The first topic I cover when addressing players is to work hard in the classroom. Having good grades and test scores will actually put money in your pocket. Not right away, but in the long run. Let me explain. Visualize two players of equal size and talent. One has a 2.8 GPA and 21 ACT and the other has a 3.1 GPA and 23 ACT. Which player will be chosen? You guessed it. The player with the better grades. What if this situation was the only full scholarship both of these players were offered? The one with the better grades won’t have to pay for college and will therefore have saved money all due to putting in extra effort in the classroom.
There are some players that have one and done talent. For them they are going to be offered by schools in every major conference as long as their grades meet the NCAA minimum standard. But if you aren’t one of these elite players, then coaches will be looking at your academics. One reason is simple. If you don’t have the discipline to take care of work in the classroom, how can a coach trust you to run a play at the end of the game. If you don’t work in the classroom you might bring down the team’s average GPA and potentially cause them to miss the NCAA tournament.
Lets also talk about options. There are numerous schools that can’t recruit you unless you have a certain GPA or test score. The Ivy League and service academies are some examples. There are many more across the D1 and the D3 landscape. Putting in the extra work with your teachers, tutors, or at test prep will give you more options.
If your grades are just short of your goals, you can also attend a prep school year. Prep schools have many benefits and one of them is to help boost your academic profile. If your grades are good you can take AP courses that will transfer to your eventual college. You will take the ACT and SAT again to boost the numbers. If you missed required classes that the NCAA requires you can also catch up on those as well.
Finally, grades and test scores can determine how much financial aid a prep school can offer you. The three factors these schools look at for a student athlete are grades, athletic ability, and financial situation. It is beneficial for prep schools to have the best and brightest in their classrooms. They will give more scholarship money to you to entice you if you have good grades. These prep schools are competing for the best candidates with each other. The better your grades are the more money you get. That should be motivation to take care of business in the classroom.