Imagine you are a high school football recruit. You and your family have been hearing from college coaches at schools across the country, and they all have the same goal: To get you to verbally commit to, and ultimately sign and play for, their school.
The process happens a little bit differently everywhere, so generalizations aren't easy to come by. It works best for both sides when a recruit weighs his options with those close to him, reaches a decision, and then sticks to it from the time he makes it until signs a binding National Letter of Intent.