Recruiting agencies - Are they worth it?

[Unregistered]

Recently my husband and I were approached by a college/sports recruiting agency based in New England. They claimed my child was a great candidate for their 'program' because she is a good player and has good grades. For a fee of somewhere around $4,000 they put together a video and then shop my kid's resume to various colleges and programs with the hopes that they will be able to find her both merit money and athletic money that I would not be able to find on my own. They use their 'contact's, and 'prior coaching' as qualifications. Their promise is that they do all the legwork for us and because they have the contacts it is much easier for them to get the $$ from the schools...thereby making the fee we pay them totally worth the money saved in scholarships (both academic/merit and sports).

Has any highschool parent used one of these agencies and was it worth it? There are several in New England.

Avoid. But do spend some money on a video showing varying aspects of your kid's playing style. We spent about $400 for a 15 minute edited video and it was very helpful. Raised some D1 interest even though she eventually chose a D3 school. Not to mention when your kid quits playing that it is a nice memento and good memories. Aks the videographer for the raw footage too not just the edited piece for your own enjoyment.

[Unregistered]

Does this recruiting service turn down the families with superb players who are only average students, LOL??? Is that a wise business decision to target such a small sliver of the recruitment clientele? They really basically go one family at a time, door-to-door like in the old selling vacuum cleaner days?

Please, if you're if your intent on posting these little novellas then at least put a little effort into them.

Actually they claimed they do turn down players with average to poor academics. That was part of the pitch. Your kid is "selected" to be part of this program (that you pay $$$ for) so you are therefore extra special.

[Unregistered]

Avoid. But do spend some money on a video showing varying aspects of your kid's playing style. We spent about $400 for a 15 minute edited video and it was very helpful. Raised some D1 interest even though she eventually chose a D3 school. Not to mention when your kid quits playing that it is a nice memento and good memories. Aks the videographer for the raw footage too not just the edited piece for your own enjoyment.

Thanks. Sounds like good advice.

[Unregistered]

Actually they claimed they do turn down players with average to poor academics. That was part of the pitch. Your kid is "selected" to be part of this program (that you pay $$$ for) so you are therefore extra special.

Really? What are their academic cutoffs, and how did they know to approach this family, since the poster when asked said he/she brought up the kid's grades? And more importantly, what were their revenues for 2014?

Another 100% bogus thread. Not a single detail brushed shoulders with the truth.

And since there are multiple outfits that this posters knows about, even though they are coming on TS to inquire about what such a service could be all about, what and where are these multiple services? They have websites, right? Links, please.

[Unregistered]

Really? What are their academic cutoffs, and how did they know to approach this family, since the poster when asked said he/she brought up the kid's grades? And more importantly, what were their revenues for 2014?

Another 100% bogus thread. Not a single detail brushed shoulders with the truth.

And since there are multiple outfits that this posters knows about, even though they are coming on TS to inquire about what such a service could be all about, what and where are these multiple services? They have websites, right? Links, please.

College Prospects of America is such an agency. Look up the link yourself. See if they have a New England branch. And then when finished. .. get a life. It's actually not a bad question to ask on TS.

[Unregistered]

College Prospects of America is such an agency. Look up the link yourself. See if they have a New England branch. And then when finished. .. get a life. It's actually not a bad question to ask on TS.

Actually whoever makes up these pathetic fictions, and then continues to go deeper into deceit upon inquiry, should get a life.

[Unregistered]

College Prospects of America is such an agency. Look up the link yourself. See if they have a New England branch. And then when finished. .. get a life. It's actually not a bad question to ask on TS.

Thanks. Very helpful. In the FAQs there is a question about why anyone would want to play D3.

Here is the CPOA answer:

Some D3 schools are weaker athletically, and some D3 schools can beat D1 schools. Are you going to college as a springboard to play sports professionally or are you going to school to get a good education and use athletics to leverage yourself into a better school academically and get a better financial aid package?

[Unregistered]

Thanks. Very helpful. In the FAQs there is a question about why anyone would want to play D3.

Here is the CPOA answer:

Some D3 schools are weaker athletically, and some D3 schools can beat D1 schools. Are you going to college as a springboard to play sports professionally or are you going to school to get a good education and use athletics to leverage yourself into a better school academically and get a better financial aid package?

off topic by a mile

[Unregistered]

off topic by a mile

Not really.

[Unregistered]

Not really.

Topic is recruiting AGENCIES, not WHAT an athlete should be recruiting for. I can already see this thread spiralling into another "D1 is the only soccer that matters" vs the "But D3 is a superior education" thread

[Unregistered]

Recruiting services do have place when a family is either too inexperienced or too busy to take the job on themselves but one big problem with recruiting services is they tend to take the path of least resistance and work towards a big "wow" factor in order to keep paying customers happy. They are not usually going to work as hard as a parent will trying to find a good situation for the player and they'll typically stop at the first sexy choice and leave it at that.

[Unregistered]

Recruiting services do have place when a family is either too inexperienced or too busy to take the job on themselves but one big problem with recruiting services is they tend to take the path of least resistance and work towards a big "wow" factor in order to keep paying customers happy. They are not usually going to work as hard as a parent will trying to find a good situation for the player and they'll typically stop at the first sexy choice and leave it at that.

Same can be said of companies that help non-athletes get into colleges - they do college the shopping for you, all but write your kid's essays, etc. They won't necessarily have your child's best interest at heart but they will get them into school.

[Unregistered]

Same can be said of companies that help non-athletes get into colleges - they do college the shopping for you, all but write your kid's essays, etc. They won't necessarily have your child's best interest at heart but they will get them into school.

Says one of their venture capital investors.....

[Unregistered]

Actually whoever makes up these pathetic fictions, and then continues to go deeper into deceit upon inquiry, should get a life.

Pot meet kettle

[Unregistered]

99% would be better served an iPhone/iPad and a good editing app, then hire a tech savvy 16 yr old to create a YouTube channel, and just send out the link yourselves. Then hire an accountant/attorney that has experience with finding the colleg/financial aid loopholes. For the cake you'd spend for the recruiting service to blow smoke at you for 18 months, the former will shock you with how much they can save/make you, and your child. Only thing you will have to focus on is picking the school they love, and can get into and Play. I recommend doing before they start 10th grade, no later than 11th, to build a solid financial track record of your child's own. Doesn't matter if they don't know what they will study, or where or if they will still want to play, and if they end up being the truly elite and get a ride you've set them up for post undergrad, at the least. Secrets of the rich and connected!!