Prospects who organize best, beat the bushes and execute well-developed plans will maximize their success in college recruiting. In addition, these prospects create change and develop fresh opportunities in the college recruiting process. Fortune favors the bold. What follows is a shortlist of suggestions that will assist your college recruiting planning.
A Life Decision
Develop a “sense of urgency” with navigating the college recruiting process. If you approach the college quest knowing you will be making a major life decision, your chances are strong that the college recruiting process will regularly grab your attention! Consequently, the prospect who is willing to entertain higher stakes with college recruiting will place himself ahead of the pack.
Organization
Rigorous organization and a detailed, systematic approach will serve prospective student-athletes best. Furthermore, a well-managed plan is the glue that binds the entire recruiting effort and will assist prospects in successfully closing in on their top college choice.
First, define yourself by creating a 1-page player profile. This is your first line of offense when providing college coaches a chance to do an initial student-athlete evaluation.
Second, develop a shortlist of important operatives that broadly defines your ideal college match. Beyond the athletic component, include quality of the academic experience, size of the undergraduate population, distance from home etc.
Personal Statement
A great exercise for our boys and girls to create and embrace a personal statement. This should be a powerful statement that includes key components you feel potentially contribute to an ideal college experience. Your statement should include the importance of the academic, athletic and cultural parts of the overall college experience.
If you are that 5-star prospect that every college coach is evaluating, you will likely experience smooth sailing with college recruiting. Conversely, if you are a middle-of-the-pack prospect, you will need to work harder to grab the attention of college coaches!
Communication
Communication should be initiated early on, and preferably by the prospect. For example, a prospect may call or e-mail a coach at any time, with rare exceptions. An initial letter of introduction is a great way to begin, but follow-up regularly. The prospect that practices “persistence with respect” when communicating with college coaches will have a better chance in grabbing their attention.
On the contrary, you don’t want to ping college coaches incessantly. Keep them posted with significant updates (academic and athletic) and with specific intentions (unofficial campus visits, etc.). Communication is about building relationships that should be approached brick by brick.
How frequently you communicate with the coaches depends on your current high school year, the sport you play, and the season you participate. For instance, if it is September, and you are a high school junior and play lacrosse, you should keep coaches updated every 2-3 weeks. Include information regarding your fall tournaments, updated academic reports, and interest in making a campus visit in October.
Prospects who develop a sense of urgency with college recruiting will navigate with greater success. Fortune favors the bold, and prospective student-athletes who organize meticulously and execute their plan of action with passion will position themselves best in a competitive environment.
Tom Kovic is a former D-1 college coach. He is the Founder/Principal of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he and the senior staff provide individual advisement to prospects and families in navigating the college recruiting process. For further information visit: https://victoryrecruiting.com.
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