Three Things to Consider Before Choosing a College
The article below is a blog post originally written in Swedish by Patrycja Jerzak that we helped to University of Connecticut!
3 Things to Consider Before Choosing a College
When you first start thinking about studying at a college in the U.S., it’s not always easy to know where you actually want to go. Most people dream of warm places like Florida or California, but the further I got into the process of choosing my school, the more I started thinking about factors beyond just the climate.
That’s why I want to share my own tips—3 things to consider before choosing your college.
When you decide to take the step of moving abroad to study and pursue your sport, there are many things you should consider before choosing your school, so you can feel confident in your decision. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
1. Who is your coach?
Before you choose a college, you will have several conversations with coaches. The important thing when talking to your coach is that you feel comfortable with the person fairly quickly. You need to keep in mind that once you get to the U.S., your family won’t be there. That’s why it’s reassuring to feel like you can talk to your coach and that it feels good. For me personally, this was a very important factor. However, everyone is different and has their own priorities. My reasoning behind this was that I wouldn’t have any friends or family with me when I arrived, so it was important for me to know I could talk to my coach if I had any problems.
2. Do not prioritize ”the heat”
One of the things to consider before choosing your school is not to focus too much on the weather. Most of the people I’ve come in contact with, who either want to or wanted to go to college, only wanted to go to Florida or California. I can understand that if you live in Sweden—you naturally want some warmth. But do you really want that, all the time? You have to remember that you’ll actually be playing soccer in that weather, and if you’re used to the Swedish climate, it might be a shock to play matches in 35-degree heat every day.
And it’s not just warm in Florida and California. I lived in Connecticut, and we had plenty of warmth up until early October. The U.S. is huge and has a lot of different climates. There are plenty of amazing places that aren’t in Florida or California. My advice is to do your research about the country before deciding where you want to go. It’s easy to think you know everything about the U.S. from movies, but that information is rarely enough.
3. Are you going there for the athletics, the academics or the mix?
The general standard of soccer is highest in NCAA Division 1. But not always! In many cases, a D2 school can be better than D1 teams that are ranked at the bottom. When it comes to the level of D1 schools, you should often look at which conference the school plays in. The level of the conference often says a lot about the level of the team.
When it comes to academics, the first thing to keep in mind is that not all degrees you earn in the U.S. will be recognized in Sweden. For example, you cannot study to become a lawyer in the U.S. and then work as a lawyer in Sweden. The reason is simple: in the U.S., you study American law, while in Sweden, you study Swedish law. Therefore, it’s smart to check if your degree can be recognized in Sweden and if the program you want to study is available at the school. If you search for a university, such as “University of Connecticut Majors,” you will usually get a list of the programs the school offers. Be sure to filter the programs for “undergraduate” and “bachelor’s,” which refer to the degree you’ll be earning. You can also contact an academic advisor at the school who can help you.
Most people obviously want the best soccer level as well as the best academic solution. Therefore, it’s smart to make a choice that offers a mix of both. The U.S. is so large, and there are hundreds of great universities in the country! You’ll surely find something that suits you!
Don’t just think about the superficial factors.
When it comes to choosing a school, the most important thing is that you actually feel satisfied and comfortable with your decision. It doesn’t matter if you’re in New York City or LA if you don’t feel safe and at ease in the place you’re in. That’s why one of the most important things to consider is how you perceive your coach and if you feel comfortable with them as a person. Superficial factors like climate and campus size aren’t as important. What matters is that you feel secure, that you’re playing at the level you want, and that you’re studying something you truly want. So make sure to do your research on the schools you’re considering!
I hope these tips on 3 things to consider before choosing a college help you make your decision in the future. If you feel like you need more advice, feel free to contact me. For me personally, the most important thing was that the team had a good atmosphere, and that I got along well with my coach.
