High school student-athletes are some of the hardest working college applicants. Tasked with finding a balance between their studies and training, student-athletes aren’t afraid of hard work, self-motivation, or pushing themselves to the limit. For this reason, they’re attractive candidates for colleges and universities around the world.
As a result, many organizations and schools offer student-athletes athletic scholarships. Read on to learn the best tips for finding athletic scholarships.
1. Research What Division Level Fits Your Skill Set
As you prepare to apply for a college scholarship, you’ll need to research each division level. Understanding each division level will help you learn what school is the best fit for you. Research the various NCAA divisions to learn which is the best suited for your skillset. Experts recommend that students be evaluated by third-parties or compare themselves to other college-bound athletes as a way to determine what division they fall under.
After researching division levels, the next step is to find schools that interest you. Organizations like NSCA or Next College Student Athlete recommend that students compile a list of 50 or more schools. Later, you’ll be able to narrow this list down during the recruiting process. When choosing schools for the list, consider location, athletics, culture, and academics.
2. Gather Your Important Information
Before you begin the next step of contacting college coaches, it’s important to gather all your pertinent documents and personal information. Essentially, student-athletes need to create an athletic resume including a skills or highlight video, academic transcripts, standardized test scores, and athletic stats.
With this information together, the next step is to create a list of assistant coaches, head coaches, and recruiting coordinators alongside their contact information. Prepare to reach out to them by cleaning up your social media accounts and updating your profile on LinkedIn.
3. Communicate with College Coaches
Get started communicating and emailing college coaches. When emailing these coaches, remember that they receive several hundred emails a week, so it’s important to make yours stand out so they read it. After two weeks, it’s a good idea to follow up with a phone call.
Experts tell high school athletes to send college coaches emails include their athletic resume, a link to their skills videos, and any other information that will help coaches learn more about them. When typing the subject for your email, share your grade level, your position, your name, and a relevant stat. This quick blurb will quickly catch the eye of a coach looking for a student-athlete just like you.
As you draft emails to the coaches from all the colleges you’re considering, remember to avoid sending a mass email. The best way to stand out from the crowd is to send an individually crafted email that also shares what drew you into their program in the first place.
4. Get Started with the Recruiting Process
During this stage of your college application process, you should be developing relationships with different coaches and learning more about the schools you’re interested in. Additionally, attending combines and camps will help you get in front of the right people from your dream schools. Eventually, schools that have interacted with you will reach out with a recruitment and scholarship offer.
5. Evaluate All Athletic Scholarship Offers
Depending on the schools you’re in contact with, you’ll start to receive various scholarships offers at this time. If a school has a large athletic program, they may even offer you a full-ride. Schools that aren’t able to fund a huge athletic scholarship may over academy or merit-based scholarships like Tech Live Connect. With Tech Live Connect, you’ll earn money to cover the costs of school and other expenses.
If you’re a college athlete, the road to your college career is a long but rewarding one. Make sure you are able to get the best athletic scholarships by taking these tips to heart during your college research and application process