For a number of aspiring college soccer players, securing a spot at a DI school is the ultimate goal. That’s the arena many aim for, as it represents one of the highest levels of soccer in the United States. It’s one part of the search for the right college fit.

Every individual has their own reasons for picking a certain school or program, from the academics, scholarships and of course the soccer. But if you’re an aspiring college soccer player surveying options, don’t simply jump into an exclusive Division I chase. Keep your options open, as there are plenty of reasons to consider DII, DIII and NAIA schools. If it’s piqued your interest, learn more about how to get noticed by a program.

• Academics: According to U.S. News & World Report’s Rankings of America’s top colleges, five of the top 20 schools compete in Division III athletics. Some of these schools include MIT and John's Hopkins. Former president Barack Obama attended a DIII school, Occidental College in Los Angeles, which currently competes in the SCIAC conference in soccer for both men and women.

• Scholarships: Division II and NAIA programs have scholarship money to provide and often pair with great academic aid. With over 1,000 soccer programs for NAIA and DII in the country, there are opportunities to help cushion the rising costs of college thanks to your soccer skills outside of the DI ranks. Division III institutes do not give athletic scholarships, but they do provide fantastic grants, academic aid and can help cover books and other expenses.

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• Soccer: Do you know the differences between DI, DII and DIII? It dictates the number of sports a school must sponsor, not the level of athletic play. So by choosing not to go DI doesn’t mean you have to give up a high level of soccer. Many of the top Division II and NAIA schools can compete with the majority of DI programs. In spring seasons, a lot of DI schools will face NAIA and DII programs, and it’s not surprising to witness both DII and NAIA schools topple DI schools every year.

Not only are great opportunities available outside of the Division I level, but DII programs have produced professional players as well. The most prominent example of this is San Jose Earthquakes and U.S. national team forward Chris Wondolowski. Wondo played DII soccer at Chico State and has managed to carve out a successful career that has seen him participate on the biggest stage, playing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Need help getting exposure to one of these programs? Plenty of DII, DIII and NAIA programs at scheduled to attend a TopDrawerSoccer.com Showcase throughout the country in 2017. Click here to see a list of colleges attending and register for a future showcase today.

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