Make Yourself a Recruitable Student-Athlete

College coaches are looking for STUDENT-athletes. They want to recruit students who can gain admission to their college or university, perform well academically once admitted, and graduate on time.

Regardless what grade you are in at the moment or how exceptional you are as an athlete, the rigor of your high school curriculum along with your grades, GPA, class rank and SAT/ACT scores will play a huge role not only in determining what schools you might be qualified to attend, but also how much non-athletic based aid you might be eligible to receive.

The better you are as student, the more attractive you are to the coach as a recruit for his/her team. And, while coaches in different sports in different schools have varying influence on the admissions process, the better your grades, test scores and rigor of academic work, the easier it is for him/her to recruit you. It’s as simple as that.

Because of this, your high school academic record is a critical component of your student-athlete resume. By having the best “academic resume” possible you will give yourself a distinct advantage in the recruiting process. So, if you want to have more college coaches chasing you and competing for you with the best financial aid packages, you must be attractive both ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY.

Positon Yourself Academically

The process starts early. Your high school GPA includes ALL your high school grades. An “A” in a course in your freshman year counts the same as an “A” in a similarly weighted course in your junior year. Get to work NOW and do the very best you can in every course you take.

Work closely with your guidance counselor to develop a course of study that will allow you to put your best foot forward not only in terms of grades but also in terms of GPA and class rank. If you are looking at selective schools you will need to take higher level courses such as Honors and AP level to demonstrate your ability to do college level work.

Lastly, your scores on SAT/ACT could determine whether or not a coach will spend any time recruiting you or working with admissions and the financial aid office on your behalf. Most schools have a minimum SAT/ACT score that prospective student athletes must attain to even be considered for admission. The higher you are above the minimum the easier it is for the coach to go to bat for you with admissions. Score in the top quartile of admitted students and you not only make the admissions process easier, but you also make yourself eligible for additional merit aid, grants or loans.

Getting the Academic Help You Need

For students who struggle with their academics or for students who are looking at selective schools, a modest investment in tutoring can make the difference between getting in or getting overlooked at your choice college(s). And, for those students who already have the grades and test scores necessary for admission to their choice schools, attaining grades and test scores that put you in the top half or quarter of admitted students may provide an opportunity for increased merit aid, grants or loans.

Tutoring Resources:

If you need help improving your grades or test scores, Club Z! Tutoring can design a tutoring program specifically tailored to your needs. Their experienced tutors come to your home and provide customized one-on-one tutoring on days and at times that work best with your busy athletic schedule. They have helped hundreds of student athletes in Eastern Massachusetts get better grades, improve their SAT/ACT scores, and get admitted to their school of choice.

To get started on the road to academic success, call 978-857-7573 to speak with Dennis Mullen, the Club Z student-athlete liaison, or click on the link below to get more information about their services.