How to Choose a College

This is a question that I get asked A LOT! What is the best way to choose a college for my son/daughter and what are we looking for? Well, I am going to map it out to you in 10 simple steps (although there are certainly a lot more thank 10 things, but this is a good start). The hard part is that you are the ones that actually have to follow through with them. Here they are in order:
1) Figure out how far away you would like to be from Mom & Dad. I know this sounds
funny, but do you want them to be very close, far/far away or close enough that you can
travel to see them on a weekend and do your laundry/get a meal, etc. Once you figure
out the distance you are willing to be away from home, get a map and draw a circle
marking that distance around your town.
2) Find out all the colleges/universities within that distance and make a list
3) Think about your potential major and start to do some research on this list of schools. If
that major is not offered you can cross that school off your list
4) Think about the school size you would like to be at. If you see yourself at a BIG school,
then go through and start crossing out all the small schools or vice versa.
5) Do you want to be in a city? Small town? Again, figure this out and start crossing out
schools that don't match your criteria.
6) Once you have a general list of schools that match your academics, size, etc. that you are
looking for in a school, NOW you can start looking at the soccer programs. Are you
interested in Division I, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA. If you are unsure as to what level you
would be best suited for, go see them play in person!
7) Now you should have a much smaller list of schools that really match your criteria?At
this point, start mailing/emailing your resume/cover letter to the college coaches on your
list of schools expressing your interest in their institution and soccer program.
8) DO NOT be alarmed if you do not hear anything in return?keep trying and be
persistent! Depending on your year in high school, the coach might not be able to
respond to you. Remember, you are trying to recruit them just as much as they are
trying to recruit you!
9) Take unofficial and official visits to schools to get to know the school, campus,
players,coaches, etc. Here is a hint: DO NOT make a decision based on a coach. Get to
know the players as they are the people you will be living with for 4 years, not the coach!
Plus, there is NO guarantee that the coach will be there when you arrive on campus your
freshman year.
10) Now it is decision time?you have all the information you need to make a good, educated
decision.
This is the most important decision that you will make during your whole life and everything you do from here on will be determined by where you go to college. So if this is the case, don't you want to have all the information that you can to make a good decision? It sounds extremely daunting and yes, it can be?but embrace it and enjoy the process! Take your time doing so and do not let anyone push you into making a decision?if a college coach is really pushing you?do you really want to play for someone like that anyway?

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