How to Make Your College Decision (Part 2)

By a Stanford Student Athlete

Whether you're an athlete and have narrowed it down to five official visits, or you're a non-athlete student and are trying to decide where to apply, you are about to make one of the most important decisions of your life. I'm sure you're being flooded with advice and opinions: "Oh, my friend's cousin's neighbor went there and hated it." Or, "That's such a pretty campus, why wouldn't you go there?" I'm here to add yet another voice in your head, except I hope that mine will bring clarity to all the confusion and opinions.

Today's blog post is the second of a two part series. Click here to see my biggest piece of advice when it comes to making your college decision:

#1: Reflect

Ask yourself the hard questions...

• Would you go to this school as a non-athlete?

• Would you still like the program if the coach changed?

• Would you live in this city if it weren't for school?

• Would the academics at this school set you up for success as a non-athlete?

Sports are obviously a huge part of your life! But everything is subject to change. If you get injured (hopefully not the case) or another pandemic or something crazy happened, would you be satisfied with your school without your sport? Would you want to live in the city or town if you weren't going to class or playing sports? This topic is more important to some people than others, but ask yourself these questions and see if they are enough to deter you from the school.

Coaching is SO important. If you don't like your coach, it will be hard to enjoy your sport. I encourage you to commit at a school where you like and respect the coach, but don't let them be the only reason you attend the school. Four out of my top 5 schools had a coaching change between my signing date and first day of freshman year. If I didn't choose Stanford (thank God I did), I would be starting school under an entirely different coach than the one who recruited me. The new coach could be great, but that isn't guaranteed. All I'm saying is make sure the program and school are appealing enough without the coach who is recruiting you.

#2: Get to Know the Current Team

The current team and their culture can really simplify your decision: it can be another category on your list (see part 1) to help you narrow down your choices. It can add another bullet point under "pros" or "cons." Thus the importance of getting to know the current team.

Visits are a great time to get to know the team, but they aren't always sufficient. When a recruit is on campus, the team might put on a show for you, but you want to evaluate them based on their true colors, not their facade. Besides, for my recruiting class, we didn't get any official visits because of covid, so we were left to use the means below to get to know our potential teammates.

Zoom is a great resource, and coaches will likely be on the call. It was fun for me to get to see how the different teams interacted with their coaches, and it gave a small glimpse into what the practice dynamics might be like.

But what about when the coach isn't there? Who are these people outside of practice? That's where texting comes in. I texted a lot with potential teammates at the different schools I was considering (I already had some of their numbers from track, make sure you follow NCAA rules). This was a great chance to ask questions you might not feel comfortable asking the coach.

Still, text has limitations when it comes to personality, so I would also recommend following current athletes at the school on Instagram or adding them on Snapchat. In the least creepy way possible, stalk them (don't like any old pictures though)! See who they post with--that will give you an idea whether or not the team hangs out outside of practice. Even though social media often fails to depict people as they truly are, it will always portray them how they choose to be portrayed, which says a lot about them nonetheless.

#3: Seek Counsel:

While college will be your first dose of independence, that doesn't mean you can't depend on your support system along the way. So, I would highly recommend seeking advice from others: it can be your parents, your best friend, current coaches, etc. Just PLEASE make sure it is someone who has a genuine concern for your best interest. Not someone who benefits if you go somewhere or has a selfish motivation in steering you one way over another.

If you're a Christian, or even a non-Christian, it doesn't hurt to pray over your decision process. Seek God's guidance and obediently follow. My biggest prayer throughout my recruiting process was for God to open and shut doors to lead me where He wanted me. It's equally important for God to shut doors, although it might not be a pleasant experience, because it will only bring you closer to the right opportunities for you.

#4: Go Where You're Wanted

I appreciated this advice during my recruiting process. I think everyone can agree that it feels good to be wanted somewhere, right? To be a VIP or the guest of honor somewhere is pretty special.

Pretend that you are a brand new toy and that a little kid really really wants you for Christmas. You're the #1 toy on his list. Chances are, the kid is going to treat you well, take care of you, and give you lots of attention. Now imagine that you're #10 on his list. Chances are, you'll sit on the shelf and watch the other toys get played with over you. And then when the next Christmas comes, you'll get put away completely, but the toy who was #1 the year before is still out with the new toys.

I know this analogy tends to reduce athletes into items, but that's the point I am trying to make. Some coaches, often in bigger programs, see athletes as disposable. They get what they want out of them and then toss them aside when new "toys" come in. In the process, those athletes are mistreated both physically and emotionally.

So, my urge for you is to go somewhere where you are not just another inanimate object. Go somewhere that cares about your well-being--both on and off the track. Go somewhere where your value is appreciated.

Please note that this is nothing against bigger programs. Some athletes are okay with the process described above, and that is totally up to personal preference. I just want you to be aware of this throughout your decision process so you have everything you need to make your decision. I also am not saying to only go to a school if you're their top recruit! That would eliminate schools that could be a great fit for you.

#5: It's Not as Big as it Seems

While transferring in college isn't ideal, it isn't out of the picture, either. Of course, the goal in picking a college is to find the right fit for the next four years. However, sometimes that goal can put a lot of pressure on your decision: "Four years is a lot of time. Don't screw up." I'm here to remind you that it truly is okay if you screw up the first time around! Maybe you mistakenly think it's the right fit, or maybe it is the right fit, but only for a year or two or three. It's possible for there to be multiple right fits.

I'm not encouraging you to settle for a school with the intent to transfer later. I'm not rushing you into a decision now because if you regret it, there's a backup plan. I'm just trying to relieve you of that "4 year" pressure that can paralyze you from making the decision. My goal is to liberate you to make the best choice!

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Let me know if these tips helped you at all, and don't be afraid to reach out to me with specific questions! Also, if you want more advice, just subscribe using the yellow button!