ACADEMIC SUGGESTIONS

Before a college coach decides if he / she is going to recruit you, he / she looks at your GPA, core courses, and SAT/ACT scores to make sure you meet his / her school’s admission standards. If you are way below the minimum requirements, he / she will not waste his / her time recruiting you, regardless of how much you could help his team.

Coaches know that athletes who don’t perform in the classroom are more likely to become academically ineligible or flunk out at the college level. And that may be more risk than a coach is willing to take. If a coach has only one spot left and he / she must choose between two athletes of equal talents, he / she will always select the better student.

Improve Your Grades And More Schools Will Be Able To Recruit You

Say, for example, you have a 2.6 GPA and 1100 SAT Math + Verbal score. While those marks are average, you’ve automatically taken yourself off the recruiting lists of many top academic institutions. Imagine how many more opportunities you will have if you meet the admission requirements of all schools in the country, or at least a higher percentage of them? 

Set high goals for yourself in each class you take. Do not settle for mediocrity. Be disciplined with your homework and strive to reach your full potential. If you’re receiving B’s right now, go for A’s. Ask your teacher for extra help, hire a tutor, form a study group with your friends, or take a preparatory SAT/ACT course. Take Advanced Placement (AP) classes if you can qualify for them. Showing the admissions committee at a college that you are doing your best to challenge yourself goes a long way.

Do whatever it takes to improve your academic standing and do not believe for one second that grades are unimportant. Nothing impresses a college coach more than athletes who work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the playing field.

Adopt the “ten percent rule.” The 10% rule is simple. Just do 10% extra in everything you do. Whatever your coach, your teacher, your parents, or your supervisor asks of you, try to go above what is required. Try it. You’ll be amazed at the results.

Also, try to be the first to arrive at the game or practice or job and the last to leave. “Gym Rats” are highly prized commodities!

Manage Your Time Effectively

Since your daily schedule is already filled with classes, sports, and extracurricular activities, its important you set aside a block of time each night for homework and your college search. Make it a priority and be disciplined. You will feel the rewards for many years to come.

Develop Other Interests And Get Involved In Extracurricular Activities

College admissions officers look favorable on students who have multiple interests and are involved in a wide range of activities. Find an organization at your school (i.e. school newspaper, Safe Rides, Drama Club, Band, Foreign Language Club, etc) that interests you and get involved. Also, you may want to consider volunteering a few hours each month at a local charity or non-profit organization.

More than one school will take an applicant with a 3.5 GPA who’s been involved in extracurricular activities and community service, over an applicant with a 4.0 who’s done nothing else. A mother in Connecticut told us about a classmate of her son’s who was her class’s valedictorian…and was turned down by Yale and Brown because he didn’t have any extracurricular activities.

Recently, a counselor urged one student, a TV-Sports addict (like many of us!), to get off the couch and get involved. The student started writing a sports column for his high school paper, coaching basketball in an underprivileged neighborhood, and interning at an all sports television channel. The counselor commented that this student has greatly improved his college admissions options. He is more easily recruited now.

Don’t worry about trying to become a “Renaissance Man or Woman” at age 17. Not many high school seniors are the perfect, well-rounded student. Just show a passion for one or two or your strongest interests. Do not simply build a resume that lists every club in your school. What impresses admissions officers is proof that an activity is a theme in your life…think quality, not quantity.

Work To Increase Your GPA

If you did not perform well in your freshmen year of high school, you may be given the benefit of the doubt if your grades go up in your sophomore, junior, and senior years. Your goal should be to graduate ranked as high as possible in your class. And, by all means, avoid “senioritis.” Don’t think that you can coast as soon as your applications are finished. Colleges will notice if you drop an AP course, take an easy schedule, or let your GPA slide in your senior year. Some schools will even pull admissions offers from a student who performs poorly his senior year.

Hire A Tutor or Enroll In A SAT / ACT Preparation Course

Ask your guidance councilor for suggestions to raise your college entrance exam scores. Kaplan and Princeton Review offer courses you may want to consider. Taking a prep course will boost your confidence tremendously. Some students hire private tutors or purchase computer study programs.

If you have to, take these exams several times until you are satisfied with your scores. Regardless of which exams you take, don’t assume a higher-than-average score will guarantee acceptance to your dream school. Test scores are not weighed as heavily as most people think they are, although very poor scores can be difficult to overcome. It’s just another part of the package.

Take Advanced Placement or College-Level Courses

College admission officers will view you as a motivated student if your high school transcript features some honors and AP courses. Your GPA may slide a little, but it’s worth it to take advanced classes in areas where you are strong.

For example, if you’ve always received good grades in math, take AP Calculus and AP Statistics. If writing and reading are your strong points, take AP English. Remember, your transcript is the most important piece of your application. Many admissions officers would rather see you challenge yourself than get straight A’s in easy courses. Many colleges “weigh” AP classes by scoring them half a letter grade higher than “regular” course for student’s GPA.

Spend Your Summer Productively

Admissions deans don’t look kindly on summers spent relaxing at the beach or on the couch, but otherwise they’re surprisingly open-minded. Get a summer job or internship and try to make as much of the experience as you can.

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