Our Top Advice for Parents Going Through the College Recruiting Process

So, you’re a parent going through the college recruiting process – don’t panic! While every student’s experience is unique, here is our advice to help you through the college recruiting process: 

• Start early: While it might seem premature to start talking about college by freshman year of high school, getting a head start on college recruiting is important if your athlete is showing the personal drive, work ethic, and athletic talent. Researching schools, visiting college campuses, and exploring different competitive options in the early high school years allows parents and student-athletes to make educated decisions about future plans without rushing themselves.
• Create a timeline: Every student-athlete’s timeline is going to be different based on when they are ready to enter into college athletics recruiting.  Create a timeline for the whole process, from researching colleges to submitting applications and all things in between. Making timelines helps keep parents and students organized and on track throughout the process.
• Take the initiative: College recruiting isn’t just about going to camps, playing in showcases, and hoping your athlete gets noticed; there is a lot of work involved in the process!  Encouraging your student-athlete to take responsibility for their recruiting effort and helping them stay accountable to the tasks needed along the way is a great role for the parent of a recruit.  Use your experience with job searching or how you made your own college decisions as a way to support your athlete in their process.
• Be realistic: One of the most important pieces of advice when it comes to parenting a college prospect is to be realistic about what you can expect from your student’s recruitment process. It can be discouraging and stressful on your athlete if the main focus is trying to achieve a level that is beyond their ability, would not provide the reward of playing time, or would not balance with their academic interests.  Being supportive through the process while encouraging a variety of college competitive levels that also meet your student’s other college preferences leads to more positive outcomes and a feeling of accomplishment no matter the division of play that is ultimately achieved.
• Prioritize academics: Before any student can think about being recruited by a college sports program, they need to ensure that their academic performance is up-to-par with whatever schools they have in mind for recruitment purposes. Even at the divisions where athletic scholarships are available, there is at least twenty times more academic scholarship money available in most cases.  So make sure your student is taking core classes appropriate for their grade level and ability, maintaining good grades, and getting good test scores on standardized tests such as SAT/ACT/PSATs if needed.
• Respect their process: Despite all of your athlete’s best efforts, sometimes things don’t work out as planned during college recruiting – whether due to a lack of interest from their top universities or changes in plans from certain coaches. Respect your athlete’s wishes and understand that their priorities might also change throughout the process.  Ultimately, this is their journey so sometimes just listening to their frustrations, being available to them when they seek your advice, or accompanying them on visits can show how you respect and support the effort they are making.
• Talk money: Financial discussions can be difficult or intimidating for some families, but discussing college costs upfront along with the consideration of scholarship opportunities or loans can save you time later down the line when trying to narrow down choices or come up with a game plan that fits within budget constraints.
• Celebrate successes (and keep disappointments in check): Having an athlete who has been recruited and accepted into one of their top choice colleges after years of hard work is an exciting moment.  Alternately, finding out they didn’t get into that school or that they won’t be recruited at that school is hard and can challenge your athlete’s mental strength. Take time out of your day to recognize all achievements, big and small. During moments of disappointment, remind your student-athlete of their strengths and capabilities, both athletically and academically. Reassure your student-athlete that there are other opportunities out there and that this one setback allows them to shift their focus and priorities toward pursuing other colleges on their list that may in fact be a better overall fit.

While navigating the college recruiting process can be a daunting experience for students and parents, it’s important to remember that you are not alone in this endeavor. Every day parents like you begin this journey, and many have turned to us for help. When you partner with an RSA professional, we help to take the accountability brunt off your shoulders. We will work one-on-one with your student to help identify the right colleges, stay organized, create highlight videos, and much more! We believe strongly that as a parent you should maintain your focus on supporting your athlete through this important life decision. 

Click here to learn more about how RSA can help your student find the college of their choice.