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College Recruiting Options for High School Seniors

Year of Private SchoolAre you a student-athlete that wants a chance to continue your career at the college level, but haven’t found an opportunity yet? Or, perhaps you want to develop more either athletically or academically before going to college. A post-graduate year of study and athletic competition may be for you.

What is a Post-Graduate Student?

Post-graduate students attend a private or independent school for a year after they graduate high school. Some students choose to do it because they want to mature more academically; others do so because they want an extra year to develop and compete athletically. Either way, it is a fantastic way to help make sure you are prepared to take your game and education to the next level.

How Will Taking a Post-Graduate Year Affect My NCAA Eligibility?

The NCAA allows athletes in all sports, except for tennis and hockey, a one year grace-period after they graduate high school. After the one-year period the NCAA can start taking away years of eligibility. The NCAA grants you five years in which you can compete during four of them. The fifth year, called a red-shirt year, allows athletes to take a season off for many different reasons, but still allows them to play for four full years.

If you are planning on not attending college the year directly after you graduate high school, a post-graduate year is a great choice. It won’t affect your eligibility, and you can still compete at a high level while continuing to take classes and build your academic profile. It can be difficult to get recruited to play in college if you take a year off from serious athletic competition; you can buy yourself some extra time by choosing the post graduate route.

How Do I Find Post-Graduate Opportunities?

Finding an opportunity to play for a prep school after you graduate high school is quite similar to the college recruiting process. Coaches will want video, statistics, and an academic profile. The best way to organize all of this information is in an athletic and academic resume. Here is our How to Create a College Recruiting Resume E-book for a handy tool to create a resume that will maximize your skills and achievements.

Start by researching the schools that offer post-graduate study. If you don’t know where to start looking for schools, Boarding School Review offers a list of the boarding schools that offer post-graduate opportunities. They also offer an interactive map to show you the locations of the boarding schools.

After you research some schools, it’s time to reach out to coaches with your resume and video!

Do you think that taking a post-graduate year at a private school will help you prepare for college or not? Let us know in the comment section below or connect with us on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter!


Are you ready for the NEXT STEP!