Recruiting Tips & Blog

You’ve been emailing coaches, attending showcases, and building your recruiting profile. Now a coach invites you to visit campus. Should you take an official visit or an unofficial visit? What’s the difference? And how do you use your limited official visits wisely? Campus visits are one of the most important—and most misunderstood—parts of the recruiting process. Make the wrong choice, and you could waste valuable opportunities or miss red flags about a program. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about official and unofficial visits so you can make smart decisions.

What Is an Unofficial Visit?

An unofficial visit is any campus visit you arrange and pay for yourself.

The Social Media Recruiting Guide: What Coaches Are Really Looking At Your social media accounts are part of your recruiting profile—whether you like it or not. College coaches are scrolling through your Instagram, checking your Twitter, and Googling your name. One bad post can cost you a scholarship offer. But used strategically, social media can actually help your recruiting. This guide breaks down how to use social media during the recruiting process—what to post, what to avoid, and how to make your accounts work for you instead of against you.

Do Coaches Actually Check Your Social Media?

Yes. Absolutely. Most coaches do.

D1 vs D3: The Scholarship Conversation Nobody’s Having Let’s talk about money. If you’re like most players navigating the recruiting process, you’ve probably heard the conventional wisdom: “Go D1 if you want a scholarship” and “D3 doesn’t offer athletic scholarships, so it’s more expensive.” Here’s the reality: A Division III school can often cost you less than a Division I school—even without athletic scholarships. And that “full ride” D1 scholarship you’re chasing? For most players, it’s far from guaranteed—even under the new 2025-26 NCAA rules. Let’s break down how college soccer scholarships actually work, because understanding the financial reality is critical to making the right choice.

Properly evaluating and comparing schools during your college search process is vital. Choosing the wrong school can lead to costly consequences, both financially and academically. Studies show that the 4-year graduation rate in the US is approximately 41%, meaning most students take longer to graduate—or don’t graduate at all. Additionally, 38% of students transfer to another college during their academic journey. What causes such alarming statistics? The answer often lies in selecting colleges that don’t align with a student’s academic, social, and personal needs—also known as their best fit college.

Why Choosing the Best Fit College Matters

Finding the right college is more than just a decision about academics or athletics.