What to wear on unoffical visit?

Just, for Pete's sake, don't let him wear any logo gear from any other colleges!

You might think that goes without saying, but ... my experience is that it doesn't go without saying.

^Haha

A collared shirt and khakis should the trick. When I was going on recruiting trips, someone told me to "dress like you're going golfing." That worked for me.

My son wore khaki shorts, casual T-shirt and non-sport cap or high school cap. You just don't want to wear anything that might offend someone. Your son (and/or family, if they attend) is/are kind of going on a job interview of sorts. You are interviewing them and vice versa. All of our visits were pretty casual. Lots of walking, getting in and out of golf carts/vehicles in 80-100 degree weather.

Depends on how good you are! When I was applying to law school I was lucky enough to  have a very high LSAT and a 4.0 gpa rom undergrad. I applied to several schools and used basically the same Personal Statement, though slightly modified. I accidentally applied to Washington & Lee with a personal statement that mentioned ELEVEN TIMES how much I wanted to go to the William & Mary School of Law. W&L offered a full ride.

I was a walk-on basketball player at Texas and used to wear undershirts back before it wasa ll that popular in order to hide the big Razorback tatoo on my bicep.

Hmmmm??? I agree with your recommendation, but regarding the golfing . . . . it might depend on just where you golf. 

For the workout, don't over-bling it and leave the tunes in the car .  Same logo considerations apply.

Just make sure he doesn't wear his cap like this guy:

Thanks for the feedback from all. No logo gear from other schools and no bling (even though I don't think anything he owns is bling-lol.) My mindset was casual but neat and clean.

your mindset was right

Think about how coaches dress when they are on the road recruiting.  Collared shirts are a must.  Pants that look ok.  Some jeans are better than others.  Khakis are the safe move.

Good point above about logos from other schools.  I'll go one step further... 

On the NC College Bus Tour we had coaches razzing guys simply based on the COLOR of their shirt!  Think about the 3 in the Triangle.  Wearing red to one or light blue to another is frowned upon.  Literally the first words out of No 1 assistant mouth to our group was "is that your sisters shirt?" because the shirt a kid had on was the color of the cross town rival!  He was only sort of joking.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

He is on a job interview......treat it like one...he needs to dress appropriately..he needs to look like what he is.....a.student athlete....

clean

shaved

well dressed- golf shirt, khakis, HS/other non college cap worn correctly.....

and he needs to be alert , engaged and when speaking, be well spoken...

He needs to be grateful,and thankful for the opportunity.....saying thank you and ending with a firm handshake is never bad.....

These visits can be very casual.  I don't know that there's a lot to worry about as long as you avoid the obvious "don'ts." 

As in, don't wear a cap that still has a sticker on it, don't wear your cap sideways, don't wear your pants around your knees, don't go showing everyone your boxers, etc.

I've seen guys wear a decent tee and shorts and be just fine.  Me, I'd go with khakis and a polo just to make sure the coach perceives that you understand the need to show respect.

It may be a job interview, but it's not a coat & tie situation at all.

I had no recollection as to what the coaches wore on the few visits that I went on so I asked my wife. She said they mainly all wore shorts and a shirt with their logo on it. The couple of coaches that did wear long pants were coming from something that required long pants before they met us.

All of my son's interviews were in the Southern part of the US during this Summer. I normally dress business casual at work so I'm kind of used to wearing long pants, either dress or khakis.  As I said in an earlier post, the weather was hot and we spent a lot of time outside. I wore khaki shorts to the visits that I went on and either a nice T-shirt or polo-type shirt along with sockless Sperry-type shoes.  My son wore either khaki shorts or wore the longer athletic-type shorts and a nice T-shirts or Under-Armor type shirt. We both wore caps. Mine was a StL Cardinal cap which I never leave home without. And his cap was a non-college cap of some sort or his HS cap.  I never felt that we were dressed incorrectly at all. Wearing long pants in 95 degree weather outside would be inappropriately dressed IMO. Now if we were visiting those same schools in January or February, long pants may have been appropriate.  

Wearing the cap straight is a given as are firm handshakes and willingness to talk to the coaches. As parents, we kind of "sat on the sidelines" quietly until the very end and whatever questions that didn't get answered during the tour, etc were then asked of the coaches.

