THOUGH NOT PUBLICIZED, ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS ABOUND AT SMALL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
The secret, say experts, knowing how to find them
High school athletes take note. Though you didn't earn an MVP trophy, and you don't have recruiters sending roses to your mother, if you are ready to play sports in college, there might still be a pot of gold with your name on it.
While the media are tracking the moves of top NCAA recruits bound for the Big 10, there might be someone looking for you, too. It could be a baseball coach in a corner of Iowa, if only he knew you existed. Or there might be a coach at a small college in Pennsylvania looking for a star diver.
And your strong but not over-the-top athletic record might just be good enough. According to an adviser at AdmissionsConsultants, a company that helps guide students through the college and admissions process, there are a number of smaller schools with opportunities for athletic scholarships. The key, says veteran adviser Jonny Nicholson, is initiative.
FINDING OUT IF YOU HAVE WHAT THE COACHES WANT
You’ll have to get in touch with college coaches and admissions offices, and a lot of them. “Coaches need to maximize their scholarship monies, and their focus will vary from year to year depending upon which positions need most attention,” says Nicholson. Students need to find out what coaches are looking for. Once you identify the schools that have a spot you can fill, “Your next step is to ask coaches what information they need to assess where you stand in the prospect pool.”
Summer sports camps are “the best way for coaches to see a wide array of talent. Any feedback from these camps can help in this process,” Nicholson added. He encourages students to be tenacious and clear about their athletic talent. “You are your best advocate. Do not be shy! There is a fine line between humility and hubris -- find that balance. And the more proactive you are, with contacting coaches and participating in summer camps, the better!”
SO WHAT IF YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS SCHOOL, IT MIGHT BE A GREAT MATCH
Students seeking athletic scholarships, whose strong academic records make them competitive for admission to selective schools, might be struggle with the idea of going to a smaller or less-known college or university that is offering financial incentives. Nicholson says students will need to talk with the schools’ admissions offices to get the fine details of academic instruction.
“For these students, a college's reputation and prestige should be a part of the search process, but, more specifically, the student-athlete should look at the complete picture that you can get by visiting the school’s career office, student affairs, and other campus offices and groups.”
Also, there are selective schools that do not offer athletic scholarships, per se, yet might provide grant money – not loans – and become within reach of students short on tuition funds.
Finding all the opportunities takes time and planning. “Students need to start early in the process so that they can take time to send information to a wide variety of schools. This will help them optimize their college search.”
Students whose combination of academic and athletic abilities puts them in the range of lesser-known schools will need to think beyond prestige and look at the facts about the value of the education they will receive. Many schools, though not prestigious or selective, offer quality programs.
And, you might also be surprised by some of the unique subjects you can major in at these small schools. At tiny Belmont Abbey, outside of Charlotte, NC, athletic scholarships are offered in a range of sports. Connections to racing officials in its big-city neighbor made it possible for the Gastonia-based school to launch the nation's first and only degree in motor sports management.
If NASCAR isn't your thing, the school also worth noting for its high rankings in the “America’s Best Colleges” edition of U.S. News & World Report for its liberal arts education. At the school, class sizes average about 15 students.
Small schools with small class sizes often benefit students who did well in high school, but have not yet hit their stride, academically, notes David Petersam, president of AdmissionsConsultants, a company that helps guide students through the college and admissions process.
"There are a lot of opportunities for high school athletes to pursue," he says. "Those who have a strong athletic record and who have succeeded academically are likely to find a welcome mat out there somewhere."
READY TO GET HELP WITH THE SEARCH?
Yet where that “somewhere” is can seem elusive. Look on a college or university’s website, and you are not likely to find a list of athletic scholarships. If you find any sort of guidance at all, it’s likely to be to contact the school’s athletics office. That’s why web-based athletic scholarship search companies are plentiful. They provide highly sought information for time-pressed students and parents. As with industry, quality of businesses can vary. What you are looking for, whether by your own means or by a service you pay for, is exposure.
Yet, whether you wing it on your own or sign up for a service like WBP, in the end, it will be persistence matched with ability that will land you in the stadium. |
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