A post-graduate year is just what it sounds like. By definition, it is one year of prep school for students who have already graduated from high school. Think of it as an intermediate step between high school and college. It’s a great opportunity to better position yourself for college and for life.

Students choose a post-graduate (commonly referred to as PG) year for a few common reasons. One, they are young for their grade. Two, they want an additional year of academic maturity. Three, they want an additional year of athletic maturity. Four, they want an extra year of emotional maturity or personal growth. To put it differently, they want to get into a better college or want to be more successful once they get to that college.

How do you know if a PG year is right for you? Anyone can choose to do a PG year. In some ways you have nothing to lose. For most people a determination needs to be made. Can I reach my goals through a PG year? Is it is worth the time, the effort and the cost?

While most schools offer a PG year, some do not. A handful are post-graduates only – no other students.

For a thorough discussion of post-graduate sports, see the link in the “Sports” drop-down menu.