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Salma Anastasio, Forward, Connecticut FC
Top 150 Rank: 88
Class: 2014
Choices: Colgate, Duke, Dartmouth, Boston University, Boston College and more

Having just wrapped up her sophomore year of high school, Connecticut FC forward is smack in the middle of trying to identify the right fit for college. 

“I am narrowing down my choices to a very select number of top colleges and universities within the country,” Anastasio wrote TopDrawerSoccer.com in an email. “I continue to visit as many different schools as possible in this process.” 

However, while it is difficult to make those decisions, Anastasio does have a particular set of criteria she’s hoping to find. She’s already made visits to a number of places, including Duke, North Carolina, Northwestern and Princeton, with each school offering something different, making it no easy task to narrow down those choices.

“The most important factors for me in choosing a college are the impressive academics as well as a great soccer program,” she said. “My biggest concern is finding a school that can challenge and support me academically while I juggle a crazy soccer schedule.”

With no rush to a deadline – although she indicated that she’d like to make a verbal commitment by this coming November – Anastasio isn’t limiting herself to any specific part of the country.

“I am open to any part of the country to find the perfect school for myself,” she said. “As long as it guarantees me an outstanding education, I am willing to travel the globe.”

Kirsten Timmer, Defender, Carmel United
Top 150 Rank: 144
Class: 2014
Choices: Marquette, Illinois, Louisville, Miami (FL), Miami (OH), Iowa and more

After getting her feet wet early on in this past school year, Kirsten Timmer has jumped into the search process with two feet now that school has let out.

“Although I started visiting a few schools early in my sophomore year, I really started focusing on college visits in late spring,” she wrote TopDrawerSoccer.com in an email. “Much of my free time this summer has been spent visiting schools and meeting coaches. I have really enjoyed visiting the various campuses and the coaches have all been very helpful.”

As she goes through the search process, Timmer knows what she’s hoping to find.

“I am looking for a school that has both strong academics and a strong soccer program with a history of making it into the NCAA tournament,” she said. “I am also looking for a soccer program where the team has a close family feeling and where I feel I will be pushed to continue to improve on the field.”

Schools in the Big Ten, Big East, ACC and the MAC are all on her list that fit that criterion. The center back is going to be methodical about the whole search process as well.

“I want to make sure I take my time in the recruiting process to ensure I find the right fit, so I haven't been in a rush,” she said. “I plan on visiting several campuses multiple times to ensure I find the right fit for me from both an academic and soccer perspective.”

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