Benefits of a Post Graduate or Prep Year for Athletics

In the current competitive high school and college sports landscape, being prepared to play at the collegiate level has become increasingly difficult in all sports. An additional year as a post-graduate student or reclassifying before graduation can help student-athletes develop physically and mentally both on and off the floor. Individual skill development, strength and conditioning, film study, nutritional education, and an extra year of physical growth and development can help propel a student-athlete’s development and dramatically increase his or her recruitment potential.

“My decision to attend Perkiomen for my PG year was the best decision," says Chris Arcidiacono '19, who continued on to play basketball for Villanova University. "My family and I knew that Perkiomen would be great to both expand myself as a person on the court and in the classroom.”

Benefits of Boarding

There are also social and emotional benefits to experiencing an extra year at prep school. Living away from home, waking up on your own in the morning, going to meals, doing your own laundry, having to be responsible for homework assignments, and meeting with teachers can all help in preparation for the rigors of college life. Long bus rides to and from games and finding time to complete your homework on these trips is also excellent preparation for the travel that student-athletes encounter in college athletics.

Academics

There are academic advantages as well. An extra year can help improve a standardized test score, show an upward trend in the GPA, or strengthen a transcript with Honors or AP classes. Keeshawn Kellman, a post-grad from the Class of 2019, leveraged his additional year of high school to demonstrate to the Princeton University Admissions office that he could thrive in a challenging academic environment by maintaining high grades and challenging himself with an AP course.

“Choosing to go to Perkiomen for a post-graduate year was one of the greatest and most impactful decisions of my life!" says Keeshawn, who played at Princeton and Florida Gulf Coast University. "I was able to take classes where the teachers were passionate about instructing students and went out of their way to make sure everyone succeeded. I was able to work with my coaches and the basketball team for an additional year, honing my skills to prepare me for college basketball."

Reclassification

Another option for students is to reclassify at any point in their high school career. At Perkiomen School, students have re-classified as freshmen, sophomores, or juniors. The most common time students reclassify is the repeat junior year, something we refer to as a “2 for 1.” With college only a year away, this can be an ideal time to add the extra year of development if a student feels he or she is not getting the level of recruitment he or she wants and/or needs an extra year to prepare for college athletics. Having two years of development in a high-level program and an extra summer of recruitment makes a huge difference for most athletes. It also often provides a chance to personally mature by boarding as part of a high-level athletic program.

High school offers a short window of time to exhibit athletic ability. If a student has an injury, it can limit an athlete's options. Reclassifying, however, would allow he or she to recover from injury and reclaim the year or season they missed.

Results

Perkiomen School has had a lot of success in the past few years with athletes who chose to either reclassify or complete a post-graduate year. Dozens of our “5^th year” student-athletes have gone on to participate in collegiate athletics, specifically in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, lacrosse, and baseball, and we are thrilled to support our Panthers in College. 

Next Steps

If you are interested in improving your game and increasing your recruitment opportunities like these former Panthers, please fill out the Athletic Inquiry form or contact Associate Director of Admissions & Financial Aid John Williams at jwilliams@perkiomen.org.

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