College Preparation
 
Divers should begin preparing at the beginning of their Junior year of high school for their search of the collegiate diving program that will best fit them. There is such a wide array of schools across the country that there is sure to be a fit for you. It does not matter if you are on our High Performance Team, our High School program, our Bucks Program or any other part of OSDC. The successes of our club carry with it a great reputation of excellence with many college coaches around the country.
 
  1. Create a long list of schools that you might be interested in attending. Ask yourself some general questions:
    1. Do I want a big school or a small school?
    2. Do I want a school that is urban or rural?
    3. Do I want a school with a large athletic program?
    4. Do I want to compete Division 1, 2 or 3?
    5. What are my academic interests and does that school have my major?
    6. Do my grades and test scores match what that school is looking for in order to gain acceptance?
      1. On occasion, diving can help boost your ability to get into a school. That will need to be discussed with the specific college coaches.
    7. These are just a few of the questions to ask…
 
  1. Start taking trips to visit schools. This might help you narrow down your list a bit. It is hard to get a good idea of what life at a college might be like unless you take the time to visit that school.
 
  1. Do some research on the diving program
    1. How good is the program?
      1. May give you insight on how well your ability level would match up
    2. How many divers are on the team?
      1. May give you an idea of whether or not there is a need on the team for your gender of diver
    3. What is the contact information for the coach?
      1. Send out a personal email to the coach expressing your interest in diving at their school. Provide them with a background on your diving experience, your diving list and your GPA and test scores.
      2. Many coaches will not contact athletes unless they know that athlete is interested in their school.
  2. Once you start hearing back from coaches, continue the dialogue and ask tons of questions. Sometimes coaches will ask you to visit the school on an official or unofficial recruiting trip.
    1. You are allowed 5 total official recruiting visits where the school will fund your entire trip. Be sure you are very interested in that school before you commit to a visit.
    2. You are allowed as many unofficial visits as you want. You will fund the visit but like an official visit, often times members of the diving team will host you on your visit so you can see what the life of a collegiate athlete consists of.
 
  1. If you do not hear back from a school that you believe to be a good fit for your diving ability, reach out to Coach Mandy at Eby.53@osu.edu for assistance in getting in touch with the diving coach.
 
  1. When going on visits, take everything in and start narrowing down the schools. Things to consider when making a decision.
    1. Practice schedule
    2. Demeanor of coach
    3. Feel of school
    4. Do you get along with the team
    5. Conditioning program that is sport specific to diving
    6. Resources provided to athletes
      1. Academic support services, nutritionists, sports psychologists, strength trainers, athlete dining halls, early registration for classes, etc.
    7. Talk to your lead coach who runs your practices and get their advice on programs
    8. What is the financial situation and can your family afford a school?
    9. Does it meet my academic needs?
 
  1. Weigh your options and make a decision based on what you feel is the best for you and the next four years of your life.
 
  1. CELEBRATE!!