Helpful hints in navigating the process:

By Patrick Gallagher, Head Swim Coach, ST. Francis University, PA

Posted October 27, 2005

1. Begin Early – Fall of your junior year is a good benchmark.  Return questionnaire and reach out to schools you might be interested in.  Begin to search on-line. 

2. Organize your interests – You have to know what you are looking for and what will be important when it comes time to make a decision.

It is important that you do not read here: “What will your major be?”  You don’t have to make decisions on this until much later, but you do have to know what you like and dislike.  Some other items that should come into play: location, size, academics, student life, dining and dorms.

3. Take Control of the Search – Do not sit back and wait for school to contact you.  If you have a few dream schools, write to those schools introducing yourself.  Make visits to campus on your own.  Don’t let a coach or admissions rep tell you what your interests are, find them for yourself and explore by yourself.  

4. Know what role swimming/athletics will play in your decision process – Will you only attend a school you can swim at?  What about being a member of a team and not traveling?  If you were the best swimmer on team by several seconds, is this the atmosphere you can work with?  Will you continue swimming to stay in shape?  Make friends?  Or because you still think you have a lot to give to the sport and you enjoy the competition?  If swimming is just a tool to get into a school or receive athletic scholarship, think twice about meeting with coaches.

5. Put yourself in a position to make an early decision – Get things done so you can have your decision made by November.  Coaches want to get freshmen classes committed and set and admissions representatives want to fill their classes as early as possible.  This can lead to a more generous admissions standard or financial aid packaging.  It is also in the best interest of the student to do most of the leg work in the summer so they can enjoy their senior year and focus on grades and swimming with the decision hanging over their head.

DO NOT MAKE A DECISION JUST TO GET IT OVER WITH.

6. Keep things in perspective

   • Remember what you are trying to accomplish – finding the best place for you for the next fours years.  Academics & swimming will play a major role in your time on campus, but their other factors that have to put into the decision.

   • This is a good problem to have – the recruiting process opens doors that might not be open to other students.  Don’t let this process become too overwhelming.