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Successfully Navigating the College Planning Process as a Student-Athlete

Balancing academic and athletic commitments requires foresight, careful planning, and a strategic approach.

“In supporting Friends Select student-athletes throughout their college search and application process, I emphasize the crucial interplay of academics and athletics,” said Bill. “Academic eligibility is a prerequisite for pursuing collegiate sports.” Bill creates opportunities for student-athletes, such as scheduled study halls, that foster both academic excellence and team-building.


For students interested in pursuing a collegiate athletic career, the college search and application process add layers of complexity.


Balancing academic and athletic commitments requires foresight, careful planning, and a strategic approach. Friends Select’s director of college planning Tracy Matthews and associate director of college planning Rachael Polton leverage their expertise to support Friends Select student-athletes through the challenges and opportunities they might encounter as they navigate a path to college.

The school’s office of college planning works in tandem with athletic director Bill Klose P’21, ’25 as early as a student’s freshman year to begin tailoring the college search process to their athletic aspirations. “In supporting Friends Select student-athletes throughout their college search and application process, I emphasize the crucial interplay of academics and athletics,” said Bill. “Academic eligibility is a prerequisite for pursuing collegiate sports.” Bill creates opportunities for student-athletes, such as scheduled study halls, that foster both academic excellence and team-building.

Once a student’s pathway to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is established, Tracy and Rachael assist in curriculum management to ensure students are taking courses approved by the clearinghouse, and eventually, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. The counselors help students ensure their GPA meets the minimum requirements, as well as work with students to forward transcripts. 

Additionally, the college planning team works with student-athletes to ensure they’re displaying academic accomplishments alongside athletic achievements, supporting them with their applications, personal statements, academic resumes, and letters of recommendation. “Friends Select emphasizes the importance of being scholar-athletes, and that they are involved outside the realm of athletics,” explained Tracy. “They have many different talents and abilities that we strive to help them highlight when applying to college. Our students truly fit the school motto, ‘The Whole of Life.’” 
    
For students continuing their athletic journey at the collegiate level, recruitment is a crucial step. Friends Select’s coaching and athletic staff and college counselors work together to guide student-athletes through these steps, offering valuable advice on how to present themselves effectively to college coaches. Bill works with each student during the recruitment process to help connect them with college coaches and provide insights into the recruitment timeline.     

Paired with highlighting academic accomplishments, recruitment often involves creating highlight reels and participating in showcase events. “It’s necessary for students to be proactive in the recruitment process and to remember college coaches are talking to a lot of students,” explained Rachael. “We encourage students to attend showcases and to fill out recruitment profiles on school websites to get on coaches’ radars. And it’s vital they create a searchable presence for coaches to find them on the internet or social media.”      

Quaye Agoyo ’22 attends Swarthmore College, where he is also a member of the basketball team. From his experience, he thinks current student-athletes should be attentive to their own recruitment. “Send out film, initiate conversations with coaches, and take the time to respond to any coaches who reach out, even if it’s a school you don’t see yourself at,” he said. “What helped me was doing everything I could to set myself up for success and not worrying about the things I couldn’t control. Continuing the hard work and staying consistent no matter the situation is important.”

Princeton University fencer and Olympic athlete Maia Weintraub ’21 recommends student-athletes broaden their college search to ensure a range of options. “Don’t be afraid to reach out and email many schools individually because it’s important to have a variety of options,” she shared. “I’ve heard horror stories of fencers committing and applying to one school only for there to be problems with admissions, and they end up being rejected and having to scramble to apply to other schools.”

Friends Select college counselors play a pivotal role in guiding student-athletes in helping them to identify a variety of colleges and universities that not only match their academic interests but also provide opportunities for athletic growth and development. “Friends Select pushed me to be ambitious in choosing an academically good school. Swarthmore wasn’t originally very high on my list, but Tracy encouraged me to look into it, which had a huge impact because it’s where I ended up going,” said Quaye. “Students should also make sure they like a school outside of their athletic programming. Outside of basketball, there are a lot of things I love about Swarthmore.”


 

 

 

 

 

 

Thu, 29 Aug 2024

2024-25 New Employees List

Please join us in welcoming the following new employees to the Friends Select community:

Sun, 05 May 2024

Michael Gary Speaks Spring 2023

I am so proud of what we have accomplished together since we launched our strategic plan, Advance Friends Select.

Sun, 05 May 2024

Giving Back: Lon and Bonnie Greenberg GP’25, ’27

Former Friends Select grandparents and longtime supporters of the school, Lon and Bonnie Greenberg GP’25, ’27 recently made a significant contribution to create an endowment fund for SummerSessions, a facet of the Advance Friends Select: Transformation Campaign.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Upper School Writer Program Thrives

To enrich the educational experience of upper school students and celebrate Philadelphia’s vibrant arts and culture, Friends Select School established the upper school Visiting Writer Program in 2019 with support from the John M. Dallam ’49 Endowed Fund. Each year, a distinguished Philadelphia-based writer is invited to engage with students and share their expertise, insight, and literary talent.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Successfully Navigating the College Application Process as a Student-Athlete

For students interested in pursuing a collegiate athletic career, the college search and application process add layers of complexity. Balancing academic and athletic commitments requires foresight, careful planning, and a strategic approach.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Students Participate in the Mayor’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee

Two Friends Select students had the privilege to serve on former Mayor Jim Kenney’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee convened by the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy (OACCE).

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Students Lead Voter Registration Drive at Shackamaxon Powwow

Friends Select upper school students facilitated a voter registration drive last September at the Shackamaxon Powwow at Penn Treaty Park. Hosted annually by the Native American House Alliance (NAHA)—a nonprofit organization that supports family, housing, and employment services to the local Native American community—the Shackamaxon Powwow honors Lenape culture and heritage.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

Michael Gary Speaks Spring 2024

Watching and reading the news about boards of education at various levels throughout the United States purposefully censoring books and altering curricula to fit their political ideology, I am grateful to be an educator at Friends Select School.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

From the Archives: Creating A Friends Select Docuseries

Friends Select School history was recently made with the production of our nine-part documentary series. Through archival footage, as well as interviews with alumni, faculty, and staff, A Friends Select Docuseries was meticulously crafted to honor pivotal moments in our school’s history and legacy.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024

ESF Becomes Friends Select’s New Summer Camp Partner

Friends Select School is embarking on a new partnership with ESF Camps & Experiences this summer. ESF will bring to Friends Select a premier collection of camps featuring over 60 fun-filled enrichment and character-building activities for students of all ages.

 

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