Your College
Roadmap
•
•
•
•
•
Register with the NCAA eligibility center.
Start contacting coaches when appropriate.
Although they cannot respond at this time,
they can send you an introductory e-mail with
a questionnaire, which should be completed
and submitted within one week.
Call coaches as they are permitted to speak
with you if they answer when you call. Keep in
mind that they are not allowed to call you back
if they don’t answer, so keep trying to reach
them.
Take preparatory/practice tests for SAT and
ACT.
Although unofficial visits where you meet with
the coach on campus are no longer permitted
until your junior year, visit some campuses
with your family to get a feel for your likes and
dislikes.
JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
•
•
•
We know college is important to you, which is why
it is important to us too. BGGA College Planning &
Placement has decades of experience finding the
right college for students.
•
BGGA College Planning & Placement works with
all Academy students to create an individualized
roadmap to reach their goal of studying and playing
golf at the collegiate level. This is accomplished
through college planning, athletic recruiting, SAT/
ACT/TOEFL registration, academic support and
NCAA compliance education. •
Preparation needs to start early and there is a process
to follow. Every student is unique in terms of his or
her strengths and weaknesses and to what degree
they have engaged in the recruiting process to date.
For the purposes of this post however, we are sharing
the “optimal” college placement timeline. Some top
players are recruited prior to entering high school,
but for most, you become a “Prospective Student-
Athlete” (PSA) in your freshman year of high school,
which is where our timeline begins. •
Learn more about BGGA’s College Planning &
Placement and see a signing day list of where BGGA
students have gone on to play college golf.
13
FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
•
•
•
•
Create a resume and establish a ranking in
junior golf in the U.S. by playing in multi-day
tournaments. This is how you start to build your
profile.
Understand how the various rankings work
(Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek, AJGA, etc.)
as this will factor in your tournament schedule.
Begin your research on colleges and admissions
requirements.
Understand what it takes to play on the teams
you are targeting, and be aware that coaches
are typically looking for their top-3 players.
Keep up academically by taking the core
courses required by the NCAA.
Maintain a high GPA and figure out a plan for
the next three years in regard to academics.
Build good study and practice habits.
•
Refine your college list by looking at team
rosters to note how many players are leaving
the year you enter and note their scoring
averages.
Continue to update your golf and academic
resumes and send them to coaches.
Try to arrange to speak to coaches on the
phone so you get to know them and build a
relationship.
Take standardized test prep courses and
•
•
register to take the SAT and ACT in the fall of
your junior year.
Take the TOEFL if required.
Start making unofficial and/or official visits to
colleges as official visits are now permitted in
your junior year.
SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
If you haven’t taken the SAT or ACT this should
be a priority. You can retake them if you need
to improve your score.
Have your transcripts sent to the NCAA
Eligibility Center.
Upload your test scores to the NCAA Eligibility
Center.
Complete the amateurism certification process.
Continue to compete in tournaments.
Try to narrow your list of potential colleges
down to those that are a “best-fit” for you.
Continue to make unofficial visits or official
visits if asked by the coach.
Evaluate offers and decide on the best option
for you!
Sign a “National Letter of Intent” (NLI) if in
NCAA D1 or D2 (signing period begins in mid-
November of your senior year).
WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR
SPRING SEMESTER. APPLY NOW.
SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
•
•
•
•
•
Continue to make academics a priority and
maintain your GPA.
Participate in school activities.
Keep building your list of potential colleges.
Play consistently in tournaments and at the
highest level possible to improve rankings.
Update your golf and academic resumes.
14