Players College Prep Timeline
Freshman:
§ Grades really start to count. Everyone gets a fresh start and an opportunity to get ahead of your competition.
Sophomore:
§ Grades…..Grades…..Grades….Grades
§ Start preparations for taking your SAT/ACT college tests.
§ Check with your school counselor about the requirements of the NCAA Clearinghouse in regards to core courses that must be completed to compete in NCAA athletics.
§ Watch some college soccer matches. This is great way to improve your understanding of the game and it will help you to set standards for your own achievement.
§ Begin identifying 8-10 schools where you would be interested in playing soccer. Send them your first resume and a schedule of major tournaments you will be attending with your team.
§ Remind the college coaches when you are attending a tournament or ODP regional/nation camp through the use of email.
§ It is important to maintain your contact with the coaches by calling and emailing them. They can not return either of these at this point but it is important to keep them up to date and to show your continued interest.
§ Check and see if any of the 10 schools you are interested in has a summer camp. This would allow you to check out the campus, ask current players what they think of the program and coaching staff, and check with admissions to find out what the requirements are.
Junior:
§ Keep working hard in school.
§ Update your list of schools that you are interested in. Keep communicating with those schools through email and phone calls. Collegiate coaches can return email during your junior year, but they cannot return phone calls. Make sure that you constantly remind them of your soccer schedule and be sure to update them on any changes.
§ Refine your list to include academic interests.
§ Keep the DG Staff updated with your schools and coaches of interest. The Staff will help you determine if your list is realistic and we will help in the contacting of the collegiate head coaches.
§ Update your resume and send them out again to the coaches.
§ Take your SAT/ACT test for the first time
Senior:
§ Finish strong with your grades!
§ Take the ACT/SAT test until you get the score that you need. You can take it as often as you want to.
§ Continue to keep in contact with the coaches. They can call you once per week.
§ Send in your records to the NCAA Clearinghouse at the beginning of your senior year so that you will be cleared to compete in NCAA athletics.
§ You are allowed 5 official visits to colleges. Official indicates that the school pays for some portion of your trip. You can take as many unofficial visits as you want to. Official visits can start the 1st day the school is in session for the fall season.
§ If you aren’t getting much attention from your list of schools by January, you need to focus on a smaller number of schools and get after the coaches. You also may need to re-evaluate your school choices and make sure your expectations aren’t too high.
