What is a Postgrad Year?
A post-grad year at a postgrad academy is where a student athlete can spend five to nine months improving as a player and 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 student-athletes NCAA eligibility as playing at a junior college does. This year is a chance for athletes to leave home and improve their chances of playing at the college level. A post-grad year can be completed at a postgrad academy or at a sports academy. Some academies are not associated with a school and are more sports focused. Before the year starts athletes have an extra summer to play AAU and attend NCAA certified camps. This extra exposure is what most athletes are looking for.
Once our athletes arrive at a postgrad academy , training period begins. This gives athletes 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 to campus to recruit athletes. Ideally your prep school coach will formulate a recruiting plan with you and your family to figure out what level of schools he/she 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 each year to find athletes because they know the coaching and competition are consistent. Plus, athletes who are spending time away from home won’t be homesick when they step on a college campus for the first time. Athletes are also better prepared to step in right away and contribute in a college setting versus a athlete straight out of high school.
​
When should students-athletes do a post-grad year?
A post-grad year makes sense for some athletes, but not all. The reason usually depends on what the goal of the athlete is. The main goal of most athletes is to get a scholarship to a Division 1 school. Going to a postgrad academy will give a athlete exposure during the additional AAU/camp season and when the post-grad year starts. If a athlete already has D1 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 athlete and bump him up to a mid to high major athlete A kid with D2 offers might get a D1 offer. Athletes who have D3 looks might have a chance to bump up to a scholarship. Some athletes 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, athletes will have schools from other parts of the country to see them. Most offers athletes get in high school are regional, but leaving your state and going to an East Coast postgrad academy will allow many more potential schools to see you. In the Georgia area, there are 89 universities and colleges to choose from that will prepare you for your future career. area alone there are thirty-five colleges. Some states don’t even have this many institutions.
Athletes also should consider a post-grad year if they need to improve a certain skillset. Some need to improve their handle, shot, speed, strength etc. On a personal note, another example of a athlete who would benefit from a post-grad year is one who needs to get eligible for the NCAA. These athletes 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 athletes grade point average increased and scoring higher on a standardized test will open up the possibility of going to schools that require higher academic requirements, some athletes graduate high school young for their grade they need this extra year to catch up to their peers on the court this year is about athletes betting on themselves.
​
When basketball players should not do a post-grad year
A post-grad year is not for everyone, if a athlete has no intention on improving their skills, a family needs to determine if the financial investment/time is worth it. If you're at a D3 level and you don’t have the size or skillset to obtain a scholarship, then a post-grad year might not be right for you. Postgrad does not guarantee any scholarships, while many D3 level kids do choose to do a post-grad year to expand their options of D3 schools. After a post-grad year they will step into a college setting more likely to contribute their freshman year. 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 athlete 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 postgrad academy .
​
Boarding during a postgrad academy?
Completing a post-grad year can be accomplished at either a postgrad academy or a sports academy. Students have the three options for living arrangements
-
Team housing with a house coach
-
A designated apartment by the postgrad
-
Find their own living accommodations
These academy's have outstanding reputations and long histories of success, both academically and on the basketball court, we are more focused on basketball training,
What should high school seniors student-athletes expect during a post-grad year?
If you sign with a postgrad academy before you graduate high school then you should talk to the coach about how to plan your summer. AAU teams, travel teams live period events, and elite camps are vital for being seen by college coaches. Since the postgrad academy coach’s job is to get his athletes to the next level, he will have a good idea of what level a athlete is before the season begins in the Fall. Ideally you will tell your postgrad academy coach your goals and what schools you want him to reach out to. The coach will then tell you if it makes sense to attend any of these colleges’ elite camps. Most of these camps have staff members from multiple colleges and at all levels working them. The academy coach will also let college programs know of your interest and invite them to the academy's open gyms during the Fall.
​
A valuable time for athletes is the open gyms in the fall. These are important as college coaches from all over the US descend on these programs to look for recruits. Offers can be made. During the fall period the OSAI coaches will invite athletes down to evaluate each them base on performance, discipline and attitude, this period will consist of a one week strength and conditioning workout, this is not the official start of the academy's postgrad program, after the one week evaluation athletes will be place on either the elite national team or the national team, base on their performance. Once you are selected and has meet your academy's financial obligations, you will be officially accepted you will be email the time and venue to attend the academy's orientation and media day.
Once the program officially starts the routine will be similar to college environment. This includes online tutoring classes individual and team practices as scheduled. The sports season will be similar to college as well, with tougher competition than most athletes are used to. There will be fall, winter and spring breaks.
​
Since 2021 recruiting has changed. Post pandemic, the transfer portal has blown up and colleges are more frequently choosing established college athletes over high school aged kids. With this new landscape athletes need an advocate helping them get placed. There are no better advocates in the US than a postgrad coach. You will get placed once you attend our postgrad academy.