Basketball

What is a post-grad basketball program?

A post-grad basketball program is a place where a player can spend an extra year to improve as both a player and a person. This is the year after high school and before college. Some call it a fifth year. One of the benefits is that this year does not count against a player’s NCAA eligibility like playing at a junior college does. This year is a chance for players to leave home and improve their chances of reaching their dreams of playing at the college level. A post-grad year can be completed at a prep school or at a basketball academy. Some academies are not associated with a school and are more basketball focused. Before the year starts players have an extra summer to play AAU and attend NCAA certified camps. This extra exposure is what most players are looking for. Once players arrive at a prep school, the open gym period begins. This gives players a chance to play with their new teammates, work on their skills during individual sessions and get stronger in the weight room. This is also the time when college coaches come into the gym to recruit players. Ideally your prep school coach will formulate a recruiting plan with you and your family to figure out what level of schools he will reach out to. If you have talent and are eligible there is a good chance multiple college coaches will be in the gym to see you play. Coaches from all over the country fly to prep schools to find players because they know the coaching and competition are consistent year after year. Plus, players who are spending time away from home won’t be homesick when they step on a college campus for the first time. Players are also better prepared to step in right away and contribute in a college setting versus a player straight out of high school.

When should basketball players do a post-grad year?

Doing a post-grad year makes sense for some players. The reason usually depends on what the goal of the player is. The main goal of most players is to get a scholarship to a Division 1,2,3 or NAIA school. Going to a prep school will give a player exposure during the additional AAU/camp season and when the post-grad year starts. If a player already has offers they will hopefully bump up a level or gain more offers from the level they are currently at—if they have the right skillset and size, a post-grad year could take a low major player and bump him up to a mid to high major player. A kid with D2 offers might get a D1 offer. Players who have D3 looks might have a chance to bump up to a scholarship. Some players might not have any offers and will be open to seeing what schools reach out to them during this year.

Aside from getting exposure and trying to bump up a level, players want to get schools from other parts of the country to see them. 

Another example of a player who would benefit from a post-grad year is one who needs to get eligible for the NCAA. They can go the JUCO route or do a post-grad year as long as they are not too far behind in their core classes. Getting a player’s grade point average increased and scoring higher on a standardized test will open up the possibility of going to schools that have higher academic requirements.

Some players graduate high school at 17 or just turning 18. They need this extra year to catch up to their peers on the court.

This year is about players taking a chance on themselves.

When basketball players should not do a post-grad year

A post-grad year is not for everyone. If a player is not going to bump up a level, a family needs to determine if the financial investment is worth it. If you are a D3 level player and you don’t have the size or skillset to obtain a scholarship then a post-grad year might not be right for you. The player will still get the benefits of maturing and taking college classes and getting better on the court. But this year is not a guarantee to getting a scholarship.

While most players would benefit from a post-grad year, it doesn’t make sense for some who have signed with a good school and will be able to contribute right away.

What are the benefits of attending a post-grad year versus attending a junior college?

The main reason to complete a post-grad year instead of going to a junior college is that the player does not lose NCAA eligibility. Once you play in a junior college game you have lost a year of playing in the NCAA. A couple of reasons players choose junior college is that they need to drastically improve their grade point average, get their standardized test scores up to the minimum NCAA limit, or they don’t have the finances to pay for tuition at a prep school.

The academics at a prep school are going to be, on whole, more challenging than what is offered at a junior college. This is due to the following:

• The standards to get in a prep school are quite high at most places. They do not take everyone that applies.
• There will be students from many states and around the world where junior colleges mostly serve their region.
• Jucos have been dubbed “Last Chance U.” Some athletes have been at other schools, need to become eligible or have had other issues that are keeping them from going directly to college. There are some that are solid situations and others are rougher around the edges. A prep school is very cognizant of who they want as a part of their student body.

How much will a post-grad year cost and how will a basketball player pay for it?

The full tuition and athletic fees for Goode Elite prep school is around $9,500 per semester financial aid will cover some cost. As of 2021 IMG Academy has a full tuition of around $82,000. Some military prep schools are in the $30-40k range. 

We will require all athletic fees before season and school starts. We do accept payment plans and can guide families to banks that offer loans too.