How Many Unofficial Visits Can You Take?
Early on during recruiting, you’re probably considering multiple schools. One of the best ways to narrow down your choices is to visit the campus. You might receive an invite for an official visit later on during recruiting, but many student-athletes take unofficial visits as well. If you’re deciding between several schools, you might be wondering how many unofficial visits you can take.
There is no limit to the number of unofficial visits that student-athletes can take. The NCAA restricts student-athletes ability to take official visits, but unofficial visits are fair game to take as many as you like.
You must plan an unofficial visit, as compared to an official visit that is prepared by the university. Because unofficial visits are more informal, the NCAA doesn’t restrict the number of unofficial visits a student-athletes can take. Unofficial visits are a way for you to get a sense of campus and decide if you’re interested in attending that school.
What’s The Difference Between An Unofficial Visit And An Official Visit?
You may be wondering what the difference is between these two visits. It’s just a matter of an invitation. Coaches invite potential recruits on official visits for an all-expenses-paid tour of campus with “VIP treatment” for recruits. Unofficial visits are less formal and usually happen earlier in the recruiting process.
Level Of Access: On an unofficial visit, you may have less access to parts of the school. Official visits include behind the scenes access to the athletic facilities, team dynamics and coaching staff. By reaching out to the coach when planning your unofficial visit, you can set up some time to chat with them about their program. You can ask the coach any recruiting questions you might have and if they can connect you with a player on the team.
Who Pays For The Visit: An official visit is an all-expenses-paid experience for student-athletes. The school pays for you and your parents’ transportation (if driving), lodging, meals and tickets to an athletic event. On an unofficial visit, you are responsible for all costs associated with the tour, except for tickets. Schools can provide three tickets to an athletic event during an unofficial visit.
Length Of Visit: An unofficial visit has no limit on the length of time that you can be visiting campus. An official visit, however, can only last 48 hours once the recruit arrives on campus.
Both types of visits are useful to you in your recruiting journey. An unofficial visit is an excellent way to figure out how you feel about a school and further develop a relationship with a coach. An official visit is the real VIP treatment by the school, and when you know the coach is recruiting you. Taking both types of tours will help you see different sides of a school and decide what you want your college experience to be like.
When Should You Take Unofficial Visits?
Unofficial visits are useful for learning more about a college by experiencing a taste of on-campus life. You should plan an unofficial visit to learn more about a school and decide if you can see yourself living on campus and playing for the coach. If you need to, you can revisit the school on another unofficial visit before committing.
Division I: You can take as many unofficial visits as you want. Still, NCAA regulations prevent you from arranging an unofficial visit with a Division I coach before August 1 of your junior year. Student-athletes can visit a college campus before August 1 of junior year, but there can’t be any contact with the coach. It’s often a good idea to wait to take an unofficial visit until your junior year so you can get that valuable face time with a coach if you are targeting a Division I program.
Avoid Busy Weekends: When planning an unofficial visit, try to avoid scheduling your visit during a busy time in the year, like homecoming weekend or the senior game. Coaches likely won’t have as much time in their schedule to talk with you or show you around campus during these packed weekends.
After Talking To The Coach: You should plan an unofficial visit after you’ve already established a relationship with a coach. That way, the coach knows who you are and has a sense of your skills. Be sure they’ve seen your highlight video and your athletic information before getting on campus.
Dead Periods: During a dead period, no interaction between the coach and recruits is allowed. At this time, you won’t be able to go on an unofficial visit and talk with the coach. Dead periods vary for each sport and division, so be sure to double-check NCAA regulations to verify what rules apply to you. Don’t be too worried, though, because NCAA regulations only apply to coach actions, so student-athletes cannot receive an infraction for reaching out during a dead period.
By planning your unofficial visit around these parameters, you will be able to make the most of your time. Going on unofficial visits before your senior year can help you narrow down your top schools by comparing the campus environments. Visiting campus is an excellent opportunity to build a better relationship with the coach and get on their radar.
How To Make The Most Of An Unofficial Visit
An unofficial visit is a unique opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at a college on your own time. You’ll have the freedom to explore campus at your own pace and decide which parts of the school you want to learn more about. Here are a few things to keep in mind so that you can make the most of an unofficial visit.
Ask Questions: An unofficial visit is a perfect opportunity to ask the coach any of your recruiting questions. You have more time than you would on a phone call, and being face to face can give you the confidence to ask some of the tougher questions you might have.
Meet The Team: You might have the opportunity to meet the team or a couple of team members during an unofficial visit. Be sure to ask the coach if they can connect you or if anyone on the team is available to show you around.
Schedule A Tour: Because you’re planning your unofficial visit on your own, you’ll need to schedule a tour of campus with the admissions department. They’ll take you on a tour of campus, usually including the libraries, class halls and dining facilities. One of the benefits of an unofficial visit is that you aren’t bound to a particular schedule, so you can spend more time checking out certain spots on campus, depending on your priorities.
Visit Other Schools Nearby: One way to make the most of an unofficial visit is to plan to visit multiple schools in one weekend. If you’re traveling out of state, you can schedule tours to nearby schools to maximize your travel time.
By following these tips, you’re sure to have a great unofficial visit. Unofficial visits are essential during recruiting for you to be able to envision yourself at a college. They can also be valuable in continuing to develop a relationship with a coach and connecting with a team. Taking advantage of an unofficial visit can lead to an invite to an official visit or even a scholarship offer.
Things To Keep In Mind
Offers: It is possible to get an offer during an unofficial visit, especially as recruiting starts earlier and earlier for specific sports. However, it’s more common for coaches to wait until after you’ve visited campus to make you an offer.
Parents: Parents are a valuable influence during the recruiting process, and often help their child decide which school they attend. During any campus visit, it’s recommended that parents hang back and let their child take the lead on asking the coach, team member or tour guide questions. Parents that do this allow their child to show off their confidence and personality, something that coaches are interested in.
Housing: If you are interested in sleeping in a dorm or on-campus housing during your unofficial visit, schools are allowed to offer you a room as long as you pay the standard rate. Staying on campus might help you get a feel for what on-campus life would be like and meet some students.
Paperwork: It’s also a good idea to take a look at the academic recruiting requirements before going on an unofficial visit. Colleges require NCAA eligibility verification, test scores and a high school transcript before attending an official visit. Taking care of this paperwork early on can reduce some stress later on in the recruiting process.