If in doubt, have your son verbally ask the recruiting coordinator what is expected when he is confirming the time, places, etc.

All of this input is very helpful, not a coat and tie situation but polo would be a nice touch. Firm handshake and eye contact has been a must since he was very small so that shouldn't be an issue at all. My son has talked to the coach twice and doesn't think of everything to ask each time. He does know he'll be practicing with them after a campus tour. Him and my husband will be going this time around so hopefully they'll remember all this guidance I pass along.

I agree with everything but the hat.  I realize kids wear hats 24/7 these days, but I would think a kid could go an hour or two without a hat for something as important as meeting with a potential coach...and maybe an advisor or others associated with the school.  I wouldn't have considered allowiing my son to wear a hat to a visit....just like I wouldn't expect a kid to wear a hat to a interview for a part time summer job. 

Take your cues from.....Jake at State Farm..

PS...Agree with Buckeye 2015.   No hat on college visits.  This is big boy time.  JMO

It's true almost everybody wears a hat anymore but  my son is in the minority. He only wears a hat on the baseball field.

My son is the same.  

Tell your son to be himself. If he likes wearing athletic shorts and a tee shirt, wear it. If he likes wearing khacki pants and a button shirt, wear it.  Coaches are looking at his baseball talent, how he will fit in on the team (specifically whether he is a team player), and whether he can make it academically. They aren't going to evaluate him on what he is wearing.  He wants to project who he really is, not who he thinks they want to see. At some point people always revert back to who they really are.  

Really?  Not sure if you are aware of the level of competition for limited roster spots.  You think Brian O'Connor is going to laugh it off if a recruit comes strolling through Mr Jefferson's University in a pair of hoops shorts & a "wife beater" tank top?!

2nd - are you aware that right now at this very moment it is the most competitive it has ever been to get in to college?

You or your son might feel comfortable following that advice.  

Everybody else should probably listen to the people above.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

I'll have to agree to disagree. My son is playing baseball at a very good D1 school (academically and baseball).  He got there being himself and absolutely loves it. Programs like UVA's are no doubt in the excellent category, but not necessarily the right fit for everyone. Not everyone is into wine and cheese.  Some guys like a bud light and a burger. If a player goes to a school that doesn't fit his goals and personality, he will be miserable. I've personally witnessed this.  One other point - my son's decision was his, not ours. Kids going to college are adults and have to start making their own life decisions. Dads and Moms can offer advice when asked, but shouldn't make the decisions for their son. Just because a Dad has his own dream of having his son play baseball at a school like UVA (probably because he feels some need to self validate), doesn't mean that's what his son wants to do. Treat your son like an adult, and he will act like one. Treat him like a kid, and he will act like one. 

Adults don't wear athletic shorts a t shirts on interviews.

So, yes, I suppose we can agree to disagree.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Try watching the NFL combine. I've never notice any of the players wearing suits. And believe me that IS their interview.  The initial post stated the player was invited for a campus tour and workout with the team.  Doubt khaki pants and a blue button down shirt are his best option to workout with the team. When my son went on his first unofficial visit, he was escorted around the campus by two of the baseball players who were both wearing their baseball shorts and a baseball tee shirt.  Not trying to argue, just letting everyone know the real deal. 

My son has worn a ball cap, a nice pair of khaki shorts, and a collared shirt.  I believe this is the best policy.  Obviously, some could get away with less, but why take that chance?  For one, even if it didn't matter, shouldn't you show your son to have a little more respect for the staff and the situation at hand?  It is a big deal, and he should treat it as such.

If there is a work out after the tour, he can obviously bring a bag with other clothes.  Dress comfortable, and fit in.  Wearing a nice pair of khakis, ball cap, and a collared shirt will let you fit in pretty much anywhere.

MY son goes to Clemson in October and that is what i will be advising him to wear. Cant go wrong and can always get casual when hanging out with the other players at the game etc.

