12 Questions To Help The International American Football Athlete Find The Right High School

Everyone knows that your university recruiting chances are significantly increased if you can play your high school football in North America, but how do you find the right school for you?

The answers to many of your questions as a young athlete looking to play and study in North America are found here.

Am I an academic and linguistic fit for this school?

Every school has different requirements for admission. Some schools require a variety of standardized tests, while others require interviews and essays, and there are programs that require nothing more than a payment. Before investing time, energy and money in the application process, be sure that you have a clear understanding of what it is the school is looking for in regard to test scores, English level and grades.

What grade levels does the school accept?

Many institutions have grade/age minimums and maximums for entry. Sometimes, a school will offer greater tuition discounts, or lower admissions standards for students applying to a specific grade.

Do the rules of the activity/athletic association allow for international student participation?

This is a constantly changing and volatile dynamic. Some states have multiple associations and some schools belong to associations outstide of their state or, associations that do not have a single-state affiliation. Be sure to clearly understand all rules for international students before committing anywhere. Things like initial eligibility (When can I start playing?) and length of eligibility (For how many seasons can I compete?) are especially important to understand.

With which visa will the school enroll me?

This can determine everything from your length of stay in the USA, to tuition
cost, to the length of time you have to pay tuition, to your ability to play football.

Can I reclassify? If so, are there any penalties?

If you are extremely young for your current grade, and want to be in a more age-aproppriate class, or need an extra year to improve your grades or test scores, this is an important question.

Do I have something that the school likes?

This might not be ‘I am great at football.’ Schools can vary greatly in the type of community they want to build. Some want the best athletes/musicians/artists, others always focus on a specific extracurricular niche. In many cases, a school simply want kids who they know will be involved in school activities, or they want to grow the diversity of their population. It is important for the school to know if you have a trait that makes you unique or is something they value.

Do their sports teams make cuts? Can everyone play?

This is critical. You do not want to arrive at school only to be cut from the team within a few weeks. If you do not know the coach and their policy on cutting before arriving on campus, you are risking this possibility.

How many teams do they have?

Many schools will have multiple levels of football teams that are used to develop younger and less experienced players. For many athletes, access to these teams is the key to their development and long term success, and a great way to get on the field and play!

What types of courses does the school offer?

Specialized courses like IB, AP and Honors give talented student-athletes a considerable edge in the college admissions and recruiting process.

What kind of financial aid packages does the school have for international students?

Whether it is called a ”scholarship” or ”financial aid,” it is important to know if you can afford the cost of attendance, or if there are ways to decrease the cost of attendance.

If I am not the star of the team, will I still be happy at this school?

There should be more than just football drawing you to the institution.

Can the person helping me to gain admission to a school in the USA answer the questions above?

Many families incorrectly assume that every ”exchange” service or program is the same. Every service has certain strengths, and before deciding on the person or group to guide you through this complex and exciting process, you must be sure that they can help you to reach your goals.

Read the original article as it appeared in CS Educational here.

CS Educacional is a group dedicated to helping students from around the world (8 different countries to date) achieve their educational ,athletic and artistic goals in the United States. To learn about how they can help you, write to [email protected]