It's a hard pill to swallow when you love your athletics program, but inside you know that you aren't at the right school because of college academics. Whether the college academics are too hard, too easy, or they don't have the right major for you, you will know whether the school you're attending is the right academic fit for you pretty quickly. 

1. Talk to Your Academic Advisor

Your academic advisor is there to help you. They are experts on what your options are and what the next steps for you to take are. Make an appointment with your advisor and explain what your dilemma is. They just might know the perfect solution, or they can point you in the direction of someone who does. It's important, and hard, to know that there might not be a perfect solution. Leaving behind your best friends and your amazing athletic staff is difficult, but so is struggling through an academic program that you know isn't the one for you. Make sure you find your advisor so that you can figure out what your options are.

2. Reach Out to Your Coach

When you are having a great time athletically, it probably means you have a good relationship with your coach. Set up a meeting and go talk to them about the struggles you are having academically. You will not be the first person, or the last, to walk into their office to talk to them about how you aren't fitting in with the college academics. Your coach will know how to help you and talk you through the process of having to make a hard choice. It's best to have your coach on your side during this process. Your coach will have resources and people to reach out to that you wouldn't have alone. Make sure you don't keep them in the dark while making your decision.

3. Keep Your Future in Mind

This might be something you hear a lot, but when it comes to college, it's important to try to get the most out of it. Unless you are a top-level division I athlete, your competitive athletic career is likely going to end when you graduate. If all you have to show for your college experience is being a varsity athlete, that's probably a sign you needed to change something about your college academics. This could range from changing your major to more drastically transferring schools to a place that would be a better fit for you. The worst part about being an athlete is that it is all over at such a young age. Knowing this, make sure you have in mind a plan of what you can do with yourself once your athletic career is over.