Learn

Inside Scoop on Athletic Scholarships

college athletes

Inside Scoop on Athletic Scholarships

Published September 8, 2019 | Last Updated October 29th, 2023 at 08:16 am

college athletes

Families of student-athletes very often do not understand the intensity of competition for athletic scholarships.

When this happens, they require assistance to financially prepare for college and maximize their recruiting opportunities.
College coaches don’t find athletes randomly – families need a plan to be proactive to gain the necessary exposure.
If you are a parent with young children interested in sports or a parent of a high school athlete, pay attention.
Here is some coaching advice for how to set realistic expectations about getting recruited and paying for your athlete’s college education:

How Can You Help Your Student-Athlete Get Recruited?

Step 1: Start Investing Early – Whether you save $10 per week or a few hundred dollars a month, donā€™t waste another day not putting money away for your child(ren)ā€™s college tuition.

You can save money for college in an interest-based savings account, bonds, money market or a CD, as long as you are making interest on that money, you are doing well.

The best option is to open up a 529 plan, where money you save for college can grow tax-free.

Step 2: Reinforce Commitment to Academics – Here are the facts: 6.7% of students playing high school sports will end up playing sports in college.

Less than 1% of the 6.7% will get a NCAA Division I scholarship.

The chances of your child getting a full D1 athletic scholarship are just a little better than the chances of your child becoming an astronaut [sarcasm], but you catch the drift.

Division 1 scholarships only account for about 20% of the athletic scholarships awarded each year.

The other 80% come from NCAA Division 2, NAIA, and Junior Colleges.

NCAA Division 3 institutions are not allowed to give any financial aid based on our childā€™s athletic prowessā€¦only academic success earned.

Donā€™t let that deter you from D3 schools.

They are some of the best schools in the country and often will compete financially, even without athletic scholarships.

The Lowdown on Athletic Scholarships

While it may not always seem to be the case, athletics AND academics play a joint role in athletic recruiting.
 
It is important that your child make a commitment to their academics early, starting their freshman year of high school.
 
Most Divisions (except D1 football and basketball) allow the athletic programs to stack academic scholarships with athletic scholarships.
 
This means the better your son or daughterā€™s GPA and SAT/ACT scores are, the more attractive your child is to a college coach. For instance, letā€™s say I am a NCAA Division 2 basketball coach. I have one $35,000 full scholarship left, but I need a center and a point guard to commit in next yearā€™s class. I have two point guards that I like a lot. One is your son. The other player has a 2.9 GPA and an 18 ACT. Your son has a 3.5 GPA and a 25 ACT. My university only gives academic money to students who have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and a minimum ACT of 22. The other player is a little bigger and more athletic than your son, but both have the abilities and basketball IQ I am looking for. Which player do I offer a scholarship to? If the talent is that balanced between the two young men, I will give an athletic scholarship to your son. I know my university is going to offer him $18,000 in academic scholarship and university grants (all gift aid that doesnā€™t need to be paid back). I now can give your son a $17,000 athletic scholarship, and we will call it a full-ride with the academic money stacked. If I chose the other player, I would have to give my entire $35,000 in scholarship money to give him a full ride. With your son committing to me, I now have $18,000 left in athletic money to go get the center I need.
 
So, to sum up, the higher your childā€™s cumulative high school grades and the higher their test scores (ACT/SAT), the more money a university is going to give him.
 
The more money the university gives him, the less athletic scholarship money the college coach needs to give your sonā€¦making him that much more attractive to the college coach.

The Three Es of Athletic Recruiting

Step 3: Create Recruitment Competition – The real key to a strong financial recruitment plan is to create competition for your childā€™s skills, abilities, and academic prowess.

The more college coaches that want your son/daughter, the harder they will work to make their school look more attractive ($$$$).

How do you do this? I call it the three Es:

Exposure: Get your childā€™s performance in front of as many college coaches as possible.
 
On-line video is the best way to achieve this and the least expensive.
 
College coaches begin evaluating as early as 7th/8th grade, and we continue to see verbal scholarship offers at the middle school level. But for most, freshman year is a great time to begin calling coaches. The sooner a college coach is aware of you, the sooner they can begin inviting you to their camps and planning opportunities to see you play.
 
Evaluation:Make sure you have an edited/verified video that can be sent to hundreds of coaches at schools that fit your childā€™s academic/athletic profile. Coaches are NOT showing up at your childā€™s games randomly.
 
Education:It is imperative that your child learn early on how to communicate with coaches and learn how to build relationships with those coaches. Coaches love kids who handle their own business instead of having mom and dad serve as their agents. Too much parent involvement can destroy your childā€™s recruitment efforts. Your child controls their own future!
 
Get aggressive and stay aggressive.
 
Good luck!

________

Use R2C Insights to help find merit aid and schools that fit the criteria most important to your student. Youā€™ll not only save precious time, but your student will avoid the heartache of applying to schools they arenā€™t likely to get into or canā€™t afford to attend.  

Other Articles You Might Like:

Division 3 Athletic Scholarships and Your Student-Athlete

Is Going to a Junior College (JUCO) a Good Step for Athletes?

Colleges With High Acceptance Rates

JOIN ONE OF OUR FACEBOOK GROUPS & CONNECT WITH OTHER PARENTS: 

PAYING FOR COLLEGE 101

HOW TO FIND MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

 

In this article:

Upcoming Events

Similar Articles for You

Dear Roadie: How Will a Tragic Accident That Caused My Daughter’s Grades to Plummet  Impact Her College Applications?

Advice

Dear Roadie: How Will a Tragic Accident That Caused My Daughter’s Grades to Plummet Impact Her College Applications?

Dear Roadie, While in high school, my daughter was involved in a tragic accident that nearly killed her. Her best...

Best Marine Biology Colleges by Academics, Aid, and Value

Fall

Best Marine Biology Colleges by Academics, Aid, and Value

For students interested in marine biology, choosing the right program is the first step toward an exciting career exploring and...

Dear Roadie: Should You Fill Out The FAFSA If Your Parents Are Undocumented?

Advice

Dear Roadie: Should You Fill Out The FAFSA If Your Parents Are Undocumented?

Dear Roadie, My U.S.-born niece is ready to fill out the FAFSA, but my brother and sister-in-law are undocumented immigrants....

Become a Member

At Road2College youā€™ll find everything you need to make the admissions and paying for college process less stressful and more transparent.

TOOLS

Explore R2C Insightsā„¢ ā€” your source for finding affordable colleges and merit scholarships.

Coaching

Get coaching on admissions and college financing.

Community

Join Road2College where parents and experts work together to inform and inspire college-bound families.