It ain't easy to be a college skier, and if you want to make it, you better be committed, have the skills to pay the bills, and get good grades, too. Being a student-athlete requires maintaining a certain GPA, which differs depending on the school and the division (I, II, or III) a student is skiing in (source). The bar the NCAA sets isn't particularly high on the academic front, but top schools—like the University of Colorado—pride themselves on their student-athletes maintaining competitive and respectable GPAs. Think 3.0 or higher (source).

Aside from not failing classes, NCAA athletes spend a big chunk of time meeting with coaches and their team, practicing, and traveling for competitions. And in order to be qualified to compete, you have to be enrolled in a minimum number of credits as a full-time student, too (source). As the saying goes, no rest for the weary.

If a top school doesn't specifically seek you out, your chances of making the team are slim. Space is incredibly limited and spots on the roster are reserved for the best collegiate skiers in the country. If you're dead set on getting their attention anyway, it's time to bust out your finest video-editing skills to send top-notch footage their way. And hey, winning local competitions doesn't hurt either, so sign up for a few of those while you're at it. If you do all this and it still doesn't get you the spot you want, though, don't be shocked…and don't say we didn't warn you.

It helps to be versatile—to be able to compete strongly in different events like the twenty-kilometer to the five-kilometer, as well as down hill slalom events. Working on this can only help, whether you're trying to get onto a team or trying to keep your spot on a team. That's right, we said "trying to keep your spot." Every year, there will be fresh meat (er, freshman) chomping at the bit for your coveted position, so it's all about taking your A-game and turning it into your A+ game.

Being a master of the fundamentals and continuing to work on form and basic mechanics will help prevent injury and go a long way in helping you improve on a daily basis. Show your coach your solid work ethic. Just remember: the college level, especially Division I, is a big step from your high school ski team.