A Brief Action Plan For College Bound Lacrosse Players
Compile a tentative list of colleges. You can start this as early as the 2nd half of the sophomore year and should make every effort to have something together before Fall of the junior year.
Make initial contact with schools (send cover letter, resume and schedule of upcoming lacrosse activities). You can start this as early as the 2nd half of the sophomore year and should make every effort to complete this no later than Spring of your junior year. If at all possible do this prior to the summer tournament and/or recruiting camp season.
During end of sophomore and through the junior year, make unofficial visits to some of the schools that you are interested in. Do your best to contact and set-up a meeting with the coach on these visits.
Send updated academic and sport related information, including a schedule of your upcoming summer participation in tournaments and camps.
Take every opportunity to participate in your sport to maximize your exposure and increase your skills in the summers before your junior and senior year.
Fulfill NCAA Clearinghouse obligations in mid-summer to early fall of your senior year if you are considering a Division I or II school. Get a comprehensive outline of D1, D2, & D3 school NCAA academic requirements here.
Schedule and make college visits (official & unofficial). Take unofficial visits at end of sophomore year, throughout the following summer, and throughout junior year. Official visits can only be taken after the first day of classes of your senior year – schedule them in the early fall. Remember – you must be invited by the college coach to take an official visit.
Study and consider information about Early Decision or maybe Early Action admission to a college and Early Signing (of the National Letter of Intent) for athletic participation and/or a scholarship in early fall of the senior year. The Early Signing time frame is September 1 of your junior year.
Decide which colleges to apply to and when to apply. The time frame is usually early to late fall of the senior year.
Send completed applications and high school transcripts to colleges, usually before the winter holiday break.
Decide when to verbally commit to a school and/or sign with a school for a scholarship. When you have made your decision be sure to notify all schools recruiting you and thank them for their interest. The time frame for these decisions is now mid-summer to early fall to mid-fall of your senior year. The time frame for this is getting earlier each year!
