What High School Basketball Players Should Be Doing – Prep Timeline to Play College Basketball

If you are are High School basketball player and you have decided that you want to play college basketball, your preparation should begin as early as possible. Not only will this guarantee that you are fully prepared mentally and physically, this also allows you enough time to get your GPA up and maintained at the level it needs to be. It gives you the time you need to have everything else in order to make your chances of being recruited a much smoother process. Lets take a look at the type of timeline a high school student basketball athlete should aim to follow …

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYER PREPARATION TIMELINE TO PLAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Below you will find guidance on what you should be doing at each grade year of high school. This information will help you to stay on top of important tasks that need to be done in order for you to be 100% ready for the time when you are actively trying to get recruited by college coaches.

9th Grade – Get Started by Registering

When you are in the 9th grade you need to start planning for playing college basketball now. You should make sure that you take the right courses (NCAA approved core courses) so that you can earn the best grades possible in the right subjects. If you are unsure on what are the NCAA approved core courses CLICK HERE to find out. At this stage you should also create a free NCAA Profile Page by registering on the NCAA Eligibility website and/or an NAIA Player Profile.

10th Grade – Plan, Plan, Plan

In 10th grade you should be focused on staying on top of your academic studies. This should be your main goal besides performing your best on the court and in the weight-room. If you do happen to fall behind academically at this stage, you can ask your school counselor for help to get you back on track. Also, at this point you should be regularly login into your NCAA Eligibility Profile Page and/or your NAIA Player account. This will help you to keep track as they have a task list for you to follow. The task list they provide you with is designed to help you stay on track with all things that you need to get done. They will take you through the necessary steps. At the end of your 10th grade school year, you need to ask your counselor (from each high school you have attended if you have attended more than one high school), to upload your official transcript to your Eligibility Center account.

NOTE: If you are being actively recruited by an NCAA school and have a Profile Page account, now is the time to transition your account to a Certification account.

11th Grade – Be On Top of Your Studies!

Are you still on track with your studies? The best way to know, is to check with your counselor. You need to have this information to be successful. At this stage in your high school progression, you need to make sure you are on track to complete the required number of NCAA approved core courses and, to make sure you graduate on time with your class. You must make sure your basketball participation information is all included and correct in your Eligibility Center account. At the end of your 11th grade school year, contact your counselor (from each high school you have attended more than one) and request for them to upload your official transcript to your Eligibility Center account. Now is the time to take the SAT or ACT. Once you have done this you will need to submit your test score to your NCAA Eligibility Center account using this code: 9999 (NCAA only)

12th Grade – Graduate!

12th grade is the year where you will be completing your final NCAA approved core courses as you prepare to graduate from high school. If you took the SAT or ACT exam but didn’t like the score you got, now is the time to retake if you feel it necessary to do so. Like before, once you get your score, submit it once again to update your information in your Eligibility Center account using the same code: 9999 (NCAA only). Now is the time to request your final amateurism in your NCAA Eligibility Center account at eligibilitycenter.org. You need to do this beginning April 1 (for student athletes enrolling at fall) or the beginning October 1 (for student athletes enrolling at winter or spring). After you have graduated from high school, you once again need to ask your counselor to upload your final official transcript with proof of graduation to your Eligibility Center account.

NOTE: Only student athletes on an NCAA Division 1 or 2 school’s institutional request list will receive a certification.

HOW TO REGISTER AS A PROSPECTIVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL STUDENT ATHLETE :

If you want to play NCAA basketball at a Division 1 or 2 school, you will need to register with the NCAA
Eligibility Center. If you are looking at playing at an NAIA school to maximize your options, you will need to register with the NAIA Eligibility Center. THESE ARE SEPARATE ASSOCIATIONS. You must have an account for each as they have different requirements and processes for their prospective student athletes.

When should I be registered by? You should plan to register for NCAA or NAIA or both, before your freshman/9th year of high school.

If you want to play NCAA Division 3 you do not need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is because NCAA Division 3 schools set their own admissions standards. To find out what you need to do, you need to contact the admissions office of the D3 school you wish to attend and they will inform you of everything you need to do.

If you are swaying more towards a Junior College, you will find that most Junior Colleges (JUCO’s) are open enrollment. This means that they do not require as much documentation as a 4 year school would. Typically, you can apply online from the comfort of your own home. While many 4 year schools use the Universal Application or Common Application where as most Junior Colleges/Community Colleges have their own online application portals.