Why should a basketball player attend a prep school for a post grad year? This is the second post in a series which will address the reasons why a basketball player should consider attending a prep school. My last article discussed the physical benefits of a post grad year. If you are looking into prep school options for a post grad year then feel free to contact me with any questions.
This article will discuss the academic benefits of completing a post grad year at a prep school. There are five main reasons that a prep school can help a player academically:
- Improve SAT/ACT score
- Earn College Credits
- More Attractive to Colleges
- Enhance Academic Skills
- Better College Counseling
Standardized tests are a way for a university to gauge a potential student’s college readiness. A 3.5 GPA at a rural school in Wyoming is not the same as a 3.5 GPA at Phillips Exeter Academy. But taking either standardized test lets a college know how you compare to other applicants to their school. Getting a higher score during a post grad year can help a player bump up to a tougher academic conference. Just a few points higher could get a player recruited by a Patriot League school. Or maybe a Patriot League player’s score will increase and bump him up to getting recruited by Ivy League schools. An increase of a few points can also turn an NCAA non-qualifier into a qualifier. (I will have a future article on a player I was helping who went from non-qualifier to signing with a top five program in the course of two weeks). Getting tutoring, studying the test, taking practice tests, and becoming more comfortable in the test taking setting can help increase a player’s score.
At most prep schools a player will have the opportunity to take college or AP classes. You will need to check with each school you talk to in order to see their options. Some prep schools have their own college professors, some partner with a local college, some offer classes online, but most offer AP courses. If you score high enough on an AP test at the end of the course, a player will have a chance for that to be counted as a college credit. Be aware though that the university a player ends up going to might not accept these courses. If you have already signed with a college program you can check to see if the courses a prep school offers will be applied. If their future school doesn’t accept these credits, take it as experience in the college setting that will only prepare a player for the rigors of college academics.
Taking these college level classes will impress college admission boards. A student who is spending a “gap year” away from home is learning study and life skills. Studying in a dorm room without any parental supervision present takes discipline. Juggling three AP classes and team practice requires time management. Coordinating with an English teacher to meet him after lunch in study hall takes initiative. Having these skills will only enhance a player’s chances of succeeding once the they begin life on a college campus.
Lastly a prep school will offer better college counseling than an average high school. Most prep schools have 100% of their senior/post grad class attend college. With these annual numbers, the college counselors at a prep school have experience, connections, and knowledge that an average high school counselor does not. The next article will discuss another benefit of completing a post grad year at a prep school.