post-grad program
Five months to get ready for the
Next Level
Finishing high school but not finished chasing the game? Our Post Grad Program is a residential bridge between high school and college basketball. Live, train, study and compete in Hurricane, Utah, and leave with the preparation and pathway plan to take your next step.
Trusted by families worldwide for developing future college athletes.
only 20 spots available -
only 20 spots available -
Lock in your spot
Don't just come for two weeks on a tour, hoping to be seen. Come for five months and get ready to be recruited.
A short exposure tour gives you a few games. Five months gives you time to train consistently, adjust to the American game, compete, build film, work on your academics and put together a stronger body of evidence for your college conversations.
Built for players with more to prove.
“Recent graduates”
You are completing Grade 12, Year 12 or the equivalent and want a purposeful gap period before college.
“International athletes”
You want meaningful time in the United States rather than a short exposure tour.
“Players who need more film”
You want regular game film and a stronger body of work to share with college coaches.
“Players adjusting to the American game”
You want to get used to the pace, physicality, terminology and style of basketball in the United States.
“Students sharpening their academic pathway”
You may need additional coursework or a clearer NCAA academic pathway.
“players who know they have what it takes but no clear pathway”
When you have a dream you back yourself, but its also important to have a plan in place to win.
How your five months unfold
The UP approach
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Regular team practices throughout the program
Individual and small group skill development
Strength and conditioning in the Utah Prep performance environment
Spring season competition, primarily hosted at Utah Prep from February through April
Games recorded by Utah Prep videographers, subject to availability, with access to film for your college conversations
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You share your Grade 9 through Grade 12 records, and we use them to review your academic and NCAA pathway and spot anything that needs attention. Where appropriate and available, you can take additional or missing coursework between January and May.
Our academic team also guides students on NCAA compliance, college applications and finding athletic scholarships for their level.
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Our multi-team basketball coaching program is headed up by Mark Dickel.
A successful basketball program requires professional experience that only playing and coaching at the highest level can provide. Mark Dickel has experience beyond his years. Understanding the player-coaching dynamic and pushing the boundaries of what is possible at the high school level is what he is all about. With over 30 years in the game our students get the best preparation for collegiate-level basketball and professional careers across the globe. With a focus on international students, we are paving the way for those outside the United States, to see, touch and experience a life of opportunities beyond the borders of their homeland.
Your home in hurricane, utah.
You live on campus with standard boarding (usually two to four students per room) and breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Residential staff supervise campus life, so you can focus on your training and studies. Campus sits in red rock country, about 26 minutes by car from both St. George Airport and Zion National Park.
Two weeks of hoping, or five months of preparing?
Many families look at a two week USA basketball tour as the path to college. Tours can be a great experience. But when you compare what you get for every week and every dollar, the difference is hard to ignore.
Less than a third of the weekly cost, with boarding and three meals a day included.
More than ten times the time to develop, compete and be seen.
| Compare | Typical 2 to 3 week USA tour | Utah Prep Post Grad |
|---|---|---|
| Time in the USA | About 14 to 17 days | Five months, January to May 2027 |
| Games | A handful of tournament games, often 7 to 9 | A full spring season, February through April |
| Daily training | Team sessions mostly before you leave | Team practice, skill work, strength and conditioning every week |
| Game film | Whatever a few games produce | A season of games recorded by Utah Prep videographers |
| Academics and NCAA | Some tours offer guidance sessions | Full transcript and NCAA pathway review, plus coursework where available |
| Where you live | Hotels, moving between cities | On campus with three meals a day and residential supervision |
| Adjusting to the US game | A short taste | Months of US coaching, pace and physicality |
| Typical tour price | About USD $7,000 for 14 days, flights extra | USD $21,500 for five months, flights extra |
Common Questions
How do international students get a student visa?
For this program, the Form I-20 is issued through Mount Vernon Academy under its arrangement with Utah Prep. The I-20 supports your F-1 visa application, but no school can guarantee a visa. That decision rests with the United States Government.
Does the program guarantee a scholarship or NCAA eligibility?
No. The program is designed to improve your preparation, film, exposure and pathway support. NCAA eligibility is decided through NCAA processes, and no scholarship, offer or roster spot is guaranteed.
What happens after May?
The program ends in May. You would have trained hard, and played harder. You can head home knowing you gave your dreams the best shot and hopefully, move on to your next opportunity that this experience provides. Utah Prep does not guarantee AAU placement.