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How this works
TARGET
Figure out who you are as a recruit and who you should be talking to.
Start with a self-assessment: academic eligibility (GPA, test scores, core courses), athletic level, and any eligibility-center steps still outstanding — this flags what needs fixing before you reach out to anyone.
Get oriented on the landscape: divisions, school types (public/private/JUCO), and what actually differs between them (scholarships, competition level, structure).
Clarify personal fit criteria — location, coaching style, culture, academics, atmosphere — so "good school" becomes a personal, filterable definition instead of a vague feeling.
Convert all of that into a shortlist of schools, sorted into reach/target/safety, each with the specific requirements and contacts attached.
Output of this phase: a ranked list of schools you're actually qualified for and actually want.
CONNECT
Get in front of coaches and stay on their radar.
Understand what coaches are actually evaluating you on (roster needs, certainty, potential, team fit) so your outreach speaks to that instead of just "please recruit me."
Package your athletic proof — a highlight reel built and shared the right way — plus a clean personal/social brand coaches can vet quickly.
Send structured outreach (not cold generic messages) and follow up on a set cadence instead of going quiet after one email.
Log every interaction — who you contacted, when, what they said, what's next — so nothing falls through the cracks across dozens of programs.
Output of this phase: live conversations and growing interest from multiple programs.
DO BUSINESS
Turn interest into a signed, funded, cleared spot on a roster.
Once offers start coming in, compare them side by side — not just dollar amount, but academic fit, athletic fit, and gut feel — instead of deciding emotionally on the first offer.
Understand the different offer types (verbal, conditional, NLI, etc.) so you know what's actually binding.
Push for the best financial aid package by knowing what funding sources exist and how to present your value.
Track the admissions paperwork itself (transcripts, recommendations, deadlines, decisions) so eligibility doesn't stall the process.
If international, run the visa/immigration steps in parallel — this is time-sensitive and can't be an afterthought.
Output of this phase: a signed offer, cleared eligibility, and (if needed) legal status to actually show up and compete.