If you are the parent of a serious student-athlete, then chances are you’re becoming familiar with the scholarship policies of schools at various levels of competition.
Division 1 schools offer the most scholarship money, but also put the highest demands on student time, and are incredibly competitive. Meanwhile, you may have heard that there are no Division 3 (D3) athletic scholarships.
That’s not exactly true.
What is a more accurate statement is that there are no Division 3 athletic scholarships that are administered by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which provides funding for scholarships at other levels.
Instead, student-athletes who are interested in playing sports at a Division 3 school will often find that there are considerable Division 3 scholarships available, just from other sources.
Do Division 3 Schools Give Athletic Scholarships?
Division 3 colleges do not provide athletic scholarships per se, but instead provide scholarships based on need and merit, like most other universities.
That means that parents, with students interested in pursuing a Division 3 athletic career, should familiarize themselves with how merit-based and need-based aid work.
That does not mean that athletics counts for nothing. Some of the best ways to demonstrate leadership experience, gain an appreciation for community service, and generally prove that your child has all the “soft” factors that make a great admit is through sports.
As extracurricular activities count towards consideration for D3 merit scholarships for athletes, admissions committees are always happy to see someone who is willing to play ball, literally.
What Can D3 Schools Offer Athletes?
Don’t think that your child will somehow be cheated out of a student-athlete experience by going to a D3 school; nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, due to shorter seasons, they will likely be able to enjoy a more balanced time while pursuing their degree.
After all, many Division 3 schools are academic powerhouses; while the Ivy League is a Division 1 conference (but one that treats scholarships like a D3 school), the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), has some of the top colleges in the country and is firmly a D3 conference.
That doesn’t mean that competition is anything other than fierce. Some of the most heated rivalries in college sports exist between Division 3 schools.
While Amherst—Williams may not get the media coverage of Michigan—Ohio State or Auburn—Alabama, you can bet that students and alumni take the games very seriously.
Finally, Division 3 schools try to put the student first. At schools with NCAA athletic scholarships, a student must continue to play for the scholarship to be valid.
Division 3 admits have no such requirement; if after a season or two continued involvement is not in the student’s interest, there is no financial consequence for your child walking away from a sport.
How Do D3 Athletes Pay for School?
Because there are no sports scholarships at the Division 3 level, student-athletes have to pay for college like the majority of other applicants. However, they do have a couple of advantages at hand.
First, they stand out, meaning they are more likely to get preferred consideration for merit-based rewards.
Second, many Division 3 schools already offer substantial financial aid packages and offer preferred acceptance to athletes. After all, just because there aren’t scholarships doesn’t mean that these programs are not incredibly competitive, and coaches (and admissions officers) are pragmatic: They know that successful sports teams are a great way to build rapport with alumni.
In fact, being an athlete can help students gain admission to universities where they would otherwise be waitlisted, like Williams, Hamilton, or Amherst.
These colleges, like practically all others in the NESCAC, offer comprehensive financial aid packages for many middle-class families. As you can see in the table below, other Division 3 colleges still work to meet the financial needs of student-athletes.
Name | State | 4 yr Grad Rate | Need Met | Avg Fin Aid for Freshmen w/Need | Private COA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wesleyan University | CT | 89 | 100 | $65,227 | $89,094 |
Wellesley College | MA | 82 | 100 | $64,345 | $90,341 |
Washington University in St. Louis | M0 | 88 | 100 | $63,820 | $83,760 |
Colby College | ME | 84 | 100 | $63,725 | $85,470 |
University of Chicago | IL | 89 | 100 | $63,056 | $89.040 |
Colorado College | CO | 84 | 100 | $62,383 | $86,500 |
Amherst College | MA | 84 | 100 | $62,236 | $91,304 |
Washington and Lee University | VA | 91 | 100 | $62,138 | $87,000 |
Williams College | MA | 88 | 100 | $61,853 | $81,160 |
The Colorado College | CO | 83 | 100 | $56,923 | $87,128 |
Vassar College | CA | 81 | 100 | $61,182 | $86,886 |
Haverford College | PA | 83 | 100 | $61,176 | $90,382 |
Smith College | MA | 83 | 100 | $60,749 | $86,026 |
Johns Hopkins University | MD | 89 | 100 | $60,027 | $86,065 |
Cazenovia College | NY | 50 | 85 | $58,796 | $52,404 |
Bard College | NY | 57 | 90 | $58,581 | $78,080 |
Swarthmore College | PA | 90 | 100 | $58,439 | $81,376 |
Bowdoin College | ME | 88 | 100 | $58,320 | $85,100 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | 88 | 100 | $57,691 | $82,730 |
Vassar College | NY | 87 | 100 | $57,597 | $85,220 |
Carleton College | MN | 88 | 100 | $57,354 | $84,893 |
Hamilton College | NY | 89 | 100 | $57,037 | $86,030 |
Bryn Mawr College | PA | 100 | 100 | $57,010 | $82,250 |
St. Lawrence University | NY | 77 | 90 | $56,038 | $80,350 |
Grinnell College | IA | 84 | 100 | $55,722 | $82,890 |
Franklin & Marshall College | PA | 81 | 100 | $55,201 | $87,367 |
Tufts University | MA | 90 | 100 | $54,954 | $88,300 |
Trinity College | CT | 80 | 100 | $54,753 | $85,410 |
Macalester College | MN | 83 | 97 | $54,387 | $79,890 |
Bates College | ME | 88 | 100 | $54,033 | $83,932 |
D3 Merit Scholarships for Athletes
Finally, there is the matter of merit scholarships, especially for athletes. While the NCAA places firm limits on the amount of outside funding students who receive NCAA scholarships may receive, those rules don’t apply for Division 3 athletes.
