To-do lists

• Establish a strong academic base.

• Create a wish list of prospective schools. Share your list with coaches that you trust to be honest and ask for their feedback about what programs could be a good fit that align with your playing ability.

• Read the ‘Guide for the College-Bound Student- Athlete’

• Go on Unofficial Visits: Self-funded visits to college campuses. Read the differences between Unofficial and Official visits here.

• Attend ID clinics and college camps that are consistent with your playing ability and academic goals.

• Watch college games: Observe differences in speed and style of play, and pay attention to the characteristics of positions you play. What kind of players do the schools recruit, from skill level to physical/athletic characteristics?

• Begin to track any interactions you have with a college coach or camp.

• Contribute to your club team and try to exceed playing/training standards.

• Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

• Meet with your high school guidance counselor to discuss courses, academic performance, and build a plan to help meet your goals.

• Update/edit your college wish list. Share your list with coaches that you trust to be honest with you, and ask to meet again to discuss programs that might be a good fit that align with your playing ability.

• Begin to track any interactions you have with a college coach or camp.

• Go on Unofficial Visits.

• Watch college games.

• Read the NCAA Recruiting Guide

• Email coaches to introduce yourself and express your interest. Include your resume as a link or PDF (click button below for help).

• Attend ID clinics and college camps that are consistent with your playing ability and academic goals. (These are essentially early tryouts for you and the coach)

• Remember that DI and DII coaches can ONLY respond to juniors and seniors. However, they can contact club/HS coaches who can even help set up a time for you to call them.

• Continue to excel academically and on the field. Try to exceed playing/training standards.

• Focus on the field and not who is on the sideline. Think about the way you warm-up, interact with teammates, coaches, referees, your impact on the field, response to mistakes, and character on the bench. You never know who is watching.

• Familiarize yourself with the recruiting calendar and dead periods.

• Ask your guidance counselor to evaluate your transcript to make sure you are meeting the standards of your college wish list. If not, create a plan to resolve gaps.

• Take the SAT/ACT.

• Send your high school transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

• Track your interactions with college coaches and share the document with trusted club/HS coaches.

• Go on Unofficial Visits.

• Attend ID clinics and college camps that are consistent with your playing ability and academic goals.

• Watch college games.

• Email coaches and follow up (click button below for help). Make sure you send your tournament and showcase schedule to coaches at least a month in advance, do not wait to send schedules just days before an event. Be organized and communicate early and often.

• Keep your resume and highlight videos updated.

• Be aware of what your social media says about you.

• Accept up to 5 offers for Official Visits. (Expense paid visits to college campuses. The visit to the campus cannot be longer than forty eight hours in duration.) Bring a detailed list of questions to discuss with the coach.

• Continue to excel academically and on the field. Try to exceed playing/training standards.

• Focus on the field and not who is on the sideline. Think about the way you warm-up, interact with teammates, coaches, referees, your impact on the field, response to mistakes, and character on the bench. You never know who is watching.

• Remain alert to the recruiting calendar and dead periods.

• Stay current with the NCAA Recruiting Rules

• Send high school transcript and test scores to NCAA Eligibility Center to ensure eligibility for official visits.

• Fulfill amateurism certification for the NCAA Eligibility Center. (Read: Amateurism certification basics for more information about kinds of payments that could jeopardize your eligibility.)

• Ensure your high school guidance counselor sends your official and FINAL transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

• Complete the Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA).

• Watch college games.

• Accept up to 5 offers for Official Visits. (Expense paid visits to college campuses. The visit to the campus cannot be longer than forty eight hours in duration.)

• Stay in touch with college coaches and promptly respond to all communications.

• Keep tracking your interactions with college coaches and share the document with trusted club/HS coaches.

• Focus on the field and not who is on the sideline. Think about the way you warm-up, interact with teammates, coaches, referees, your impact on the field, response to mistakes, and character on the bench. You never know who is watching.

• Recruiting calendar and dead periods

• When you commit to a college, be professional and let other prospective schools know when you have made a decision. Don’t burn bridges.

Whether you are a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or even Senior in High School beginning this process, do this:

• Consider your goals & priorities.

• Discuss parameters with your family.

• Research schools: Get to know the differences between conferences, how far and where the teams travel, level of competition, and opportunities beyond the top 10 most recognizable programs.

• Consider attending college camps and ID clinics consistent with your academic interests and playing ability. College coaches can start to evaluate you at camps, and you can begin to asses differences in coaching styles and visit campuses.

• Create a wish list of colleges: Click on the button below to help you get started.

Keep a record of your interactions with colleges. Share the document with club or HS coaches.

• Emails

• Phone calls, text messages, DMs

• Visits to campuses

• Attendance at college ID camps or clinics

• Makes notes with questions and answers