While every athlete might prioritize different factors when making his or her college choice, we at Sports & Study USA are always there to give you our advice and to help you make the right decision. Very often, the perfect school for one athlete will not be the best possible decision for another. This can be because of the sport you compete in, your playing level, or what your longterm goals are. However, here is one advice that we typically give to all our athletes:
If you are not sure which school to pick among several options, maybe consider the one that has the best academics! Chances are, that you will need your college degree at some point in your life when applying for a certain job or when changing career paths. And while your longterm goal might be to become a professional athlete, you need to be prepared that this might actually not happen and maybe make sure to have a plan B in mind. Furthermore, even your best academic institutions very often have extremely competitive athletic teams where you will get the exact same coaching and the same competive environment that you would have at a school that is mainly known for its sports.
So whenever you get close to making your final decision, make sure to check out the academic rankings, such as the US News College Ranking or Niche, to see how your top choices compare from an academic standpoint. This might also help you be more confident in your college choice in case you are unsure between a couple of options. Of course, in the end you need to make your final decision on your own and be happy with your selection. However, if we can give you one advice, it is to never underestimate the importance of academics, and to always try to pick the school with the best possible academics, that will allow you to flourish outside of your sport as well in case your athletic career ends early or you do not make it as a professional.