How to Win Athletic Scholarships

Athletics can pay off in a big way. At last count, approximately 1 billion dollars in scholarships is awarded every year to student athletes for college attendance. Nearly every sport has participants who are interested in competing while earning an education. Here's how to beat the competition and get that free (or partially-free) ride.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Determine which colleges are giving away money for your specific sport. It would be nice if every college gave scholarships in every sport, but the fact of the matter is, some universities don't have any sports; for instance, some smaller colleges do not have soccer, track or baseball teams.
2. Recruit the coach because the coach won't recruit you. Only a handful of very famous athletes are actively recruited by a coach. To win an athletic scholarship, you must be the one to contact the coach and encourage him or her to view your performance.
3. Create a sports resume. Just as you would for a job or a regular college application, compile a professional list of your athletic accomplishments. This tool will help you appear organized and motivated to recruiters and financial aid review boards.
4. Consider going to a lower-profile college or a school with a start-up team. Believe it or not, you don't have to be the best person on your team to win an athletic scholarship. Smaller colleges need good athletes to participate in their sports programs just like big famous schools do. For example, a good swimmer with decent times could potentially win a scholarship at a small school with an up-and-coming team.
5. Negotiate to win. Scholarship contracts are not set in stone. If you are willing to take a partial scholarship, for example, you may be chosen over a student who would prefer a full ride.

Tips & Warnings

• Unfortunately, athletic scholarships are rarely awarded to graduate students.
• Thanks to federal law (Title IX), universities are required to give an equal amount of scholarships to men and women. This is good news for women athletes but not so great news for men. Colleges with tight budgets are forced to give fewer scholarships all around.
• Visit finaid.org for good financial aid information.
• Most college scholarships that involve athletics are not "full ride" awards. Be prepared to shell out a percentage of the cost of your education unless you are an elite athlete.

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