During this time of year many Australians who are considering college scholarships opt to take an official visit with one or more colleges to get a first hand look at what the school is like and what life would look like to be a part of that program.
So what is so special about an “Official Visit”? We would suggest that any athlete from Australia that has the opportunity to take an official visit, should try and take one. It is the best way to understand the culture, speak to potential teammates and other coaching staff as well as to see the campus, dormitories, food halls and the home stadium all first hand. This is obviously a preferred way to gather information before making a decision.
Any visit to a college campus in which any part is financed by the school is considered an official visit and this is typically reserved for the school’s top recruits. If you have been asked to take an official visit, this is usually a great sign that you are a high priority for that coach and a basketball scholarship offer usually follows.
Official visits are not always possible, however, especially if you are considering options outside of NCAA division I or division II schools as those schools may not have the same budget to afford the expense to host you.
Each division level has its own set of rules surrounding official college visits. Division I and Division II have the strictest regulations. These include:
The NCAA allows a recruit to make only five visits to Division I schools. Official visits to DII and DIII schools are unlimited.
The school can pay for the following for you and your parents/guardians: transportation to and from the campus, lodging throughout your visit, three meals per day and three tickets to a home sports event.
At all levels, recruits can take only one official visit per school.
Each official visit may be up to 48 hours long, or the span of one weekend.
For D1 men’s basketball, recruits can begin taking official visits starting January 1 of their junior year of high school. Women’s basketball recruits may begin taking official visits April of their junior year of high school, beginning the Thursday following the Women’s Final Four tournament.
At the DII level, athletes have an unlimited number of official visits that they can take, starting June 15 going into junior year of high school. For DIII schools, official visits begin January 1 of junior year, and they are unlimited.
Tips for your official visit:
Be really clear on what you want. Make a list of the things that are really important to you and ask specific questions about them. The school who gets closest to your list should probably come out on top.
If you take more than one official visit, the schools and programs can all start to blend into one overwhelming experience. We would strongly suggest that student athletes keep a record after each school visit and “rank” how they presented according to their list (above). This will help you to differentiate between them later.
If the school has had any Australian athletes previously attend, ask who they are and then contact them via FaceBook or other social media when you get home. They will tell you the inside word and the experience from the athletes point of view. Is the coach supportive, or are they nuts?
As an athlete, If you’re interested in a school, official visits can be the last piece of the puzzle to help you understand if it’s your best fit and that is ultimately what is most important.
