Steven is a very good player. (I'm going to use pseudonyms.) He's been pretty sure for a while that he wants to go to College A. He really likes the school and they offered him a great athletic scholarship. He hasn't committed, but they want an answer. Soon.

Just when everything seemed to be falling into place, it got more complicated -- in a good way. A couple weeks ago, Steven played really well in a tournament. The coach at College C approached Steven's club coach after a game and asked about Steven's plans.

After hearing about this, Steven was really excited. He did exactly the right thing. He went home and used CaptainU Mail to send a message to the coach at College B.

The coach replied almost immediately and invited Steven to come on an official visit. It was unfolding at a crazy pace, and Steven was totally pumped. But this is where it got complicated.

College B has a reputation of being a party school. On the Answers page, Steven told me, "It sounds like an amazing opportunity, but I'm not into that stuff. What should I do?"

We discussed it back and forth and agreed that Steven shouldn't judge College B by its reputation alone -- that he should give it a fair shake, visit, and see for himself. He's going on that visit soon.

It was fun watching this story unfold for Steven. It's a great example of how to deal with awesome new opportunities that present themselves along the way. And it's a really important reminder that you shouldn't base your decision on reputation alone. Visiting campus can make a huge difference. I can't wait to hear how Steven's visit goes!