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Congrats -- you've chosen to take your athletic prowess to the collegiate sports level. With that weighty decision behind you, you now have the tedious task of selecting a school that suits not only your sport pursuit but your academic goals as well. Here's advice from one coach sure to get you on the right selection track.

Academics First
Remember that you're going to be a  

Student-Athlete

 , so the academic reputation of the school should play a major role in your decision. You want to find a college or university that matches your academic abilities and goals. Gary Wieneke, who recently retired from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after spending the past 36 years as the head cross-country coach, believes you should choose a school for academics before you consider athletics. "You want to find a school that offers the program that best fits your individual academic needs," he explains. Once you [do that], you should start to evaluate the athletic program."

Assess Your Skill Level
Be honest about your athletic ability. Only a select few have the skill to compete at the NCAA Division I level. If you have had a successful high school student-athlete career, a college coach will most likely contact you. Don't get discouraged, though, if you haven't been contacted. Instead, start to develop a list of colleges with programs that suit your talent level, and take the initiative to contact those coaches and express your interest.

Evaluate the Program
The best way to determine if a program is right for you is to visit with the team and coaching staff, says Wieneke. Whether it's an official or unofficial visit to the campus, you'll want to make sure you fit in. "You should use the campus visit as a research tool," Wieneke says. "Find out if you have chemistry with the team and the coach."

Ask a college coach to describe a typical week of practice, and try to assess his/her coaching style, personality, and the team's performance stats. Doing so will make you feel good about your final choice.

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