You have been invited to go on an official college visit. After the initial excitement over the invitation dissipates a bit, you begin to wonder what this all entails. You may be thinking, “What does official mean? What can I expect to take place during this type of visit?” An “official college visit” refers to athletic recruiting by a school.
This extended invitation means that the college or university is so impressed with your athletic abilities that they are willing to pay for you to visit the college to try to get you interested in coming to their school and playing on their team. This can be at a school of any division. The difference is that there are a maximum of 5 official visits a student-athlete can attend for in Division 1. For Division 2 and 3, the number of visits are unlimited.
What Is Meant by “Paying” for Your Visit
When a college invites you on an official visit, they are paying for your:
• Travel
• Accommodations
• Meals
It is important to note that typically the school is paying for your expenses related to this visit – not the expenses of your parents, family or other person accompanying you on, or bringing you to, the visit.