I’m a Year 13 or Senior (US school grade) from England currently halfway through my last year of school and I want to play Division 1 soccer in the fall of 2024. I know I’m quite far behind in the recruitment process, so do you guys think it would still be possible, and if so how, for me to get a substantial scholarship to play at a high or mid-major D1 school considering I’m a high-level footballer and academically gifted?
For Context, I have begun emailing D1 head and assistant coaches with a highlight reel, player CV and a brief introduction of myself
Any advice,tips&tricks or experiences that could help me would be deeply appreciated.
Thanks
Where have you applied? Many deadlines have passed for fall 2024 admissions. Maybe take a gap year try for fall 2025.
See announcements of 2024 recruits.
You might find a place, but you should consider taking a gap year and should discuss that possibility with coaches. There is also the alternative of a PG (post graduate) year at a US boarding school.
I am a little confused about your timing, as application deadlines have already passed. Have you already applied and are looking for a spot in those teams?
Do I think you can get a full ride scholarship to a D1 school to play a sport for fall 2024? No.
But as others said, you could take what is called a gap year where you apply and get recruited for fall 2025. Be sure to continue to excel in your sport and show great use of your gap year (volunteer, work hard, etc).
What are your predicted A Level grades and subjects?
What major (course) do you want to study at college?
Which team (or level) are you playing at in the UK (e.g. Brighton U-18s, County Squad, FA Schools)? Have you been at a football academy?
All of this will help posters consider colleges that are suitable for you in terms of soccer and academics… to start 2025.
I don’t think taking a gap year will help unless you are a really superior soccer player. Most top D1 programs fill their spots with sophomores and juniors. A few may take a player who has taken a post grad year playing for a prep school but even those have been pre-identified.
I don’t think you can do this on your own for a top D1 program at an academically top school. You need a coach or an agent to tell you how to do it (post grad, applying to a lower D1 program and getting to a top program through the transfer program, being a walk on).
They can’t officially recruit until end of sophomore year correct? Someone who is a sr now and will take a gap year is the equivalent of a Jr, no? Why is that not viable if they are talking to the coaches now?
No. The coaches are looking for class of 25 but mostly 26 and 27 right now. The coaches can’t ask the students to commit until after sophomore year (if that’s the rule for soccer) but they’ve been looking at them for the 2 years before that, watching them in tournaments, playing with their club teams, talking to their coaches and to the players if the players make contact. Coaches don’t wait for players to contact them when the player is a senior or grad student and pencil them in on the roster. The OP should look at the rosters of the schools he’s interested in and see where the players came from - hs, post grad, club teams. Were any of them 19 or 20 year olds coming from gap years?
Someone who is a senior now is not the same as a junior, even if they are willing to take a gap year. A junior will be playing next year as a senior whereas a gap year student may have no where to play.
But also, it all depends on how strong a player the recruit is. If they’ve washed out of Man City’s academy, I expect most coaches would find room for them on the roster. (Understanding the academics of such a recruit might be tricky).
UNC-Charlotte is not a bad school. It’s not top 50 academically but it’s top 200 nationally. It’s a school where you can get a good education. It’s about the same level in soccer. It’s a D-1 school with a winning record in a mid-level league. Charlotte Men's College Soccer | News | Scores | Standings | Rankings
The top level schools have already identified and recruited the players they want. So a mid level school in a mid level league might be the best you can hope for for fall 2024.
If you want to play in the US a school like UNC-Charlotte might be worth a look. I do not know anything about soccer recruiting beyond living in a top D1 school’s backyard. I’m sure there are many folks on here who can tell you more about that process but might be worth investigating other mid-level schools like UNC Charlotte.
UNCC is just an example school. I looked up info on it the other day for a completely unrelated thread so they popped up in my mind
Actually now that I look at the rankings, UNC-Charlotte might be aiming too high. They are a top 25 soccer school in somepolls. But I think it would be worth reaching out. Their academic admissions deadline is Feb 1 so coming up close but you’ve got a little time.
But I wonder if they still have roster spots. On the plus side, they recruit internationally – 10 of their 28 players are internationals. None from the UK though.
ETA I just reread what you wrote. You were talking about this coming fall. D1 roster spots are as rare as hen’s teeth at this point. And the top d3 programs are also finished recruiting. It really IS too late for this fall, barring some huge stroke of luck, or unless this player is almost at the professional level.
I agree with much of what has been said so far, but note that OP said they need a ‘substantial scholarship’. That is even more unlikely to happen for Fall '24.
OP…what is your budget, and will you qualify for need based financial aid (noting that some schools don’t give any need based aid to international students)?
