One of the biggest mistakes high school student-athletes make is not asking a college coach how long they will honor a scholarship offer. Colleges are offering athletes as early as 8th and 9th grades in sports like women’s lacrosse and soccer. Although this isn’t the norm yet it may very well be someday.
For those high school sophomores and juniors that are offered scholarships early you must be thorough and precise about what you do with these offers. I STRONGLY recommend that after you’ve been offered that you ask the college coach point blank, at least one of these questions:
How long is your offer good for?
Is there a time limit on your offer?
Will you give me all the time I need to make a decision?
The answer you receive will tell you a lot about the coach and that particular college program. If they are willing to give you all the time you need then you can be sure they REALLY want you and they don’t want to pressure you. This would be a good thing.
If they give you a time frame then that tells you they have probably offered several others the same scholarship they have offered you. And the first one to “verbally commit” gets the scholarship…..the other offers are then pulled.
Think carefully before committing but understand it is not a binding commitment until you sign the National Letter of Intent your senior year. That is a binding contract.
Good luck!
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