by Greg Carroll, Tudor Collegiate Strategies
Recently, a client coach asked to schedule a call to talk about how to take on the topic of cost of attendance at her institution, a prestigious private school in the northeast (there are a lot of them!). Additionally, this school was a merit based aid school only.
As I thought about points I would share with this coach I was reminded of all those families I spoke to as the athletic director at a DIII state school and the families who would in one breath tell us they could not afford our school because some other school (maybe even a DII) was offering scholarships. Yet, even with those scholarships the cost of attendance was STILL higher than it would have been if they took the state school route.
The problem was clear – they actually could afford our cost but we had not done a good job establishing the reasons why they should make that significant investment with our institution. Without question, across each division there are a very small list of schools who may not need to work as hard as the coaches at colleges like my former school because of history, image, location, etc. If you fall outside that elite list you already know you are going to have to work harder than others depending on your situation. And that’s okay because every school has its own unique assets and qualities that can be leveraged in the recruiting conversation.
Along those lines, here are some things to consider.
- When we engage in the “cost” conversation we immediately focus on the money involved. Obviously that’s essential but cost has an additional connotation. That is, what will it cost your recruit and their family if they don’t choose you? Yeah, that’s right. I’m suggesting coaches be bold enough to share with recruits what they will be forgoing if they decide to go someplace else. This could be a roster spot and opportunity to play immediately or it may be the chance to compete for a national championship. The loss could be the opportunity to take classes from notable professors, access to facilities no other school can offer. The point is your school has its own resources that are unique to you. When a recruit is considering another school discuss with them the cost of not picking your school.
- As a coach, as an observer, or as a parent yourself, have you ever heard someone say “We chose to go to that school because it was the cheapest!” No, you never hear that. What you hear is how they (recruit and family) connected with the coach and the team. Or they will talk about the vibe they got on campus being welcoming, friendly, warm, or it felt like home. These decisions simply don’t get made because one school was the cheapest. You may, however, hear a recruit say the cost between schools was the same (more or less) so they picked school A. That’s a different discussion because when the cost is the same, they will still choose the school where the coach has a specific, individualized plan for the recruits personal and athletic development over the course of the four years they plan on their team. My clients see me as a broken record because I constantly remind them that there’s no reason to ever be beaten by another program on customer service. That’s why we pay a little more at the auto shop, go to the same pizzeria each week, or in better times, socialize at the same watering hole on Friday afternoons! Customer service beats cost more times than not.
- As coaches we love talking about the accomplishments of our teams and our athletes. How titles won, all-conference athletes, and other accolades. With cost of attendance now displacing relationships as the number one concern priority in how recruits choose their school (See https://dantudor.com/2020-national-student-athlete-coronavirus-recruiting-study/) coaches now have to add “ROI” or return on investment to their stump speeches. Starting salaries of graduates, advance degree placement, internship opportunities, international study, alumni networks, career development support, academic support, leadership training programming, accolades of faculty and published research from faculty members, external accreditations, institutional ranking. All these things are more important than ever as they speak to your school’s opportunity to deliver a message about ROI.
- Don’t be bashful about asking who else they’re considering. They want to tell you! Sharing the other schools they are considering validates them as athletes and they’re more than happy to share that. Knowing who they are considering is the same as the scouting report you depend on for beating your opponents. Use that information to tell the story of how you are different and why those differences are important to their ROI!
- As you try to overcome the perceived “sticker shock” of your school against some other, your recruit might be considering taking that challenge by breaking it down into small parts. For example, if the total cost of attendance at your school is $5,000 more than some other school (knowing we’ve accounted for comparative fees and charges so it’s apples to apples) break that figure down into additional cost per month, and then by the week, and then by the day. If you have told a compelling story about why they should choose you, looking at the cost in terms of a smaller figure is less daunting knowing that you have everything they’re going to need to be successful on all levels.
Greg Carroll is a former college athletic director who now is part of the team at Tudor Collegiate Strategies, helping to advise our roster of clients as they recruit their next class of recruits. To ask a question about how to approach costs with a prospect, or to find out about how we work with clients and lead training workshops for coaching staffs and athletic departments around the country, email Greg at greg@dantudor.com.