SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP TIMELINE

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College Recruiting Checklist

Here is a complete recruiting checklist for your junior and senior years of high school. If you are looking for advice on what to do your freshman and sophomore years please look here.

Junior Year Checklist

Your junior year is the most important in the recruiting process, both academically and athletically. This is when coaches expect you to peak athletically during high school, and it is extremely important to perform at a high level both in your sport and in the classroom. Make sure you are narrowing down your schools of interest so you can start your senior year booking “official” recruiting trips (if possible) and talking seriously to coaches.

By now, you should have already completed these tasks that are in addition to the tasks listed in your freshman and sophomore years.

• Been practicing how to speak with coaches.
• Taken the PSAT and or PLAN (pre-ACT).
• Been preparing for the SAT and or ACT exams.
• Registered for NCAA/NAIA Eligibility Centers.
• Looked for skill camps and showcases or have already attended one.
• Asked for the contact information from your coaches and ask them to be an athletic reference for you.

Academic

• Be aware of all NCAA/NAIA rules regarding coach contact/interaction.

• Decide what schools are on your “Top 10 List” of programs that are actively recruiting you.

• Gather important dates for the application process for the schools you are most interested in.

• Take your ACT/SAT.

Athletic

• Take the video footage you have and edit it into an updated highlight/skills video.

• Send an updated resume and highlight video to coaches so that they can examine your progress.

• Continue conversations with coaches who you have already been speaking with you to express your continued interest in their school/program.

Other

• Be a good role model – coaches are looking for reasons to take athletes off their recruiting boards; make sure you are not giving them a reason with your actions or reputation.

• Plan to attend a skills camp or showcase during the summer.

Senior Year Recruiting Checklist

Your senior year is a balance between finishing out your high school career strong and preparing yourself for college. You will need to prioritize your time in making sure all steps are being taken to apply for colleges, speak to coaches, and keep up with your grades and athletics.

By now, you should have already completed these tasks in addition to the tasks listed in your freshman, sophomore and junior years.

• Attended multiple camps and showcases that gave you exposure to coaches you were interested in getting recruited by.

• Gathered important dates for the application process for the schools you are most interested in.

• Been aware of all NCAA/NAIA rules regarding coach contact/interaction.

Academic

• GPA – keep your grades up because many schools will require you maintain a certain minimum GPA during your senior year.

• Retake SAT/ACT if you are not satisfied with your score.

• You may need to consider financial aid as full scholarships are not guaranteed; try looking into whether you qualify for an academic scholarship (ask the collegiate coach you are speaking with).

• Apply to school/universities; watch deadlines and make sure you have the required documents.

Athletic

• Be aware of when the National Letter of Intent Signing Day is for your sport.

• Send coaches that have been interested in you an updated resume and highlight tape and start discussing the details of potential scholarship offers.

Other

• Be a good role model – coaches are looking for reasons to take athletes off their recruiting boards, make sure you are not giving them a reason with your actions or reputation.

• If you are considering “official” visits, remember that you are only allowed 5 total so put good thought into which schools you want to visit.

• Organize the scholarship offers you are receiving to determine if you are in a position to leverage your offers.