The Secrets to Winning an Athletic Scholarship
The cost of attending college is rising by 6.5% every year. If you are planning to attend a public university figure on spending around $80,000 for that undergraduate degree; twice that if you have your eye on a private education. Sure, you can seek an academic scholarship, financial aid, a grant and student loans, but what if that’s not enough to get you there? $1.2 billion in scholarship money is awarded every year to high school athletes for their commitment to continue playing at the college level. As you start to put your application packet together, here’s what you should know about the process:
1. Go straight to college after high school graduation. In order to be considered for an athletic scholarship, you have to be between’ and 24 years old, so if you dilly dally for a year or two after high school, you might blow it. Most scholarships are awards to those who go to college the fall after getting your diploma.
2. There are 29 sports recognized by the National College Athletic Association, or NCAA. Women are eligible to win scholarships in the following categories: Synchronized Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Water Polo, Ice Hockey, Gymnastics, Archery, Squash, Lacrosse, Skiing (Cross Country and Downhill), Rowing and Field Hockey, Basketball, Volleyball, Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor), Soccer, Tennis, Equestrian, Fencing, Golf.
The men’s sports are: Wrestling, Baseball, Water Polo, Basketball, Volleyball, Cross Country, Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor), Tennis, Fencing, Swimming and Diving, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Rifle, Skiing (Cross Country and Downhill), Lacrosse and Soccer.
3. Recruiters don’t always come to you. In fact most of the time, you have to make yourself known to collegiate coaches. One way to do so is to create a packet of information about your high school athletic career (a sports bio and media clips will do nicely) and make sure it reaches the coach about the same time that you are submitting the rest of your application materials.
4. Before you can be considered for an athletic scholarship, you need to have earned admission to the college based on your academic offering. (Note: The SAT is the entrance exam required for collegiate sports consideration.)
If you are lucky enough to land a full athletic scholarship, you have some thinking to do. College sports, while exciting, aren’t a golden ticket toward a lucrative professional sports contract after graduation. You’ll need to choose a major in a field that holds your interest so that you can launch a career outside of sports once you hang up your cleats (racket, swim cap, whatever). Success comes in many forms, so be ready for everything that life might bring.
John Barnett is a high school baseball and soccer coach. He earned a masters degree at an online college and is considering several online colleges for additional study.
Related posts:
- Win That Deserving Scholarship For College Education. Students who excel academically or have performed great in sports...
- Education Funding By Burger King Scholarship There are many unclaimed scholarships are present today, which amount...
- Informative Article On Scoring College Scholarship For Average Students. College scholarships help open up opportunities , not only for...
- Achieving Success In Scoring Easy College Scholarships Many helpful articles are available that will help readers find...
- Do You Want A Career in Deep Sea Diving? Have you ever considered an exclusive career? If you have,...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.