CBA: College Bound Athletes


A Site Developed For College Bound Athletes...By College Athletes

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO GRADUATING STUDENT ATHLETES ON HOW TO CHOOSE A SCHOOL THAT IS RIGHT FOR THEM?

In General
Before a Visit
During a Visit
After a Visit
Learning From Transfer Students

In General:

  • Choose a school that gives a degree that you will feel comfortable marketing. Once you graduate, you will have to market your own credentials.

  • Choose a school whose athletic program compliments what has worked for you in the past. If you are a low mileage athlete, it probably would be wise for you not to go to a school that encourages high mileage running.

  • Choose a school where you will have adequate access to good competition without having to race every weekend for four (or more) years.

  • Choose a school whose athletes have continued competing after graduation.

  • A 'FULL-SCHOLARSHIP' at one school may not be the equivalent at another school (dollar-wise and support)....find out how much you will get for living expenses if you live on campus AND if you live off campus. The overall dollar value MAY be significantly different.

  • Find out about the possibility of a 'Fifth Year Scholarship'. This is financial support for athletes who have completed their athletic eligibility but have not completed their academics. Is this available to all athletes in all sports? Is the financial support the same as when you were competing for the university?

  • Remember that this is a business. Every school is trying to sell themselves. Hopefully they are all telling the truth...but you can always do the research BEFORE and AFTER to determine the facts for yourself.

  • I think one thing that students need to know is that they probably will not like everything about each school. But they need to choose the place that will makes them the happiest. A place where they will be able to succeed and thrive academically and athletically. They may not be happy everyday, but at least most of the time.

  • It is also very important that girls not choose a place solely based on money. There are so many scholarships for girls that some university will be able to offer them a full ride. But do NOT base your decision on money, there are student loans. Go where you can become the best you can and where you will be happy.

  • Choose a climate(environmental as well as mental) that is best for you.

  • To choose the best college, one must look at the sports program the school offers. But even more than that, one must try to figure out if the school offers EVERYTHING that you needs - all around. School, social, sports, location, etc.

  • Go to a school that values your athletic and your academic achievements. There are too many schools that Over-Emphasize one area (either athletic or academic) that the other one is significantly jeopardized.

  • What you put in is what you get out. This applies to all aspects of our lives but in particular academics and athletics.

  • Look at the improvement of the athletes. You cannot look at a select few and you cannot look only at the best ones. You need to see how fast (running) the athletes were in high school, or wherever and compare that to the present.

  • It all comes down to the research before. Then you take five quality trips. You do not want to waste a trip just so you can go somewhere you want to just visit.

  • A good coach is not necessarily someone that takes a superstar from high school and maintains that level. A good coach is someone that takes ANY athlete and makes them better.

  • Is the school you are considering going to develop you in your academics and athletics?

  • Do a little research on the universities that you are interested in and those that are interested in you.

  • Is it going to be cold or warm here majority of the year? What type of climate do I want to train in AND walk to class each day?

  • How strong is this university known for certain programs I may be interested in?

  • To be a better runner than you were in high school, you must trust your coach completely. If you do not do this, you had better find someone you feel you CAN trust 110%, because otherwise you will never be the true runner you are meant to be.

  • Competing in college is like holding a job. In fact if you are on scholarship, it is your job--- in roundabout way you get paid. If you do not perform well, you could lose your 'income' or possibly a portion of it.

  • Is my degree program accepted in another state?

  • Talk to various coaches over the phone to find out about their style of training. I did not really care so much about the location. I figured if you are motivated and have a good team and a good coach you can run anywhere.

  • I think the key to choosing a university is talking to as many people as possible and visiting as many schools as it takes until one of them clicks. For athletes, they must find something of value in the school other than its athletic program -- if one gets injured, one should have a back-up plan (that includes staying at the school where you started).

  • Am I lucky? I think luck comes to those who work hard for it.

  • If you are concerned about the pressure to perform that comes with an athletic scholarship and what happens if you get injured, then consider a school that has a strong athletic program but offers non-athletic scholarships. For example, good students should consider Ivy League schools. They have excellent athletic programs and are NCAA Division I schools offering you the opportunity to compete with the best without the pressure of an athletic scholarship (however, academics must be maintained, of course). The degree is recognized world-wide.

