Making a College Choice

Make an academic choice first and foremost
It is extremely likely that most kids will never make a dime playing basketball. They will make money with their education. “Harvard really wanted me to come but Southwest Louisiana Tech just offered me a FULL RIDE!!!” What’s wrong with this picture?

Decide what role location will play
Are you someone that wants to stay close to home? Is it time to really leave the nest?

Visit your top choices before committing if possible
There is no substitute for seeing something in person. If you can see multiple places you will be able to make comparisons.

Try to be realistic about your level
This one can be really hard for kids and parents. Everybody that plays basketball seriously has a DI dream. I tell kids all the time that they are DIII players and they seem to think that is an insult, it is not. The DIII’s around here play a very high level of basketball. Also, some kids may be able to get DI or DII scholarships but might be better served playing at a lower level if playing time is a concern. Most, if not all, of those guys sitting on the bench at those DI schools were stars and leading scorers in high school.

Talk to current players on the college team
This is the one that makes some college coaches squirm. A recruit should be able to talk to a number of players privately and ask them questions about everything. What’s school really like? Is the coach going to turn into a monster the second I sign my letter of intent? What’s the food like? How is practice? Will girls talk to me? Important stuff! The current players will, in most cases, give the recruit the honest answers.

Decide on a school, not just a coach

College coaches that do well always seem to be looking to climb the ladder and college coaches that do poorly get fired. The coach usually plays a large role in a players decision. A player should think about if they still would want to go to the school if the coach left.

There are obviously hundreds of things to consider throughout the recruiting process but it does not have to be stressful. If the players can keep a level head it can be one of the most enjoyable times of their life.