Build an Official Visit Budget Worksheet

An official visit is paid for within rules that differ by division and sport. Families often assume the school covers everything, then discover that flights, a parent's meals, or a second night are their responsibility.

A budget worksheet turns that uncertainty into a conversation before the trip, not after the receipts arrive.

Confirm what the visit covers

Ask the recruiting coordinator what the official visit includes: transportation, lodging, meals, and the number of people covered. Get the answer in writing or note the call.

Record the visit dates, the number of nights, and the people covered. If a parent is traveling separately, note that cost as the family's.

List the family's costs

Build simple categories: airfare or fuel, airport parking, rental car, hotel nights not covered, meals outside the visit, incidentals, and a buffer.

Use actual quotes for the dates, not last year's prices. A visit during a home football weekend can double a hotel rate.

Decide who travels

There is no rule that both parents must attend. Decide who goes based on the athlete's needs and the budget.

If only one parent travels, plan how the other will hear the details. A shared note during the visit prevents the second-hand summary that misses the important parts.

Keep receipts and a simple ledger

Record each expense with the date and the category. If the school covers a meal, note it as covered rather than zero.

The ledger is also useful if the school asks for documentation or if the family wants to compare the cost of two visits.

Separate recruiting cost from decision cost

The visit is a research expense. It does not create an obligation to accept an offer, and it should not be treated as a sunk cost that forces a decision.

Write down what the family hopes to learn. If the visit answers those questions, the money did its job even if the athlete chooses another program.

Review after the trip

Add the actual costs to the plan and compare them with the estimate. The difference usually comes from meals, parking, and one unplanned night.

Keep the worksheet with the visit notes. When a second official visit comes up, the estimate is faster and more accurate.