For girls who aspire to become college soccer players, trying to find a program for which to play can be a daunting task. Despite the various different levels of play and loads of different schools with programs, competition is fierce among high school players seeking spots on college rosters. But because of legislation meant to level the amount of funding given to male and female college athletes, plenty of scholarships are available. Some 93 percent of Division I athletic programs had women's soccer teams as of 2010.
Step 1
Seek an evaluation. Have a coach or college scout -- preferably an unbiased one who will tell it like it is -- review your tape or watch you play in person a few times. By doing this, you'll get a realistic idea of how your talents compare with the many other girls hoping to score a spot on a college team. And you'll know which level of college soccer might be best for you.
Step 2
Examine the different levels of play. The NCAA's Division I is the highest level of play, so you'll need to be a top-notch prospect to play at that level. Schools in Division I can provide up to 12 scholarships per year -- the most of any level. Next in line in terms of competitiveness are Divisions II and III, followed by colleges in the the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and junior colleges. Determining where on the pecking order your talents best fit is your first step, so that you don't aim too high and miss other opportunities.
Step 3
Study the academic profiles of the schools in which you're interested. If you want to play for an Ivy League school, for instance, you'd better have nearly impeccable grades and standardized test scores. And if you spend months trying to earn a scholarship to a school before realizing it doesn't offer the major you'd like to study, you're back to square one.
Step 4
Research the current rosters and study the most recent recruiting classes from the schools that are interested in you. If you're a goalie and one of your top choices just signed two goalies the previous year, for example, look elsewhere. Such roster logjams can leave talented players sitting on the bench. Conversely, if you play forward and a team is set to graduate all of its starting forwards, that may present an opportunity to play -- and often.
Member Comments