SOCCER
Div II SOCCER
SENIOR
YEAR:
You should
have a definite plan by the time you begin your senior year. Many students apply for early admission
and dorm space at the beginning of the fall semester. If you have made your choice –submit those
applications and wait to receive your acceptance letters. Once you get that letter-and you have
interacted with the college coach that is recruiting you and you are
certain-then you are ready for signing day.
Direct Links:
DIV I college websites
DIV II college websites
DIV III college
websites:
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