July for Freshman and Sophomores
With all of the early commitments happening these days it's important to think about starting the recruiting process early but it's not something that should consume all of your time or become obsessed with. The first two years of high school are a time of transition and getting used to new surroundings and great expectations. You’ll begin to think about what kind of person you are and what you enjoy doing but also will be under an enormous amount of peer pressure. Think about this time of your life as a small snapshot in time and do not take anyone or anything too seriously. Remember in just a couple more years you will be making a similar transition as you prepare to get into the college of your choice - so be sure you make good decisions now so you have options later!
From the Fallon Sports Admissions Office -
Do a Four Year Plan
If you did not plan on going to college, then you would not be reading this, therefore why not begin to develop your four year plan for college right now. It is never too early as long as you keep everything in check and are real about your ability, academics and prospects. Some schools host events for students and their parents to map out plans for high school. If yours does not, ask for a meeting with the guidance counselor, to include your son, to go over expectations for the next four years. If you'd like additional assistance, that's what we (at Fallon Sports) specialize in and would love to help, just ask.
Learn about Honors and AP Courses
Many schools offer advanced courses with designations such as “honors” or “gifted and talented” (GAT). You may also see courses labeled “Pre-AP.” If you’re not sure how your school designates advanced courses, find out.
Beginning in tenth grade at a few schools, and more commonly grades eleven and twelve, students can take College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which follow a prescribed curriculum and culminate in a nationally administered test graded on a scale of one to five. About fifteen thousand schools nationwide offer AP courses.
At schools with both honors and AP at the same grade level, the latter are usually viewed as the most advanced.
Understand that every college is different and many do not care about AP or Honors classes and could have different criteria for admissions. Don't get so hooked on challenging yourself and getting in over your head just because someone once told you that "it looks good". Getting a "C" in anything rarely looks better than an "A". However, getting into more competitive colleges the classes you take and how you do in them, could be a factor. Remember every student is different and understanding who you are and discovering what you are looking for is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle right now.
From the Baseball Recruiting Office -
Assess Your Abilities
Now is a great time to begin thinking about how good your really are. With a college baseball scholarship to an in-coming freshman being quite small, it's important to be honest with yourself and your abilities. If a baseball scholarship is important then part of your plan needs to focus on getting better rather than exposure Scholarships and financial aid will come into play, but be prepared to go without either if you do not get better.
Begin to get on Recruiting Boards
It's time to get your name out there NOW! Not only because colleges are making offers to students earlier and earlier but because you need to have time to find the right college. If you wait a year because you want to "get better" before they see you, then that is a year wasted. You can get on boards without them seeing you play, you can get on boards without being evaluated. Remember, this is a process - when then time is right for the college they will come see you, but if they find out about you after they offered another player a spot - then you missed the boat!
Ninth and tenth grades are also pivotal years. Pivotal means “extremely important, determining the outcome or success of a project.” That’s a little SAT vocabulary word – prep for you, free of charge! Everything you do now ... matters! You need to begin with an end in mind and create a plan in order to get there.
From the Financial Aid Office -
Assess Family Finances
Now is a great time to begin thinking about how much you can afford. You and your student will face a menu of possibilities ranging from about $20,000 per year (in-state public university) to more than $70,000 per year (expensive private college). Scholarships and financial aid may come into play, but be prepared to go without either.
Liquidate Custodial Accounts
This applies to families who will seek need-based aid, which generally can include anyone with less than about $200,000 of annual family income. Putting money in your child’s name give a tax advantage, but it is a killer for need-based aid. There are legal ways to spend down custodial accounts on behalf of your child. Speak to your lawyer of financial advisor to find out how. If you need anyone to talk to, Fallon Sports can send you a great list of possible advisors.
When a student becomes a freshman, everything starts to “count/” Freshman grades are used in determining a student’s GPA and freshman courses, grades and credits all become part of a students transcript. Freshman activities, honors and awards can also be listed on college and scholarship applications. Later in high school, you’ll be busy with college visits and applications. Now is the time to lay the foundation, so that managing all these tasks in the future will be easier. By starting good habits now, you’ll be in great shape as you continue through high school and college.
I know it’s still only the summer time so do not get too far ahead of yourself, take care of what we discussed above and I will continue on next month with what matters in August.
If you'd like to get started with a meeting with Jeff - please e-mail us at fallonsports96@gmail.com to get that scheduled. Good luck!
