Getting recruited is a saga: you'll get mail, emails, and phone calls pouring in from different universities and colleges all trying to persuade you to come to their school. While there may be a wide variety of schools to contact you, it takes one to grab your attention. More than likely what grabs your attention is the name of the school. Schools such as Duke, Florida State, Stanford, South Carolina, Alabama etc will grab the eye of many and will gain the amazement when asked where you are getting recruited.
While all of these schools are phenomenal it may not fit your wants and needs as a future college athlete. As I am sure many of you are aware, there is much more to college than the name on the front of your jersey. When you are making your decision on where to attend just remember to ask a ton of questions to ensure that you're making the right choice. These 10 questions can help guide your recruiting process and give you the confidence that you're finding the right fit–and how I used them to determine that George Washington University was right for me as a basketball player.
Location
How far away are the dining hall, field, gym, classes from your room?
This might sound small, but it can be important! Being an athlete at GW, everything is a couple blocks away (which is super nice especially when you had a hard day in the weight room and are super sore).
What surrounds the school? Is it in the middle of nowhere, in a big city, a rural area, etc.?
GW is located in the heart of Washington, D.C., with everything accessible. You can take a 20-minute metro ride and be at Tysons Corner for shopping or walk 30 minutes and be at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. So that's a big perk!
Related: 6 Recruiting Questions With Retired Luther College Track & Field Coach Jeff Wettach
How far am I from home?
The first thought of being a senior in high school is “I can't wait to move out of the house and be on my own in college.” But let me tell you–being a college athlete you want to go home any chance you get. I live 45 minutes away, and you can see me at home on off days, over the weekend (during the off season) or just for a few hours whenever I can make it. However, if you really want to branch out, a university that's farther away might be the better fit.
Academics
Does this school have the major I want?
Coming into college, I had no clue what I wanted to major in (which is fine). After getting my first year under my belt, I became passionate about sports reporting. GW has a very strong Media and Public Affairs school which is helping me turn my dream into a reality.
Related: Dumb Jocks? Debunking 2 Myths About College Athletes and Academics
Generally, how big are class sizes?
The first years of college, you will have larger classes; these generally are your intro classes or required classes. Once you narrow down what you want to study, you will notice that the class sizes will become smaller.
What are the professors like?
Scheduling classes you want to 1.) work around your schedule and 2.) choose a class schedule with strong professors. Ratemyprofessors.com is a blessing when it comes to scoping them out–you can see what previous students rate this professor to see whether you like the reviews or not (and you can do the same with coaches at 2aDays.com)
Athletics
Do I expect to play a lot?
While picking a school, you have to decide whether you want to make a impact right away or not. When picking GW, I knew that I would be playing alongside a strong Sophomore and Junior forward and did not expect to play that much, which I was perfectly fine with–I looked at the bigger picture and knew that I could learn so much from these two to benefit my game.
Related: Riding the Bench? 4 Tips to Get Back in the Game!
What is my playing style and does it fit with the team I'm looking at?
Most likely your playing style will be dictated by how your AAU team or high school team played. Is that running in transition or slowing it down in the half court? Once you figure that out, take your style of play into account when choosing a team.
What are my future teammates like?
Your team should be your second family. If you get bad vibes from a campus visit, take that to heart!
Related: What Makes a Good Teammate
What are my future coaches like?
These people will be on top of you when you turn the ball over or throw an interception, but just remember they are only doing this to make you a better and stronger player. However, coaches are businessmen when it comes to recruiting and will often show you exactly what you want to see so you'll commit. Scope them out at 2aDays.com before you sign your NLI.
The recruiting process is long and challenging and it is one of the biggest decisions of your life thus far. So don't be afraid to ask questions to ensure you're getting what you want.
Have an idea for a story or a question you need answered? Want to set up an interview with us? Email us at [email protected]
* Originally published on February 28, 2023, by 2aDays Staff