    Before a Visit:

  • Decide what is most important to you as a student and as an athlete. Every school may or may not meet all of your needs. Decide what is most important...Prioritize.

  • Before any visit or decision, be sure that you have done your research. This would include talking to coaches, athletes, academics, administrators, residence coordinators, alumni, and then reading up on how the school's athletes progress during their time there, job placement statistics, MacLean's (Times) survey on university/college rankings, annual polls of schools, etc.

  • Make a list of the pros and cons of all the places I visited - including things about the athletic department and things about the academic and social life. Then, I would sit down and prioritize what I want most in a school, and what aspects of college life that I was willing to compromise a bit on.

  • Try to get a hold of athletes that may have left or transferred before they were done their eligibility.

    During a Visit:

  • Look at how you think you could fit into the school environment -- with your future teammates and with your future classmates, who are NOT on the team. You need to look at the school in general and at the athletic program. For the benefit of both areas, do not completely group them together.

  • Talk to other student athletes and ask them, knowing what they know now, what they would look for(and not look for) in a university.

  • Take notes as you go.....after you have been to visit school after school and spoken to so many administrators, advisors coaches etc., they all seem to blend together. Take note of what you have seen and heard right then and there.

  • Get everything in writing!

  • What are the team's objectives? Is the coach looking at his charges as vehicles for his own success, or looking to develop individuals to their optimal state?

  • Look at class sizes in every year, minimum entrance requirements, placement office services, first year student services, campus safety, academic resources like libraries, computers, and classroom facilities.

  • When making my decision I made out a sheet for each college. I had categories like community, coach, teammates, training facilities, training room, equipment, travel to competitive meets, career major options, school size, location and etc. Then I decided which ones were most important. Each one had a maximum value. After I visited the school I rated each category for that school. Then I totaled all the scores for each school. That way I could tell which school I liked best overall.

  • I would have definitely spoken to some former student athletes to see how they were treated by teachers/professors as well as coaches.

  • Is the enrollment large/small? Do most undergrads who start there finish there? If not, what seems to be the reason they are leaving?

  • Is there a diversity of people on campus?

  • Do most of the athletes come from around the university area?

  • Are professors, overall, easy to access in times of need?

  • WHAT TYPE OF FACILITIES DOES THE UNIVERSITY HAVE? What condition are the facilities in? Are the facilities maintained?

  • Are the trainers extremely involved and willing to help or are they simply there to tape ankles?

  • Will I train with the team only? Do we get split into training groups? Are there post-collegiate runners training here as well?

  • If I was injured and not able to compete anymore, would I be happy and finish my education at my chosen university?

  • Find out if you have a say in the workouts, if they can be changed due to circumstances or if you go by the book.

  • GOOD chemistry is a large factor for a strong cross country program. Try and find out what kind of goals they have for that next year....do your goals fit theirs?

  • Spend some time learning about the coach and his or her experience such as actually season plans for and mileage for athletes.

  • Does the coach stay abreast on current issues and developments within your sport?

  • Coaches injury record, eating and dieting views.

  • Really talk to the athletes on the team --- have a list of questions for them.

  • Look for the excitement and dedication in the coach- comparable to the athlete who is participating in the sport.

  • How does the coach transition his/her freshman athletes from high school to University. Does he redshirt them the fall season?

  • Redshirting: I do not think many athletes are aware of the concept or redshirting. For example, after you have selected your chosen college and university, the decision may be made to redshirt your entire freshman year, so they can work with you, give you time to adjust etc. Also if you get injured over the summer or during a break of some kind, you do not have to necessarily waste a season and suffer through an injury as you could redshirt that season and make it up a year down the road.

  • What kind academic help are their for athletes? Availability of tutors? Study hall?

    After a Visit:

  • Do not make hasty decisions. It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement and adventure of this important decision.

  • My advice would be not to rush into a decision. Wait and consider all of your options.

    Learning from Transfer Students:

    Of those athletes that are NOT happy with the school they chose, what do you think their biggest error(s) in choosing the school was?

  • Not giving it enough thought, not having support or guidance during the decision making process.

    Send any comment you may have to Donna Levy ([email protected])

    Initial Survey To Develop this Site: CBA
    Canadian Athletes Considering the NCAA
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