Athletic Scholarships for College
Athletic scholarships are for the physically elite, the best of the best and most accomplished athletes in the country. Whether you are attending college straight out of high school or are currently a college student looking for additional aid, athletic scholarships could be the way for you to get the financing you need without having to go into debt.
College is very expensive, especially when you are a part of clubs, extracurricular activities or sports teams. Just think of all of the equipment you’ll need to buy or rent, the uniforms, the team fees, etc. It’s a costly endeavor to be sports-minded in college and that’s why scholarships for athletes are so essential. There are some full-tuition scholarships out there available to excellent sports players, though the majority of scholarships are for a given award amount and will not vary based on the school you attend.
Types of Athletic Scholarships
If it is a sport, there is a scholarship for it. I know that sounds like a broad generalization, but it is absolutely true. There are scholarships for the more traditional sports like football, baseball, basketball and volleyball. There are scholarships for wrestling, track and field, swimming and hockey as well. There are scholarships for sports not as commonly played in high school such as golf, lacrosse and fencing. And then there scholarships that make you wonder what schools could possibly afford or have room for practice for certain sports like sailing, skiing and archery.
Regardless of what sport you play, you can rest assured that there is definitely a scholarship for it. Most likely, there will be several scholarships available for it. Oftentimes, gymnastics and cheerleading are included as well, which opens the doors to many more females.
Speaking of women, there are also many athletic scholarships targeted specifically to female students that wish to pursue sports in college. Oftentimes, you can find a women’s specific scholarship for just about any sport. Or, a generalized “all sports” scholarship for women may also be applicable.
The point is that ever since 1972, scholarships for athletics have had to be distributed to both men and women in equal numbers. This actually opens a huge door for female athletes that have considerable physical skill and talent.
Who Provides Athletic Scholarships?
The NCAA is a huge resource of athletic scholarship funding. They offer scholarships, financial aid and even funding for schools to distribute for scholarships.
Along that same line, many athletic associations offer scholarships besides the NCAA, including the NCCAA, NSCAA, AAF, NFSHSA and the WSF. You should look online for organizations that offer scholarships for young athletes like yourself.
Additionally, colleges that are known for their fantastic sports programs often offer scholarships to their incoming students. Use a service like FastWeb to find all of the applicable scholarships to your sport of choice and your college choices.
And while you’re searching, please don’t forget to stop by your local library. A quick search for “athletic scholarships” should bring up many books on the topic, including listings, application information and tips and hints for applying. But always do the legwork to make sure these scholarship listings are up to date. Type their names into a search engine or call the contact number if provided. Never fill out applications without verifying that the scholarship is still in existence and that its requirements have not changed. Can you imagine the disappointment at taking the time to write an essay, fill out an application and to send it off only to find out you never had a chance at winning to begin with?
So, when it comes time to apply for athletic scholarships, make sure you do your research and that you know for a fact that you qualify. Other than those bits of advice, hop to it! Start making that “my best plays” video and begin applying.