| "body"> | | | | Go ahead and fill it out and send it in. It will probably |
| This is the second of three articles in a series about | | | | get you on a mailing list but it's an easy way to get |
| steps you need to take for college recruiting, during | | | | your feet wet. Understand that lots and lots of kids |
| the all-important junior year of high school. If you | | | | will be sending these in so don't get your hopes up |
| aren't being heavily recruited by the second half of | | | | of anything spectacular happening as a result, but it |
| junior year, you need to take the initiative to get on | | | | will start the ball rolling. |
| the radar screens of coaches at the programs you're | | | | 4. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly |
| interested in. | | | | NCAA Clearinghouse). |
| Take some comfort in knowing that most kids are in | | | | Go online to the NCAA Clearinghouse and register. |
| this situation. Only a very small percentage of | | | | You will have to fill out some information and pay |
| athletes get heavily recruited early in high school. | | | | $50. When your end of junior year grades are in is |
| College coaches are all going after the same kids. | | | | probably a good time to make sure you start this |
| Once those kids make up their minds, there are lots | | | | process. Have your high school guidance counselor |
| of spots for the next tier. If you're a next tier kid, | | | | send in a transcript of your final junior year grades. |
| you need to have your information ready to go | | | | When you graduate, you will have to send another |
| when that time comes. | | | | official transcript from your school. You should also |
| Here are six things you should start doing during the | | | | indicate the Clearinghouse as one of the locations |
| second half of junior year: | | | | where you want your standardized test scores to |
| 1. Repeat the ACT or SAT to bring your scores up. | | | | go. When you are registering for these tests and |
| Unless you ace these tests the first time you take | | | | looking up the college codes for the schools you |
| them, you should take them at least one more time. | | | | want your scores to go to, the Eligibility Center is |
| Most kids improve at least a point or two, if for no | | | | 9999. |
| other reason than they now know what to expect | | | | Note that you only need to register with the |
| and may have done some test preparation in | | | | Clearinghouse if you plan on playing for the NCAA in |
| between. | | | | Divisions I and II. Division III recruits and NAIA and |
| Make sure you indicate what schools you want the | | | | NJCAA (junior college) recruits do not need to |
| testing services to send your scores to. You can | | | | register. |
| have them automatically sent out to a few schools | | | | 5. Figure out how you're going to get your |
| for free at the time you take the test, or if you'd | | | | information out to coaches and do it. |
| rather wait to see how you score first, you can pay | | | | By the end of junior year, you need to let coaches |
| to have them sent out later. | | | | know you're out there and you need to give them |
| 2. Finish your college list. | | | | enough information about you so they can decide if |
| You should be finished with your list by the end of | | | | they're interested. Please refer to my article, College |
| junior year. Some people say you should contact 100 | | | | Recruiting Tactics for High School Athletes that |
| coaches, others say 20 is plenty. Use your intuition | | | | Coaches Will Notice, for in-depth suggestions on how |
| and know that the more schools you contact, the | | | | to do this. |
| better your chances of finding a good fit and a coach | | | | 6. Visit some colleges on spring break. |
| who is interested in what you have to offer. On the | | | | If you can talk your parents into it, you should try to |
| other hand, it's easy to get overwhelmed with this | | | | visit some colleges on spring break. They don't even |
| process so choose a manageable number. | | | | necessarily need to be ones that you're interested in |
| When your list is fully narrowed down, you will only | | | | although it's a much better use of your time if they |
| have about 5-7 schools that you are seriously | | | | are. Your objective at this point is to try and pinpoint |
| considering and will want to visit. Your task between | | | | the college characteristics that you like and don't like |
| now and the fall of senior year will be to narrow | | | | so you can go back to your list and start to narrow |
| from the 20-100 on your initial list, to the 5-7 that will | | | | down. |
| make the final cut. | | | | If you pick two or three schools, one large, one |
| 3. Fill out the online athletic questionnaire for every | | | | small, and three different environments (urban, |
| school on your list. | | | | suburban, rural), those criteria alone will be enough to |
| This is an easy way to initiate contact with the | | | | help you start narrowing down. It's helpful to do this |
| schools you're interested in. Go to the athletic page | | | | before you start sending your information out to |
| on the school's website and click on your specific | | | | coaches so you can streamline that process. |
| sport. There will be a link to an athletic questionnaire. | | | | You are welcome to reprint this article. |