How a Postgrad or Gap Year at IMG Academy Can Increase Your College Recruitment Opportunities

For student-athletes and their families pondering that postgrad year, also known as an “extra year” or “gap year” option after high school, it’s a critical decision and one that can make a real difference in the college-recruiting trajectory.

Gap years are a year spent between high school and college improving academics, athletics and life experience to be better prepared for college.

Here’s why a post-graduate (PG) or fifth-year experience at a prep school like IMG Academy can be a strategic move, how it works, and how to time it wisely.

Is A Gap Year After High School Worth It?

Yes. Choosing to stay another year in a highly structured academic and athletic environment gives you more than just “one more season.” It allows you to:

• Further develop physically (strength, speed, skill maturity), especially if you’re a late-maturing athlete.
• Improve academically: boosting grades, GPA or completing NCAA-core courses so you’re fully eligible and more attractive to college coaches.
• Gain more exposure to collegiate-level style training, competition and coaching. At IMG Academy, for example, student-athletes train daily with college-style schedules and resources.
• Improve your recruiting timing and profile you present to college coaches, sometimes opening opportunities you might not have had during your original senior year.

In effect, that extra year buys you time: time to improve, to mature, to get noticed, and to align academically and athletically with the college level.

“A post-grad year is incredibly beneficial to the student-athletes who chose to pursue the "gap year" to better prepare for college,” said IMG Academy Director of Basketball Mike Gillian. “This year allows them to get better physically, work on their game as an individual and have more and better competitive opportunities, and to become more prepared mentally and emotionally for the college environment.”

How IMG Academy Supports A Post-Graduate Year For Athletes

At IMG Academy, there are specific programs designed for athletes seeking that extra developmental year. Key features include:

• Our College Planning & Placement team works with student-athletes and parents to monitor NCAA eligibility, track recruiting activities and ensure the student is aligned for college placement.
• Post-grad students have access to NCSA, the largest college athletic recruiting platform, to give tools, guidance and a wide network of college coaches.
• IMG Academy’s athletics programs mimic college-level expectations: daily sport-specific training, strength & conditioning, mental performance, and competition against top-tier opponents.
• Academically, IMG Academy offers a college-prep curriculum, Honors / AP courses, dual enrollment, and academic support to help meet NCAA core-course and GPA requirements. Student-athletes can choose part-time college courses, high school courses, or a mix of both.

IMG Academy’s post graduate program isn’t just “repeat senior year”; it’s an intentional year of growth and positioning.

Learn more about IMG Academy post-graduate program curriculum.

Timeline: When to Decide and What to Action

Junior Year (in high school)

• Begin talking about recruiting early: know your target division (NCAA DI, II, III) and the core-course requirements.
• If it becomes apparent you need more time (academically, physically, or exposure-wise), begin exploring prep school/PG options.
• Visit schools like IMG Academy, talk to coaches and admissions, and ask about their PG year structure.

Senior Year

• If you’re entering a post-graduate year, you’ll complete high school (or reclassify) and then enroll for an extra season of prep school competition.
• Use the year to build exposure, connect with college coaches, highlight growth and performance.

Post-Graduate / Gap Year

• Student-athletes arrive at IMG Academy (or comparable prep school) for a year of elevated training, academics and recruiting support.
• Mid-year or end of that year student-athletes begin solidifying college offers and commitments. For example, IMG Academy holds a “Commitment Day” for seniors and PG athletes.
• Then student-athletes enter college athletics having maximized readiness: physically, academically and recruitment-wise.

What the NCAA Rules Say & How This Works

Understanding the rules helps families make informed decisions. Key points:

• For NCAA eligibility, the athlete must complete 16 approved core courses and maintain a core-course GPA (for Division I, at least 2.3) in high school.
• A PG year doesn’t count as college enrollment, so student-athletes maintain their full NCAA eligibility when they eventually enroll in college. Families often use the extra year to complete high school in a prep-school setting rather than enrolling early in college or going to a junior college.

Bottom line:A gap or postgrad year at a place like IMG Academy keeps your recruiting eligibility window intact while you develop and showcase your best self.

Reasons to consider a post grad year

Here are questions to ask with your athlete and family:

• Do you have unfinished high school academic requirements or a core-course GPA that could be improved?
• Do you feel you need more physical development or higher-level competition to get recruited?
• Are you currently lacking exposure to college coaches (i.e., highlight film, recruiting profile, national competition)?
• Are you willing to commit to another year of schooling and training away from home (e.g., boarding school)?
• Will the extra year still allow you to feel motivated, engaged, and prepared for the next level?

If the answer to several of these is “yes,” then a post graduate year at a prep school like IMG Academy can be a strong strategic move.

Final Thoughts

An extra year at a top prep school like IMG Academy offers a dedicated space to refine your game, meet academic and recruiting benchmarks, and position yourself most strongly when college coaches are making decisions. With structured training, recruiting support, and academic alignment, the extra year becomes less about “waiting” and more about “accelerating readiness.”

Explore IMG Academy’s post-graduate programs by sport.