In some sports, like basketball and hockey, you hear about athletes who chose to do a year at prep school before going to college. This can be for a number of reasons, so we sat down with Bill Battaglia, a former DIII basketball coach, to talk about why athletes go to prep school, the different routes they can take, and if it's the right option for you.

Different Prep School Routes

There are a handful of different prep-school routes you can take. Usually, prep schools have “great academics and athletics,” so make sure you pick the route that fits your plan. The three most common routes are post-grads, repeat classes, and freshman.

Post-Grads: These are the student-athletes who graduate high school and do one more year at a prep school to develop athletically and/or academically.

Repeats: You can be a “repeat sophomore,” “repeat junior,” etc. This happens when you do one or more years at a public high school, then transfer to a prep school. You have to repeat your most recent year, and then complete your education there.

Freshmen: Some athletes and families choose to do all four years of high school at prep school. This takes less time because you won't have any repeat or post-grad years.

Related: DIY College Athletic Recruiting Guide

Why Athletes Go to Prep School

“Prep school has different purposes for athletes… I'd say the number one thing kids will go to prep school for is their test scores… Coaches may request you to go to prep score for standardized testing.”

Test Scores/Academics: If an athlete is being heavily recruited, but they can't meet a school's academic requirements, the coaches may request that they do an extra semester or year at a prep school to improve their standardized testing scores. An added benefit to this is that if an athlete improves their scores before the season starts, they can leave prep school early and start at their college as a greenshirt athlete. On the other hand, Fall-sport athletes could do a post-grad year at prep school, play one last season, then enroll in college early to start their transition into college.

Related: Redshirts, Grayshirts, Greenshirts, and Blueshirts

More Playing Time: Another reason an athlete might do an extra year at prep school is to get playing time that they didn't get in high school. Bill said: “I was young for my class and a lot of players in my high school were really good, so I didn't play as much.” So, he went to prep school for an extra year after high school, as a “post-grad,” to play and develop as an athlete through one more season.

For most athletes, especially in basketball, recruiting is busiest during the summer leading up to your senior year and likely wrapped up by the start of your senior season. For athletes who choose to do a post-grad year at prep school, they get one extra summer to drum up interest, then ideally are signed onto a college team before the start of their prep school season. 

College Credit: If you want to get a head start on your college credits, and your high school doesn't offer a great variety of AP courses, prep school may be a good option.

Related: Recruiting Must-Do's: Division I Academic Requirements & Eligibility

Is Prep School Right for You?

Prep school is a big investment, so you should consider whether it's the right option for you. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Will it help my recruiting process? Do you need more exposure? Or are you getting enough exposure at your high school?

2. Is it helpful for my sport specifically? Bill says “I think it's most beneficial for Fall and Winter Sports.” This is because for Spring-sport athletes, most of your recruiting will have been done in the fall of their senior year. So, playing an extra year may not really impact their recruiting process or development any differently than just playing out their senior season.

Related: 40 Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding Where to Play College Soccer

3. Do I need the academic boost? Are your grades and test scores already good enough? Are you getting the opportunities you need at your local school? If not, prep school might be a good option?

4. Can my family afford it? Regardless of whether prep school will benefit you, if your family can't afford it, it's not a realistic option. However, if that extra season at prep school will bump you from DII to DI or from a partial to a full-ride scholarship, it will save your family more money in the long run and may be worth the investment.

5. Do I need to develop more? If you're young for your class, or just know that you need to spend a extra season in the gym, prep school is a perfect opportunity to do so.

6. Do I already have good offers elsewhere? If you already have the grades, and coaches you want to compete for are offering you, there is really no need. Bill says “It doesn't always work out perfectly for everyone. Say you do your post-graduate year and you tear your ACL. All of the sudden, you're out. There goes your season.” If you're already set academically and athletically, there's no point risking an injury.

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* Originally published on January 28, 2022, by Jaime Evers