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College Advising The decision
of what college to attend is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your life. The college you select will help mold
you as a person academically, athletically, relationally. Your college experience is the last step before you enter the real
world so you want it to be academically and athletically challenging but fun and exciting at the same time. The college
with these qualitites is not the same for each person. Every student-athlete is different and looking for a unique
college experience that fits him or her as a person. Picking a college that is the perfect fit for you is more
than a gut feeling, it is a process.
When July 1st before my senior year hit I returned home at the end of the day to find 22 messages on my answering machine
from different colleges around the country: UVA, UNC, Maryland, FSU, University of Florida, Santa Clara, etc. Every college
was so different. I did not even know where to start. The college process was so overwhelming and I was under so much pressure
to make a decision, I ended up making the wrong decision. University of Maryland is a great school and a perfect fit for many
students... it just wasn't a perfect fit for me. After two difficult years, I went through the college process for a second
time and finally found the right school for me. Loyola College plays division 1 soccer, it is close to home, it has a religious
foundation, it has a small student body and small class size. These are all of the things that are important to me and things
I should have been looking for to begin with.
Finding the right college for you and going through the college process can be very difficult and stressful. It is so helpful
to have an unbias advisor in your corner to guide you through the process. The college process is very differnet for student-athletes
than for regular students. This is why my high school counselors had difficulty guiding me towards what was best for me and
why my soccer coaches also had difficulty. Neither side understands all aspects of the decision making process. Playing a
sport in college automatically sets you apart from the rest of the student body. Life as a student-athlete in college is far
more difficult and filled with more responsibility and discipline than a normal college student. I went from a
McDonogh honor role student to receiving C's and D's at Maryland in my first semester. I ended up playing for a soccer
team where I had a lot of success on the field but simply did not FIT into the team off the field. When I transferred to Loyola
I loved the team and had a great all around soccer experience. I graduated with a degree in Pyschology and was inducted in
the Philosophical honors society and graduated with honors. My academic experience was so profound that I decided to continue
studying for a Masters degree. Ever since I graduated college, it has been a goal
of mine to eventually start a program to advise Student-Athlete's in their college search. No college is the same and
every college has something different and great to offer.
If you are interested in receiving guidance in the college process here are some options: 3 Advising Meetings - We have an initial meeting that helps establish some basic parameters of the college search. In the second meeting we discuss our research of the colleges of interest. In our third meeting we set up a plan of action to pursue the colleges of interest. Cost: $105.00 ($35.00/session) 4 Advising Meetings - Same as above. In the fourth meeting we continue to discuss the student-athletes academic and athletic options for college. If the student-athlete is ready to continue to the next step, then we contact the institutions for some feedback and begin to start the application process. Cost $140.00 3-4 Meetings is the minimum number of sessions to set a good foundation for the college process. Activities during the meetings vary depending on the individuals needs. It is recommended to continue with college advising through the application process and the commitment to the school. The cost is $35.00/session for each session after the first 3 initial meetings. Students are required to bring a binder and an open mind to the first meeting. |
