Are you a middle or high school student who dreams of riding at the college level one day? No matter what your discipline, your academic interests, or your intended career path, this book will help you understand: - what types of colleges, universities, and educational programs are available - the competition formats and different types of intercollegiate equestrian teams - how to create a list of potential schools and what to look for on your visit to campus - how to navigate the NCAA eligibility process if you hope to become a varsity athlete in the NCEA - how to apply to college and how scholarships and financial aid come into play after you've been accepted - how to make the transition from a high school equestrian to an intercollegiate equestrian team member - ...and much more! Written by a former college admission officer who also served as the recruitment coordinator for a college equestrian program, this book was written with insider knowledge of both the college admission process and the strategies employed by top coaches when assembling their teams each season. Its goal is to help you understand not only how many options riders have after high school, but also how to choose the opportunities that are the best fit for your educational future.
Randi C. Heathman is an independent educational consultant whose decade of experience in college admissions and enrollment and lifetime involvement in equestrian sports give her a unique and beneficial platform from which to advise students and families.
Heathman holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in communication studies/leadership. She honed her craft as senior assistant director of admission at Albion College (Albion, Michigan) while also working extensively with their equestrian program from its opening in 2004. In fact, Heathman's undergraduate Honors thesis was the impetus for the creation of the equestrian program at Albion and it was her work with that program that helped her gain an understanding of intercollegiate equestrian sports of all kinds. Her years of experience in college admissions also gave her tremendous insight into what details go into shaping a school's freshman class.
At present, Heathman is the only practicing educational consultant who includes both enrollment and intercollegiate equestrian experience on her resume. She is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and travels to many college campuses each year in addition to attending as many professional development conferences as time allows. She is also a popular speaker at events including the College Preparatory Invitational Horse Show and Dressage 4 Kids Midwest.
Growing up in the Midwest herself, Heathman tried a number of disciplines before settling on dressage. She is a member of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Dressage Federation (USDF). She is a USDF bronze and silver medalist.
