Most athletes look forward to the next step in their career. Moving on from high school to college sports is difficult and may not always be the easiest transition. The number of scholarships depend on which sport you play and what the recruiting coaching staff is looking for.

Anyone can go to a four-year and party while making questionable decisions every weekend. A student athlete always has to focus on their grades while playing a sport. There will always be time to party, but how much longer will you be able to play? You can party till the day you die, but don’t think that you will be able to play a sport for that long.

There are more options than going to the Division I school of your dreams. National Athletes of Intercollegiate Athletes or NAIA , Division II and Division III are all viable options to continue your education and sports career. Don’t just choose a school because it is a big school that might have everything and more. Pick a school that fits who you are as a person, a school that you will enjoy attending, one you will be proud to say that you graduated from.

If you are looking to go Division I, do your research and find schools that reach out to junior colleges for athletes to come to your program. A lot of coaches prefer athletes from junior colleges because they come in ready to play and are developed as athletes. A football coach from the University of Georgia has said that he chooses transfers from junior colleges, because they can change the dynamic of the team, since the transfers are older and can improve positions.

High school coaches are not always the best option to get you a scholarship. If you ask me they kind of suck at promoting you as a player and as a student. They don’t have all the connections that junior colleges have. In high school you really have to promote yourself to get those top colleges to even take a look at you.

Don’t put your dreams of playing a college sport in your back pocket. If you love the sport you have been playing for most of your life, pursue it; make your dream a reality. Scholarships come to talented and hard working student athletes. Find the dream school that will help both your degree and the sport you want to play.

You have nothing to lose.