College prep for student athletes · Grades 9 to 12 · Online
Good student.
Ready for college.
The right courses, real activities, strong essays and a recruiting plan that fits the season. One clear plan instead of ten different opinions.
Who it's for
- A 9th or 10th grader choosing courses who may want to play in college
- A junior building a record that colleges and coaches both notice
- A senior with applications, essays and deadlines coming fast
- A strong student who plays a sport and wants the best college fit, playing or not
- Parents who want to know what to do this year, and what can wait
Same standard as the weight room: show up, do the work, take honest feedback. The habits that make a good teammate make a good student.
Programs from $900
Start with a free call.
In 15 minutes we learn the grade, the sport and the goal, and tell you which program fits, if any, and what it costs. Nothing is sold on the call that you don't need.
Candidacy Building
- A 1:1 check in every month, student and parent
- A group workshop every two months
- Course plan, activities and the athletic profile
Recruiting and Academics Plan
- An NCAA eligibility check with your counselor
- A college list with academic and athletic fit
- Athletic resume, coach emails and a full game Film Breakdown
College Admissions Roadmap
- A 1:1 check in every two weeks
- Essays, applications and interview practice
- Recruiting materials and highlight film review
Essay Feedback
- Personal written feedback on your draft, and a second look at the redraft
- Three essays for $100
Essay Workshop
- What the prompts are really asking, and what readers look for
- Finding your own voice and your own story
Want game film feedback all season? See film review.
Coach Imran Nanlawala
Athletics, recruiting and the family planAn educator with an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership, Coach Imran has coached youth and high school athletes for more than ten years, including players who went on to NCAA Division I and II. He leads recruiting, film, and keeping the season and the schoolwork in balance.
Sulaiman Jenkins
Academics, essays and admissionsSulaiman is Associate Director at the Yale School of the Environment and former Director of Academic Programs at the Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology. He has worked in education for more than twenty years, ran a university writing program for nine years, and has counseled students on college admissions since 2022.
Sulaiman advises families independently, outside his university role. Productive Athletes is not affiliated with or endorsed by Yale University or Johns Hopkins University. Meet all our coaches.
Free planning call
Send the form and pick a time. In 15 minutes we learn the grade, the sport and the goal, and answer your questions.
Your program
We recommend the one program that fits, if any, with its price and payment options.
The work
Sessions on Zoom, check ins between them, and parents kept in the loop the whole way.
Questions
College prep questions
What does the plan cover?
Academics: a course plan for all four years, grades and study habits, checked against the NCAA's current core course rules with your school counselor. Activities: leadership, service, jobs and summers that build a real record around the season. Essays and applications: a personal statement in the student's own voice, supplements, deadlines and interview practice. Recruiting: athletic resume, a highlight film coaches will watch, coach emails and a timeline for each year.
What should we do in each grade?
9th grade, build the base: choose courses that keep doors open, learn to study in season, start one activity you care about. 10th grade, get on the map: check courses against the NCAA rules with your counselor, make a first athletic resume, film full games. 11th grade, make the list: a college list with academic and athletic fit, coach emails with film, tests if your colleges want them. 12th grade, finish strong: essays in the summer, applications in the fall, grades that hold all year. Full guide: the student athlete college plan, grade by grade.
How much do the programs cost?
Programs start at $900 for a full school year. The price depends on the grade and the program, and we tell you the exact cost on the free 15 minute planning call, before you decide anything. Essay Feedback ($40, or 3 essays for $100) and the Essay Workshop ($50) can be booked any time.
Do you guarantee admission or a scholarship?
No, and nobody honest can. Colleges decide admission, coaches decide roster spots and offers, and the NCAA decides eligibility. What we promise is a clear plan, honest feedback and a family that knows what to do next.
What are NCAA core courses?
To play at an NCAA Division I or II school, a student has to finish a set of approved core courses in high school, with the grades to match. Not every class counts, and the rules change from time to time, so we check the plan against the NCAA's current rules and your school's approved list, together with your school counselor. The NCAA Eligibility Center makes the final call.
My child is a strong student but may not play in college. Is this still for us?
Yes. Most of the plan is the same for any good student: courses, activities, essays and a college list that fits. Sport is part of the story either way, and the discipline it builds reads well in an application.
Do you help with recruiting, scholarships or NIL?
We help with the parts a family controls: the athletic resume, the highlight film, coach emails and a timeline for each year. We give general guidance on how recruiting and NIL work, but we are not agents, we don't negotiate deals, and we can't promise a roster spot or money.
When should we start?
9th grade is ideal, because course choices made early are hard to fix later. 8th graders are welcome to start with a free planning call. Juniors are right on time for a college list and recruiting. Seniors can still get a lot from Essay Feedback or the Roadmap.
Does my child have to train with Productive Athletes?
No. College prep is online and open to student athletes in any sport, anywhere in the US, and to families abroad applying to US colleges.
How do payments work?
Pay in full, pay Candidacy Building monthly over 10 months, or pay the larger programs in 3 payments. Paying over time costs about 10 percent more than paying in full.
College prep · Online · Limited spots each year
Let's make the plan.
Tell us the grade, the sport and the goal. Coach Imran replies personally, usually within a day, with a time for your free 15 minute planning call.
Got it. Talk soon.
Coach Imran will reply personally, usually within a day, with the schedule, a time for your call, how to pay, or where to send your film.