The World Class Wrestling Institute

PICKING THE RIGHT COLLEGE

By Carl Adams, 14 May, 10 @ 11:42am

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PICKING THE RIGHT COLLEGE

Picking the right college is not as easy as you might think. It is a decision that will affect you for the rest of your life. There is a lot to be considered and you need to spend quality time investigating which college might be your best match.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that wrestling in college is serious business. College coaches generally have a great passion for the sport and there is more pressure for them to win than what you might find in high school. So, if you plan to wrestle in college, it is extremely important to find a college that can best meet your needs on and off the mat.

Obviously, cost will come into play. Once you have identified schools that you might be interested in, make sure you have a good handle on how you will pay for your education. I have met so many prospects that do not know how they will pay for college. Most of the time, the problem is with a prospect’s assumption about how financial aid works. It is not as easy to receive financial aid as you might think. It is important to understand exactly what a financial aid package consist of, otherwise you might end up in a situation where you are paying off loans for the rest of your life. Even worst, you may end up in a situation where you cannot afford to pay your college tuition. Do not assume anything about how much aid you might receive. Investigate and make sure you get your offer in writing.

Wrestlers need to be realistic about what level they can compete at. I can tell you that division one wrestling is not for everyone. If you make the wrong decision here, you could end up riding the pine for your entire college career. You might be better suited to compete in a difference conference or at the division 2, division 3, NAIA or perhaps the Junior college level. On the other hand, do not sell yourself short. If you know in your heart that you can compete against the best college wrestlers in the country, then you should go ahead and give it your best shot.

It is also important to do your best to find a coach that you will be comfortable wrestling for. When you meet the coach, make sure that you listen very carefully to what is being said. If you are not clear on something, tell the coach that you do not understand and ask for a clarification. There is a lot of miscommunication during the talk of scholarship offers and financial aid. Make sure you understand exactly what is being said.

The relationship between an athlete and the coach can make for a very positive wrestling experience or it can be an experience that can be very disappointing. Do your homework in this area.Try to visit all of the colleges on your short list. This is a process that should start as early as the beginning of your junior year in high school. However, official visits cannot start until after the first day of school during your senior year. An official visit is a visit where an institution pays for part or the full cost of your visit. A prospect may take an unofficial visit at anytime. An institution may not pay for any part of an unofficial visit.

Talk to students on the team and the coaching staff. It would be great if your parents could take visits with you. They tend to be better listeners, ask the right questions and are better able to look at the big picture. Make sure you ask questions about all of the issues that you might be concerned about. Ask about the availability of scholarships, facilities, about academic support, how many wrestlers are at your weight, how wrestle offs work, about your chance of starting, about the stability of the program, about administrative support and ask about the overall budget. These are issues that need to be investigated.

I hope this has been helpful. In my next blog, I will talk about wrestling scholarships and what it takes to get one. I will also look forward to meeting you if you attend wrestling camp.

Carl Adams