Are invited "unoffical" visits worth while?

My son is a junior and I would highly recommend making unofficial visits this year. We made 4 this past month to his (currently) top choices for schools and in each case were able to talk with either the recruiting coordinator or head coach about their program. If you ask good questions, the process will be quite enlightening. We learned a lot about their fall training programs, whether they like to recruit out of high schools or JUCO's better, what types of players they are looking for, when they tend to recruit (a D2 said spring of senior year), how and where to be evaluated by them, and the general philosophy of their coaching staff. It's helpful if possible for your son to set up the meeting himself, as it demonstrates his interest in the program. Also, if possible, go on a school day so you can get a good feel for the campus and its students. If you go on a Saturday, the campus is oftentimes fairly dead and you really don't know what you're dealing with. With all of those visits behind us, we're feeling much more comfortable about son's options. It's been a very worthwhile experience to be able to compare campuses and baseball programs. Good luck as you evaluate things!

Go to as many schools as you can. The more your son knows about what college is all about the better prepared he will be to make a good decision as to his future.

What you get from each visit is a greater knowledge of what the college experience can be. He will develop a point of view which should allow him to make good decisions. Also, as a teenager thay are all fairly ackward in talking with coaches, school officials, etc. the more they do it the better the impression they can make when it is important.

When we started the process, my son knew very little about colleges in general (what he knew came from ESPN). Each visit gave him more and more prospective as to what he wanted from his college experience.

Also, unoffical visits can pay off. We visited a very academic school in the southeast during the fall of his senior year. Coming from the west coast there was no way that the school could see him play or recruit him throug the normal process. We visted the baseball coach for about an hour before a football game. After the visit he stood up, checked out my son's size and make up, grabed him by the shoulders, checked out his muscles and then invited him to a personal visit of all their facilities after the game.

A week latter he got a personal note from the coach and an invitation to their final propect camp. We could not go (a second trip across the country was not affordable). As his senior season went on we sent copies of news clippings that featured my son. At the end of the season we got a call from their recruiting director (whom we never met or spoke to) offering my son a nomimal scholarship. This would not have happend if we had not made an "unoffical" visit and had insisted on visiting the baseball coach.

Are unoffical visits important. Yes they are, however making the most of them is up you. If you are interested in the school, call the coach tell them you are coming, ask for 10 minutes to introduce yourself. When you leave each school, don't ask your son if he liked the school ask what did you like and what didn't you like about the school. Make a note of what he said and then apply it to your search.

I would absolutely go if those schools are high on your son's list. You might want to find out how extensive the school's "junior day" is. Some can be really huge, and others are much smaller. The one that my son went to, (which led to him eventually committing to go to the school) only had 5 players there. My son got a lot of time with the coaching staff, and a great tour of the entire school.

An "invited" official visits means the coach is very intrested and wants to get to know you better but is unable to do so in any other way. He will most likely spend time with you, but is unable to pick up any expenses. He can even give an offer if he wanted to.

I think unofficial visits serve an important part in the recruiting process.

If you can take unofficial vists during baseball season, I think that's a great time to do so.

And don't forget the campus tour.

We went to one junior day, there were about 60 recruits. Most of the junior days fell when we had games and son wouldn't miss them.

You may also want to see if there is an Athletic Open House sometime in the future.

What were some of the most important questions that you asked (or wished you had asked) when you had your one on one time with the coach?

One question that I would ask is about academic support for student athletes. Is there a required study hall for athletes? During travel, how does a athlete get extra help if needed? What is a typical day like for a player in Fall? Spring? Winter? Summer? Holidays? Are there any majors that do not work well with baseball?

The other thing to think about when you visit these colleges...our son went to many of these colleges while participating in a camp or showcase. We found that made us look at the school through "baseball" eyes. Not very objective. Visit the school as if your son never played baseball..from a purely student standpoint. You're probably thinking "well, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for baseball." But I've learned one thing from this website, the school has to be number one..not the baseball. Be sure your son likes the place even if he never played an inning for the coach. Good luck.

Well said, ILVBB. Jerseydad, I didn't get any one on one time with the coach. The kid did, though. Seems that the one thing that was covered was that he was what they were looking for and the chance to play. The coach covered this, and it seemed in the retelling that coach knew what to say and what the kid wanted to know and didn't depend on the kid asking pertinent questions. (I sometimes think that he is only now starting with the original,pertinent questions at age 22)

I won't soon forget the first campus we visited. He was so excited about the place, the campus, finding positive things to say about the town, etc. That was the school for him, and he would find a way to play baseball there. It was the best baseball field anywhere bar none. This school was all he could think about...Until we took another visit to the new best school on earth. The 3rd one was the winner. The best yet. The coach even wanted him.

Good times.

Jerseydad,
We asked a lot of questions along the way before son's visits (official).
The 2 official visits he took, not a lot of questions asked, just time to get to see the school, get to know the coaches. HAve fun. We asked more questions to the academic department.

One school we visited, wish we had gone on an unofficial visit first, we would not have gone for the official.

One thing I found, do not direct too many questions about academics to the coaches but rather to the proper person who can answer those questions. In many D1 programs players have athletic and academic advisors. Athletic advisors can answer your questions regarding missed classes and work during travel. Many are paid and paid well, to help players juggle schedules around class and games, practice. As a freshman, my son had a fantastic athletic advisor and he had to meet with him once a week to discuss any academic problems, set up tutoring, etc. A very important thing to do, if the school has an athletic academic center, take a visit. Your son most likely will not care, but at least you will be able to see the academic side of the recruiting process.

College professors let students know well in advance what is due and when. Coaches have brought you into their program because they expect you to be able to handle school and a sport. The do not hold your hand. No one polices the players while on the road, just as they don't when they are home for the weekend. If you don't get yur work done, ultimately your grades fall, and ultimately you get a trip to the coaches office which means back to monitered study hall.