Back in the 90's, I had a job working for my dad and part of my responsibility would be to hire people to work the evening shift.  This meant interviewing mostly high school students.  We had a lot of windows in the front so I could watch them walk up to the building and get a first impression.(And I will admit, that coaches have already made a first impression of a recruit)  I will say that the ones who took the time to "dress up a bit" would get more consideration than the others.  When I saw boys in khakis and girls in skirts, I pretty much knew they didnt dress like that at school.  (oh no, they werent being themselves!)  But it showed me they cared enough to take the time to look better and try to give a better impression.  I used to joke that if a boy showed up in a tie, and a girl in high heels, I would hire them on the spot.

In all my working years, I cant remember a time that I was not dressed better than the guy/lady sitting across from me during an interview.  Why is that?  Why did I shave, I hate shaving.  It's not me.  And neither is wearing a tie.

Why did I wear a suit to my grandma's funeral this summer?  Why did 90% of men there do the same.

Why did I wear the same suit to our friend's daughter's wedding a few weeks later?  Man, these people keep making me shave on Saturdays.  Why can't I just be myself and look scruffy.

Because it's a matter of respect, it shows I care about myself, and to other people.  That I decided to take the extra time and present myself in a nice manner.  People tend to appreciate that and likewise I appreciate it when others do the same.

Maybe I didnt word the last paragraph the way I wanted to, but I think you get my idea.  This is a small way of showing respect towards others, which is something we are seeing less and less of.  I will now go back to sitting on my porch and yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

This is possibly the worst advice ever posted on the HSBBWEB.  

Agreed Redbird.

My son's travel team enforces khaki (or similar) shorts/pants and a collared shirt when they are on team travel.  That means flights, meals, everything they do in public while travelling with the team.  If they are on the field for practices or other things where they are not in uniform, they must be in team practice gear only. 

As Zig Ziglar said "You can always take off your coat if you wear one...."

Baseball coaches are looking for players who care, and they look for cues about this in a variety of places and ways. Does the player care enough to routinely spend extra time developing his game? Does he care enough to treat the game and those associated with it with respect? Does he care enough about achieving his goals that he keeps his grades up? Does he care enough about wanting to be an integral part of the coaches' team to act and, yes, dress civilly when given the opportunity to be with them?

Part of learning to be a successful adult is discovering that people's expectations vary depending upon the significance of what one is doing. The people whose impressions count most in the case of a baseball visit will tend to expect that a player show that he ranks his presence there above simply hanging out with the guys.

Coaches look for players who will help their team win. A group of well dressed guys who can't play very well results in a coach losing his job. They also want to make sure they don't have to babysit the player with respect to grades. Also, they want team players. Guys who only focus on themselves are cancers to college teams. 

The coach wouldn't invite a player on campus who couldn't play. Your argument is invalid and still the worst piece of advice on here. 

sedfan- I hated my college coach's facial hair rules. I hated having to wear what we wore to travel. I hated having to tuck in my shirt. I thought it was all stupid and irrelevant to the game.

I did it because my coach wanted me to. He has the right to make such rules, he's the coach. I didn't argue or complain because I wasn't in a position to make decisions on those things. I shaved, I wore professional clothes, and I tucked my shirt in. No one complained.

Knowing that most coaches have rules on such things - what is the upside to your advice? Whether your son likes it or not is irrelevant. Presenting himself in what could be perceived as unprofessional cannot help him in any way. What's the harm in wearing a collared shirt and halfway decent pants?

I'm probably the definition of "anti" old school here. I find most unwritten rules about baseball utterly stupid. But if I was conducting an interview and someone showed up wearing gym clothes, I'd question their judgment. They don't know me, they don't know how I feel about such things. Self-perception is quite an important aspect of human interaction. I would probably think that individual doesn't care about the way he portrays himself. 

I would highly encourage folks to dress professionally in such a situation. There's really nothing good that can come out of sedfan's advice.

Which baseball player, that has the talent, would not want to go to UVA?  That I don't understand.

I could think of lots.  

Want to to go to smaller school. Want a faith based education. Frankly the list could be long. 

Give your son time to where he visits schools as a recruit. You might be surprised what he wants. 

I recommend that you ask the type of people that go to Virginia Tech what they think about the type of people that go to UVA.

"You cited an anecdotal example of one coach of an elite program and I have a preconceived perception of the 'type' of student that attends this school, therefore I'm going to ignore your advice completely and continue on ignorantly because of my anecdotal stereotype."

I think I see where this discussion may be heading. No thanks. Best of luck to your son.