College Search

Choosing a college that’s the right fit for you is likely one of the most important decisions so far. That’s why it’s worth the time to search for colleges, look into their sports programs, check out financial aid options, research what academic majors are offered and make sure you have all the academic require­ments taken care of.

Though it may seem over­whelm­ing, and there may be plenty of colleges that don’t seem like the right fit, you will always have options.

Here are some questions to ask yourself throughout the process:

• Does the school offer my major?
• Would I be proud to represent that school as a student athlete?
• Is this a smart financial decision?
• Is this school looking for a student athlete in my position?
• Am I willing to travel or do I want to stay close to home?
• Can I see myself living here for 4+ years?
• Would I be happy here if I didn’t play a sport?
• Is it the right size? Will I be able to find my community?

Start by having con­ver­sa­tions with your support system. Your family, coaches, mentors and even some former teammates who have been through the process.

Your high school will likely have college guidance available to help you navigate creating a list of schools or using online resources to start the college search. Be sure to schedule time with your school counselor or academic advisor.

From here, begin to make a list of schools that peak your interest both aca­d­e­m­i­cal­ly and ath­let­i­cal­ly. Be realistic about how you’re looking at schools based on your academic performance and athletic abilities, not everyone is going to go play D1 or attend an Ivy League school and that’s okay! And don’t worry about following the same path as your teammates and peers, your recruiting journey is your own! 

Your college list should consist of 10 – 15 schools that are a good mix of DI, DII, DIII and NAIA:

• 3 – 5 Safety schools — you’re almost certain you’ll get accepted into these schools.
• 5 – 7 Target schools — the most realistic schools based on your academic stats.
• 3 – 5 Reach schools — a few stretch schools that may be more of a challenge to get into based on your GPA and ACT/SAT scores.

Most importantly, start early. Giving yourself extra time to search online and visit schools in person will help you not feel rushed to apply and make a decision in time for signing day or other important deadlines.

• NCAA member schools 
• NAIA member schools 

Now that you’ve narrowed down your list and contacted some coaches, it’s time for a school visit. This is the best way to decide if a school is a good fit for you — you’ll get a feel for the campus size, culture, community and maybe even meet some potential future teammates and coaches in the process. 

Official Visit

The college can pay for trans­porta­tion to and from the college, lodging and meals, as well as reasonable enter­tain­ment expenses, including tickets to a Division I or Division II home sports event. 

Prior to an official visit you’ll need to provide the college with a copy of your high school transcript and register with the eligibility center 

Official visits are not allowed during a recruiting shutdown period or a dead period (when colleges are not allowed to have any recruits on campus).

Unofficial Visit

• The college does not pay for your and your parents to visit, the only expenses they can provide are com­pli­men­ta­ry tickets to an athletic contest. 
• You may make as many unofficial visits as you’d like after the first permissible date in each sport.
• You are not allowed to talk with a coach if the unofficial visit is during a dead period.
  

Academic

• What are the admission requirements?
• What’s the timeline for admission (early decision, regular, etc)?
• What sort of academic resources does the school have for student athletes?
• What sort of academic require­ments are there for student athletes?
• Questions about programs/​degrees of interest

Financial

• What’s tuition? Is it different for in-state students?
• Is there financial aid available?
• Are there academic schol­ar­ships available?
• Are there athletic schol­ar­ships available?

Athletic

• What’s the culture of the team?
• What’s the team’s typical schedule?
• What is the team looking for?
• Where could I be an asset to the team?

Student Life

• What sort of housing do they have?
• What sort of dining do they have?
• What sort of clubs/​communities do they have?
• What’s the culture of the school?
• Do they have resources for mental health, medical needs, etc.?
• What sort of events are hosted for students?

• Why do you think you’d be a good fit for this program?
• What sort of player are you (team player, leader, etc.)?
• Are all your academics in order?
• What are your goals?
• What sort of work have you put in on your own?
• Questions around position/​role on team

1. Research schools and make a list of your safety, target and reach schools.
2. Discuss your future goals and plan with coaches, family members and academic counselors.
3. Visit the schools you’re interested in.