College Advisory

Playing College Soccer

At Gulf Coast United we have a proven track record of developing college soccer players. Our former players have gone on to play at the Junior College, NCAA Division III, NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NCAA Division I level. Our success runs equally across the boys and girls programs. There are certain things that you should know about the college recruiting process.

College Soccer Recruiting Basics

With over 1,200+ men’s college soccer programs across the country and over 1,400 women’s programs finding a scholarship is harder then you might think. Coaches divide their money up and very rarely give full ride scholarships.

Women's Soccer - There are a maximum of 14 scholarships for a DI team, 9.9 for DII teams, 12 for NAIA programs and a fully funded NJCAA program has up to 18 scholarships per team.

Men’s Soccer - There are a maximum of 9.9 scholarships per team DI team, 9 per DII team, 12 at the NAIA level, and 18 scholarships per team for NJCAA programs.

Steps For High School Players

  1. Take the ACT and keep your grades up. Remember that the primary purpose of going to college is to get an education. As a high school student you need to prepare yourself academically to be able to handle the course work load once in college. The ACT is required to attend college - ACT Test Dates. See your High School guidance counselor about ACT prep courses and take the test several times if needed.
  2. Decide what level of college soccer you can play. Be realistic about your ability to play at the next level. Technical skill, athleticism, vision, and experience are just some of the things that will determine what level of soccer you can play. Talk with your select coach, director of coaching, and high school coach for recommendations.
  3. Research schools that have the degree programs that you want. Think long term. What do you want to do for the rest of your life? If you want to be an engineer you do not need to go to a school that focuses on education and business. Do some research on what you might want to do when you leave college. Find out if there is a demand for this profession and how much this job will pay. Will you need to attend graduate school? School counselors, high school coaches, select coaches, parents, and family members are all good people to speak with when trying to plan a path for your education and future.
  4. Complete clearing house registrations. NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, and NAIA schools all require prospective student athletes to complete the respective clearing house registration process. See below for information regarding the requirements and links for each level of college soccer.
  5. Create Soccer resume.
  6. Contact college coaches. Once you have figured out what level(s) of soccer you can play, taken the ACT, decided the type of degree that you want to pursue, completed the clearing house process, and chosen a few schools that match all of your criteria then you are ready to contact the college coaches.
  7. Have a back-up plan.

Junior College

National Junior College Athletic Association
Information for a Prospective NJCAA Student-Athletes

Mississippi Junior College Soccer Programs

Division I & Division II

Division I College Soccer Programs

Division II College Soccer Programs

Division III

Division III College Soccer Programs

NAIA

NAIA College Soccer Programs

ACT Information

ACT Test Dates