As a parent, you want your child to maximize their potential. And we do too! For some student-athletes, the best way to achieve this is through reclassification, which involves adjusting the student’s graduation year to allow them to develop their academic and athletic skills at the optimal rate.
Here’s how reclassification works, and why it could be the right choice for your student-athlete.
How Does Reclassification Work?
“Reclassifying” a student’s graduation date generally means that the student will graduate high school one year later than initially planned. For example, a reclassified student originally slated to graduate in 2026 would instead graduate in 2027. A reclassified student originally slated to graduate in 2030 would instead graduate in 2031.
At Sapolu Destined Academy, this means that a reclassified student will repeat eighth grade, allowing them to study and train in their chosen sport for an additional year before entering high school.
Benefits of Reclassification
Reclassification isn’t right for every student-athlete, but it does have potentially incredible benefits if done correctly.
Here are a few key advantages to consider if you’re thinking about it.
Benefit #1: More Time to Train
An additional year of middle school means an extra year to work with SDA’s best-in-class teachers, coaches, and staff—and an extra year to hone the skills and endurance key to their chosen sport. When they enter high school, they’ll be more seasoned and competitive, having gained another year of practice, training, and physical and mental endurance.
Benefit #2: No Interference with High School Playing Time
Reclassification in the eighth-grade year means that students can still participate in four full years of high school, allowing them a classic high school experience both athletically and academically.
They also won’t risk ineligibility for NCAA athletics, which requires athletes to have completed a minimum number of core courses. (This is to ensure student-athletes are prepared to succeed in college-level academics.)
Benefit #3: Maturity and Confidence
Finding one’s balance and equilibrium as a student-athlete can take time and effort, and the pace isn’t the same for everyone. A reclass eighth-grade year means more preparation for high-level athletics, more time to bond with and learn from peers, and more time to build the confidence that will take them to the next level.
“Our son Kingston’s 8th-grade reclass year at Sapolu Destined Academy was a meaningful time of growth and connection,” says one parent. “Changing schools isn’t easy for a teenage boy, but the amazing staff, teachers, and leadership at SDA made the transition smooth and welcoming.”
Benefit #4: Academic Excellence
As athletics become more competitive, academic life also tends to get more difficult. An extra year can allow students to build a stronger academic foundation, so they’re ultra-prepared for the workload in high school—and, eventually, college and beyond.
How to Get Started
Think reclassification might be a good option for your student-athlete? SDA offers specialized reclassification opportunities designed to help students excel both on the field and in the classroom, not just while they’re at SDA, but in the long term.
To learn more about SDA, including our approach to reclassification opportunities, contact the SDA admissions team.