Is Prep School Worth It?

Is Prep School Worth It?

Is Prep School Worth It?

For almost every player, the answer is no. Don't jump at the first prep school offer you get. Most families and players get excited by an offer and neglect to understand the bigger picture.

You’re still a small fish in a small pond, just a different pond.

Many families look to prep school because things didn't work out with a previous team or organization. They want a "better experience." What you often find is that others at the new school are experiencing the same exact thing. There's nothing wrong with wanting a change, but understand what you're getting into.

Prep schools survive on students paying large sums of money to attend. That's their business model. In some cases, that money helps award scholarships to better players, but the core revenue comes from tuition.

Because of this, there’s a huge demand and a lot of pressure on coaches to throw out a wide net to recruit players. They send out bulk emails to families they see at tournaments, camps, and anywhere else they can find prospects. They cast a wide net in the hopes they get a few to commit. Some nationally known schools don't have to advertise as much, but many do. Players get excited to finally get some interest and sometimes jump too quickly.

Once you make the team and you’ve paid your money, you're in. They may have already moved on to recruiting the next group of players. You might become less important unless you're one of the very top players. At your age range, there might be four teams available. Just like every hockey team, once you commit, their focus shifts.

Before you commit to a prep school, you need to ask some hard questions. Don't let the excitement of an offer blind you to the reality.

Alumni Roster Who went where from that school? Look at the alumni roster. Did players genuinely move on to higher levels of hockey, or did they simply finish their high school career there? Are there specific examples of players getting to college or pro from that program?

The Coach Who is the coach? How long have they been there? Where did they come from? Where did they play themselves? Do they still have connections with players they played with at high levels, including pro or college? Could they actually make phone calls on your behalf to scouts or college coaches? A coach with deep, current connections is invaluable. One without them is just a coach.

Scholarship Offers Are they going to offer you a scholarship of any kind? Even a small amount shows they truly value you as a player, not just as a tuition payer. If they're not offering anything, you're likely just filling a roster spot.

A True Upgrade? Is this a genuine upgrade from where you are currently playing? Think honestly. Is the coaching better? Is the competition significantly higher? Is the development path clearer? Sometimes, the grass isn't greener.

You could save a lot of money and spend more time on training locally. Work out more, get extra skills sessions, and improve your game where you are. Come back the next season as a dominant player. When you're indispensable because of your skill, you create "your own politics." They have no choice but to take you and give you opportunities.

You will need those skills even when you do accept an offer to go to a prep school. Don't confuse an offer with an arrival. An offer is just the start. Your development should be the priority, not the name on the front of the jersey.

Don't jump for an offer unless you've done your homework and it's a clear, undeniable upgrade that genuinely puts you on a better development path.