The recruitment process begins two years before a junior athlete signs with a university. This is so that prospective student-athletes have ample time to follow the process and maximize their recruitment success. For example, an athlete looking to begin his/ her first year in college in August 2022 will usually confirm their spot between November 2021 and April 2022, which means the recruitment process starts later this year in November 2019 at 15 years of age. The process in its entirety can be overwhelming, but once you break it down into smaller chunks, it becomes more manageable.
Recruiting Checklist
1. Research schools. It’s important to identify the type of colleges that would be a good fit for you academically and athletically. Here are a few helpful questions to ask yourself:
• Do they offer the programs that you’re interested in pursuing?
• What is the academic rank and acceptance rate of the university?
2. Build a college list based on your research. Categorize and rank the colleges according to “Dream,” “Reach,” and “Fit” based on your academic and sports profile.
Universities with an average score that matches yours will be considered as a “Fit” while those with a scoring average 2-3 stroke better are a “Reach” and 4-6 strokes better are a “Dream”. Categorizing schools helps you set goals for how much you need to improve for the schools that you wish to pursue.
