College Sports recruiting apps. Advantage and Disadvantages. To pay or not to pay. Part 1 of 3.

I started PrepSearch in 2007  because I was committed to educating students, families and schools and anyone who would listen on the entire college sports recruiting process. I have dedicated nearly two decades helping provide access to as many students as I could to attend college while participating in their sport. 1700+ students later I still believe in education and access.

One part of college sports recruiting that has changed since I started PrepSearch is the use and importance of the recruiting app. I truly have mixed feelings about apps. So much so that I will need three weeks to address this topic adequately. PrepSearch is NOT a recruiting service. I founded PrepSearch as an education first alternative to expensive recruiting services like @#$%, who contribute to the pay for play model in sport and are built on selling expensive packages and highlight videos behind a free profile that MUST be upgraded to be effective. More on this later, which is why it will take me three weeks to really cover the topic of apps.

I spend a lot of time when I speak and when online differentiating why PrepSearch is different than a recruiting service and why my model not only costs less, but is more effective. Again, more on this in later posts. I’m trying to stay on topic. Before I get back to recruiting apps, I will say this; PrepSearch is about providing college sports recruiting EDUCATION first and foremost. My biggest issue with recruiting services in general is that they push restricting access based on who can afford to pay for their services and advancing pay for play model in youth/interscholastic sport. ALL, yes ALL recruiting services do the same thing. They monetize fear, lack of education and insecurity, while preying on middle and low income families.

Back to recruiting apps. In full transparency, I’m close to launching the completely FREE PrepSearch recruiting app.  I believe that you need to hear something at least three times to act on it so, I’m hoping over the next three weeks you’ll be moved to either sign up to be notified about the app release date for yourself or inclined to share in your network with a student, parent/guardian or club or college coach who could benefit from using the app. I tell my clients its ok to use multiple apps to connect with college coaches because no coach uses every app and college coaches know which apps charge prospects (Former College Coach here!), which leads me to the main point I want to get across this week.

While there is no official term for this, I call it SEO bias. I know you’re asking what exactly is SEO bias in a recruiting app? This simply means that if a student registers for a free account with any of the recruiting apps available they will rank lower in searches by college coaches than prospects who have paid for an upgrade or subscription. These paid services will cost anywhere from $19.99 per month for an upgrade up to $6500+ for a full recruiting service package. The new PrepSearch app is completely free and should be an additional resource to help prospects in all sports connect with college coaches.

If you are interested in learning more about the PrepSearch app and being notified when it’s available or know someone else who may be interested please visit the link below. I hope you’ll share with others as well. Please check out the rest of my website to learn more about PrepSearch and how I’ve helped over 1700 students attend college using sports since 2007.

https://prepsearch.net/app/