Introduce yourself

Take the initiative and introduce yourself to the coaches at the schools on your list. If you are interested in a school, don´t wait for them to "discover" you. Contact them!

Get Your Name Known

If you´ve got game... help yourself out. Get yourself known to college coaches through leagues and videotape. You might be just the type of player that a coach needs.

SEND AN INFO PACKET

Have several information packets on hand and send each school one. You can contact the coach, or they may request them. The packet should include a cover letter, unofficial transcript, letters of recommendation, video, high school and club schedule, and roster.

Be honest

Try to base the recruiting process on honesty--both yours and the recruiters´. Always be up front with recruiters. Let them know where they stand with you and what concerns you have regarding their schools.

Likewise, you should expect honesty on the part of the recruiter, and, if you suspect something is not quite right, you should seriously reconsider your interest in that school.

Get involved in school

Colleges always want well rounded student/athletes.
KEEP AN UPDATED LIST OF HONORS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS and let the colleges know when something happens. This includes academic, athletic, civic, team, extracurricular honors, awards, and activities.

Questionnaires

Most colleges will begin the recruiting process by sending you a questionnaire. Don´t throw it away. You never know how the recruiting process is going to end and that school that you have never heard of may end up being the best situation for you.

EARN GOOD GRADES AND TEST SCORES

It´s not a myth. The first questions recruiters ask are "What is his GPA, and what is his test score (SAT or ACT, possibly SAT II)." Check web-sites and College Directories for requirements per school. Some leniency is occasionally allowed for athletes. For NCAA DI and DII the NCAA Clearinghouse determines your college athletic academic eligibility. It is best to register with the Clearinghouse by the end of your Junior year. Get a form from your Counselor. NAIA schools individually determine your athletic academic
eligibility using their national guidelines.

Get educated

Get educated on the variety of levels of college athletics. Colleges determine which level
they are going to compete It is determined not by attendance, but by how much they are going to financially invest into athletics. Be careful to choose the best level for your needs and desires.

Financial Aid

APPLY FOR THE FAFSA. Applications will be available in your school counseling
office in December. This single application determines your eligibility for government grants
(In California they are the CAL GRANT & PELL GRANT) and loans. The CAL GRANT A award provides $3,429 to UC´s,
$1,428 to CSU´s, and up to $9,708 at independent colleges. The Pell ranges from $400 to $3,125.
You may also qualify for FSEOG grants, Work-Study, subsidized and non-subsidized student
loans. The first day you can submit the FAFSA is January 2. Deadline is March 1.

GO TO COLLEGE GAMES AND PRACTICES

Go and learn from the best. Become a student of the game. Don´t compare yourself to high school players. A large percentage of them won´t play college ball. See what level you have to take your game to. Watch the best players´ work ethic and technique. Most college teams will allow you to attend their practices by appointment (ask your coach to call). Colleges will allow you to attend games for free, usually with two guests. Askyour coach to call to get you on the guest list. Check out all levels described above.

Be prepared to be recruited

Many families become overwhelmed by the recruiting process. A good way to avoid this is to make sure that you are organized before the process begins. Know what you are looking for in a school and a basketball program, what questions you want answered, and what your priorities are.

Videotapes

When sending a videotape to colleges you want to highlight your positive attributes. Coaches do not want to see just highlights, but rather continuous action of you playing. Believe it or not , some coaches also view parts of a tape when you are not in the game to evaluate your "body language" on the bench in hopes that it can help them assess your attitude.
A good format might be:

1)Thirty seconds to a minute of highlights with either a voice over or graphics introducing yourself, some pertinent academic and athletic statistics, what number you are and what the following games might be.

2)At least three(3)or four(4) continuous halves. Pick your best halves that display a variety of things that you do (shooting, passing, defense, rebounding, etc)

3) Optional: Maybe finish with another thirty seconds containing another voice over regarding you collegiate goals.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A SERIOUS RECRUIT WHEN ...

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A SERIOUS RECRUIT WHEN the college coach
offers you a visit. Coaches begin the recruiting process by sending out tons of letters. Each coach
on the staff then may make phone calls to dozens of players Until then, the coach is constantly
checking what recruits are interested. When they narrow their list down to their top prospects they
start offering "Official Recruiting Visits."In NCAA Divisions I and II these are limited, so the
coaches only use them on their top recruits.

Enjoy High School Basketball

But be sure to enjoy your high school experience, and sell-out for the team! Some
student/athletes over-emphasize the recruiting process and end up under-achieving because of
the excessive pressure they put on themselves to impress recruiters, an over-emphasis upon
statistics, or saving themselves for college. Work hard, hustle, and play your game to help your
team!

Know Your Level

It is important that you are realistic during the recruiting process. Know the level that you can play at in college. Coaches and scouting services can be of great value.

DISPLAY A GOOD ATTITUDE

When coaches go to game, they don´t only watch you to
see if you make any great plays. They also watch to see how you interact with your coach, teammates,
opponents, and the officials. Always hustle on and off the court, and NEVER display any negative
emotion. Even when you are on the bench, a coach may be watching. Sit by the coach and pay
attention, cheer for your teammates , and hustle to the table to check back in, and then communicate
with the player coming off the floor.

Choosing the right program

When choosing your college, understand that very few college players end up playing professionally. Choose the school as much for the education that you will receive as for the basketball.

PLAY AND EXCEL AT HIGH SCHOOL AND CLUB BASKETBALL.

The college coaches will do a majority of their scouting at summer camps, and high school and
club tournaments (especially in July) where they can see numerous players play in one location,
at one time. They usually use the Camp and Club season to do initial evaluations, and then use
the high school season to do some final evaluation and tracking.