It can be overwhelming to figure out which college you want to attend. Especially if you’re a soccer player that plans to be a student-athlete.

It probably feels like you’ve been working towards this point your whole life, and chances are you’ve heard a lot of advice about college recruitment.

But where do you begin? How do you start the process?

Here are 3 college recruiting tips to get you started:

1. Determine Your Degree

Soccer isn’t the only thing you’ll have to worry about as a student-athlete. You also have to focus on academics! A huge factor in determining the college you want to go to is the subject you want to study.

What topics are you interested in? What subject material will get you excited about academics? Once you narrow that down, look into the colleges that offer the best programs in that area of study.

2. Choose Distance

Are you interested in attending college in-state or out of state? And why? Are you choosing the college that previous generations in your family attended? Are you simply trying to escape your hometown?

These are all factors to consider in this choice. There are benefits and disadvantages to both options, so it is important to figure out the motivation behind what you want. In-state schools tend to be less expensive and may be a better option. Out of state schools can offer a rich college experience and may be a better fit for you. Either way, think about what your preference is and why.

3. Consider Learning Style

Our third tip is to consider how you learn best. What size student population would be the best fit for you? Bigger universities mean larger classes and more impersonal learning/teaching style. Smaller universities usually mean a more personal learning environment, with more of a one-on-one availability.

It’s important to consider how the environment will or will not contribute to your learning style when choosing the college you want to attend. You want to be successful in academics. Not just skate by while focusing on athletics.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options using these three tips, your choice will hopefully be much easier! Don’t just think about your athletic goals and aspirations. Make the wise choice for your academic pursuits as well, and use that to help guide your choice.

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