athletic_scholarshipAny good high school athlete dreams of getting a Division 1 sports or athletic scholarship! Division I schools sports programs such as football, basketball, track, hockey and baseball all have recruiters who go after the top players in every sport..  

Unfortunately, the less well funded sports, especially women’s sports, even at major schools rarely have scouting teams. Additionally, Division II and III schools usually rely on high school coaches and the student athletes themselves, to bring their performances to their attention.  

Coaches are generally aware of the high school athletes in their local area,  but that is about it. If you are a student athlete looking for an athletic scholarship – you need to start promoting yourself to coaches at schools you want to attend as  early as your sophomore year in high school.  

Every year, there are thousands of student athletes that attend college on athletic scholarships, and if you have excelled in your sport in high school – there is a good chance that you may qualify for a full or partial athletic scholarship.

Getting an athletic scholarship for a Division 1 school is not easy, but there are many more athletic scholarships available at the many excellent Division 2 and 3 schools, as well as the many smaller divisions around the country. Your high school coaches and guidance counsellors should be able to help you find some appropriate schools, but for the most comprehensive search, it’s usually best to use an athletic scholarship service or database.

1) First – pick the schools that you would want to attend even if you were not going to play sports. Remember – this is where you are going to spend at least 4 years of your life. You want to be happy there, and make sure they offer the classes you need for your major.

2) Look at the COMPLETE financial aid package. Smaller schools rarely give out full athletic scholarships, and usually augment with other types of scholarships and grants, but the tuition at smaller private colleges is often significantly higher than at a state college or university, so the portion that you may be required to pay may be higher than you would pay at a state school with even a partial or no athletic scholarship.

3) Pick a team and coach that you admire – one that you can envision yourself playing with, and spending a great deal of your life with 4 or more years and  whose attitude is most like your own.

If you are serious about getting a scholarship, contact both the admissions offices at the schools you are interested in as well as the coaches and the recruiters for the various athletic depts. Start early – if you really excel and think you have a shot at a Division 1 athletic scholarship – you can start in your sophomore year.

Make sure that any videos, news clippings and other relevant data are sent with a personalized letter – not form letters! It is okay to make the initial contact by email, and many services will even create a web site to help promote the student athlete.

Playing college level sports is an amazing adventure – one that will open doors for the rest of your life.

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Filed under: Sports Scholarships

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