Instead, they can get a full range of merit scholarships, which differ by university, and some of which exist to reward athletic prowess.
You can find colleges that offer merit scholarships for athletes with our easy-to-use, online R2C Insights Tool. Filter, sort, and compare the results for information not only about merit scholarships, but test-optional, early decision, early action, need-based aid, and more.
Competition at Division 3 level colleges is aggressive, and just because your child plays a sport does not mean that they will be automatically accepted.
However, for many families whose children would be borderline at other divisions, going to a D3 school is a viable option, and may permit them to get financial aid beyond what they would otherwise receive.
Name | State | 4 yr Grad Rate | Freshmen w/out Need | Freshmen w/out Need Receiving Merit Aid | Avg Merit Aid for Freshmen w/out Need | Private COA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swarthmore College | PA | 90 | 48% | 1% | $45,110 | $81,376 |
Washington and Lee University | VA | 91 | 47% | 11% | $43,818 | $87,000 |
Bard College | NY | 57 | 24% | 10% | $40,474 | $78.080 |
Albion College | MI | 48 | 14% | 100% | $39,697 | $67,796 |
Johns Hopkins University | MD | 89 | 45% | 10% | $39,328 | $86,065 |
Susquehanna University | PA | 66 | 17% | 98% | $36,317 | $70,600 |
Kalamazoo College | MI | 71 | 22% | 96% | $36,009 | $68,166 |
Clarkson University | NY | 64 | 26% | 100% | $35,794 | $76,666 |
DePauw University | IN | 73 | 48% | 102% | $35,510 | $70,880 |
Allegheny College | PA | 59 | 15% | 129% | $35,299 | $66.746 |
Washington & Jefferson College | PA | 69 | 17% | 100% | $34,857 | $45,515 |
The College of Wooster | OH | 70 | 38% | 98% | $33,902 | $73,550 |
Washington College | MD | 67 | 29% | 100% | $33,834 | $67.960 |
Wheaton College (MA) | MA | 72 | 22% | 50% | $33,421 | $77,510 |
Ursinus College | PA | 69 | 23% | 97% | $33,247 | $74,240 |
Washington University in St. Louis | MO | 88 | 57% | 6% | $32,844 | $83,760 |
Simpson College | IA | 64 | 15% | 100% | $32,534 | $55,394 |
Lebanon Valley College | PA | 60 | 14% | 98% | $32,257 | $60,460 |
Wabash College | IN | 73 | 28% | 100% | $31,853 | $61,500 |
Hartwick College | NY | 44 | 14% | 11% | $31,823 | $66,409 |
Lawrence University | WI | 62 | 30% | 99% | $31,503 | $66.987 |
Widener University | PA | 56 | 14% | 97% | $31,300 | $68,148 |
Lake Forest College | IL | 74 | 19% | 107% | $31,278 | $65,780 |
Agnes Scott College | GA | 69 | 22% | 100% | $31,127 | $61,195 |
Ohio Wesleyan University | OH | 59 | 22% | 99% | $30,854 | $69,443 |
Hollins University | VA | 58 | 18% | 100% | $30,658 | $56,360 |
Illinois Wesleyan University | IL | 75 | 29% | 93% | $30,636 | $68,612 |
Whittier College | CA | 62 | 31% | 95% | $30,466 | $64,547 |
Lycoming College | PA | 55 | 14% | 98% | $30,445 | $61,559 |
Whitworth University | WA | 66 | 24% | 80% | $28,942 | $68,668 |
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