Picking a school as a recruit is an extremely hard decision–but it's also an extremely important decision as it determines where you will be for the next four years. There are many things that should influence your decision including campus location, athletic facilities, academic resources, tuition (if not on scholarship), and the coach or program that you plan to play for. All schools in the SEC conference are great options to consider, but there are five that stand out more than the others.
This may come as a surprise since there are so many powerhouse schools in the Southeastern conference, but Florida is the best suited for student-athletes. One major incentive of attending the University of Florida as a student-athlete is that they are ranked 19th in the nation for overall athletic facilities. Florida is ranked 28th in the nation for best colleges to attend with a very strong 67 percent graduation rate. As a bonus, the Gators are always dominant in sports and have great coaching staffs. The founder of Gatorade attended the University of Florida as well, which has led to better equipment for the University and easy endorsement deals for their star athletes.
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If you want to win not only on the field but also in your classes and career, then the University of Alabama is the place for you. The biggest draw of the University of Alabama is their consistent success across all sports. This has been done by maintaining the best coaches in college sports such as Nick Saban who has a 4.5 star rating on the 2aDays site. The University of Alabama also has some of the best facilities, being ranked 25th in the nation. Similar to most schools in the SEC it is very affordable to attend even if you are not under scholarship. Tuscaloosa is also a great college town, being ranked 7th in their conference.
3: Vanderbilt
Vandy is an extraordinary school that also provides a great home for its student athletes. The campus is located in Nashville, Tennessee which is considered to be the number 1 college town in the SEC. The school is also ranked as the 14th best college to attend in the United States, most likely because of its amazing academic resources that have resulted in a 88 percent graduation rate. On top of their academics they consistently have success across all sports. The school has also made big strides in improving their athletic facilities by recently constructing a new football stadium. The one drawback that pushed Vanderbilt lower on this list was the fact that they are private a institution, leaving athletes that aren't on scholarships with high costs of attendance.
Related: Top 6 Academically Ranked Power Five Schools
4: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
LSU has a rich history of success in terms of sports. They never miss the playoffs across all sports and usually are able to make deep playoff runs. On top of this LSU is located in a top 5 college town in the SEC, allowing their athletes in a great location to explore during their down time. LSU also has some of the best athletic facilities in the nation, being ranked 8th among all universities. Many prospective football players may be concerned with the removal of coach Orgeron, but his replacement in Brian Kelly is an outstanding coach. The main reason they fell behind others on the list is due to their lack of academic success compared to other SEC schools.
5: University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is another great option if you are a student athlete that desires to be in the SEC. The biggest incentive for playing for the Gamecocks is that they have the 7th best athletic facilities in the nation, meaning great training facilities and stadiums. This translates to their program performance, having the 22nd best winning percentage across all sports, including the reigning national champs in women's basketball. The University of South Carolina has above average academics in the SEC with a 65 percent graduation rate.
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* Originally published on May 23, 2022, by Royce Linder
