When shopping for a college, buyers should better beware

“She’s 16,” she said. “She has no idea what she’s looking for.”

That’s so true for most of the high school players who dream of playing in college.

I think it’s pretty clear which basketball players heading to Duke and North Carolina and football players heading to Southern Cal are looking for in a school. But most high school players — the tennis, softball, soccer, track and lacrosse athletes — aren’t banking on a professional career. They are looking for an opportunity to continue playing a sport they enjoy.

And they are looking for acceptance: They want teams at a higher level of sport — college — to want them.

This time of year a lot of high school seniors choose their college and juniors start exploring their options. For the potential Division I athletes, the process is over for seniors and already well under way for younger athletes.

But for the majority of high school senior athletes — those likely to play for Division II or Division III schools — this is decision time.

There are hundreds of these schools and thousands of athletic programs. They offer rich and widely varied educational and athletic opportunities. Division II schools offer athletic scholarships and many Division III schools find alternative financial aid. But many young athletes jump too quickly at a college just because they find out they can play a varsity sport and maybe get a discounted tuition. They end up disappointed, overwhelmed and sometimes back home revising their college plans.

Plenty of Division I athletes become disenchanted, but the greatest problems are among the next tier. The athletes are plenty good — some even stars — in high school. And they want so badly to play in college that they see the college as an extension of the team, instead of the other way around.

Athletes need to explore beyond the fields at colleges. A few suggestions:

» Location, location, location: Real estate agents know what matters and so should the college recruit. And if a small-town college in the north wants the big-city kid, that’s fine. But before sending in the deposit, remember what how you felt during the last February ice storm. Did that wind and sleet bother you or was it just a minor inconvenience. And can you handle a single movie theater and diner for entertainment? Just know what to expect and be ready to embrace the variety, not resent it.

» Size: Division II and III generally mean smaller schools. And that’s perfect for many. But some players from bigger schools come home complaining they didn’t like the limited housing, nightlife, clubs or diversity. Some players come home griping their high school team could have beaten their tiny college team. Know what you are getting.

» Coach: A simple rule here, you have to like the coach. But never go to school because of the coach. They’re on career paths, too, and might not be around for the next four years.

» Team: Make sure the love is mutual: It’s great to be recruited, no matter what the school. It’s just nice to be wanted. But just because a coach wants a player doesn’t mean it’s the right school. High school players need to make sure the team is right for them. Spend some time with the players before you go to school. They are going to be your friends, roommates and confidants in college. You better like them — and like their style of play. Go to games, lots of games. Watch them against better teams and worse teams. Watch how the coach subs and how the coaches interact with the players. Read up on the Internet, but be wary of Internet chatter, which is largely biased by parents, players and their friends.

» Academics: Keep the right priorities. College sports are great fun, but they are not the sole pursuit of the next four years. No matter the athletic prospects, the rest of the package needs to fit. Sit in on a few classes. Talk to some non-athletes.

» Visit, visit, visit: Do not ever, ever, select a school without visiting several times. Spend the night in a dorm. Walk around the town. Listen. Watch. Ask questions. In short, pursue the college the way you would if you never planned to set foot on an athletic field. In the end, the sport may not work out and that is a sad reason to have to find another school.

Effie Dawson writes about high school and youth sports. Reach her at edawson@baltimoreexaminer.com