Since people are sharing about OVs, I thought I would share about my son’s recent OV. He was one of two recruits there, alcohol was offered (beer, not hard) at a player’s off campus residence, but son was comfortable turning it down. Another team player was not drinking, and the only one that drank a little too much was the other recruit who was disappointed that he was not taken to a frat party. Evidently his prior week OV at another university had been the big party scene. Ironically the other recruit plans to visit another school that also wants my son to visit, and that school is very strict on rules and drinking-no frats allowed. The recruit thinks he will end up at the conservative school because of his parents. Guy will probably be a transfer in a year… Now my son is less interested in that OV if same recruit will be there-but I think visits are different weekends tho: guy was boasting about his dad’s connections to VP or Prez in administration at the upcoming school. Definitely not one son would want as potential roommate. Son’s schools of interest are based on a variety of factors, and he has chosen some schools to visit at the opposite ends of liberalism and conservatism.
Son got a typed detailed offer with school expenses and then aid that showed what was merit and what was athletic, and what his scores have to be for different levels of merit. Son has gotten offers over the phone (one was Emailed later at his request), and it was great to see a written offer laid out so there were no misunderstanding. On one phone offer, son was first confused and thought the total offer was just the athletic offer when the actual offer included both. That was in the spring and my husband called to verify the details and got the true %s. Son’s other two offers were %s; this one was a set dollar amount. Son made unofficial visits in the spring to the other schools that gave him offers.
As far as parent attendance at OV, coach wanted a parent there for tour and offer but we didnt want to have to pay for flight and hotel. We instead Emailed questions, coach called and Emailed us with answers before visit, and academic support person followed up on questions on majors, merit scholarships, etc. It worked well and saved us the time and $ of our own trip. After talking with son, I will Email coach next week just to confirm that he has a couple weeks to decide. Before visit, coach had made it sound like he would only have week to decide, but son says coach now will give him a couple weeks to finish other OVs/day trip UVs, On this visit, son got tour of campus and city, overnight with team player, meals and handing out with entire team, watching practice, attending class, meeting trainers and academic support, and meeting a professor in his major as well as 1-1 talk with coach. Coach had told him before visit that he would leave with offer.
I now wish son had used some OVs on closer schools; he does have several left but not a lot of time… He likes the guys where he has had overnight visit or UV where he was on campus 2 days and hung out with guys until late before returning to hotel. He has not spent enough time with guys on other UVs to get a feel if there is chemistry or not.