Am I Strong Enough For a Scholarship?
The criteria for receiving a scholarship at a U.S. university can vary widely depending on the sport, division and the specific university. However, most scholarships are awarded based on a combination of athletic ability, academic merits, as well as other factors such as your work ethic or leadership qualities.
Athletic Ability
Your athletic level is the first thing which comes to mind when considering applying for a sports scholarship. And yes, your skill level will play a significant role, when it comes to the value of your future scholarship.
No matter the sport, it is mostly assessed through your track record in high school, club events, or any other tournaments and competitions.
Academic Merits
Universities can award both an athletic as well as an academic scholarship. Good grades in high school & test scores (SAT test or ACT test) will help you gain a tremendous advantage when submitting your college application. While many schools have gone test-optional, admissions officers still factor in strong SAT or ACT scores, depending on the school and its athletic division.
As soon as you are certain that you’d like to go to college, start the recruiting process.
Coaches recruit early on & you can build a relationship with coaches over a longer period of time - allowing them to follow your development.
The sooner you get things on track (studying for exams, getting on coaches' radar, etc.), the more scholarship opportunities you are going to have.
Why Is College Swimming & Diving a Good Option?
Higher Education Combined with Sports
College sports provides athletes with the opportunity to earn scholarships, which can significantly reduce the cost of higher education, or in some cases, fully cover tuition and expenses. Nowadays, recent developments (“NCAA Settlement”) even enable athletes to get paid beyond receiving scholarship money. Athletes can obtain a college degree while continuing their athletic development. This opens the door for professional growth and ensures a solid academic foundation, even if the athletic career doesn’t progress all the way to the professional level.
Athletic Development
College athletes have access to top-tier coaching, training facilities, nutrition plans, and medical staff, which help them stay in top physical condition. In addition, college sports offer highly competitive environments that can challenge and develop an athlete’s talent further. Bear in mind that the college sports landscape looks like a pyramid, with state-of-the art programs on top (NCAA D-I) all the way down to lower-tier, weaker programs, which are far from being a stepping stone into the professional sports world.
Life Skills
College athletes - compared to regular students (non-athletes) - must balance academics and athletics, teaching them time management and discipline. Invaluable skills in any future career. Furthermore, college athletes are always part of a team, which can foster leadership qualities, accountability, and the ability to work in a group. Lastly, college life offers athletes the opportunity to experience a vibrant, diverse social environment where they can forge lifelong friendships and connections.
Are You Ready to Get Recruited?
Start out by getting much more detailed information about your specific chances to earn a scholarship. We look forward to reviewing your athletic & academic profile. Free of charge, no strings attached.
How High a Scholarship Can I Get?
The amount of sports scholarship you can receive depends on various factors, specifically, your sports level, the level of competition you are targeting (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, or junior colleges), and the specific college or university you dream of.
Full-Ride Scholarships
Covers full tuition and fees, housing, meal plan, books, and sometimes other expenses such as travel costs and personal costs. This is the maximum scholarship amount. Only a very limited number of athletes receive full-rides in any given year. They are usually offered by large programs and some of the best teams within the respective College {0} divisions.
Partial Scholarships
Covers only a portion of your college expenses (e.g. tuition). The rest needs to be covered by you. This is the most common type of scholarships, which are awarded to student-athletes. Coaches often have been given a pretty good idea by the school, how much aid may be awarded and how much the team needs to contribute in out-of-pocket expenses.
Academic and Other Financial Aid
Some schools may combine athletic scholarships with academic scholarships or other financial aid to help reduce costs and entice athletes to commit to the school.
How Do I Get Recruited?
There are different ways to get recruited depending on where you are from, your academic background and the sport you play.
However, here are some important steps that all of these different approaches have in common:
- Athletic Profile: Build a strong athletic profile.
- Academics: Focus on your GPA and prepare for college entrance exams.
- Eligibility: Focus on your GPA and prepare for college entrance exams.
- Contact Coaches
- Commit to a College
- Final Steps: The lengthy college admission process needs to be completed successfully. For example, housing application, enrollment deposits, or medical paperwork to name a few.
Here at Smarthlete, we offer to help you with every single step of the way. While we cannot study for you and build great, meaningful relationships with coaches, having us by your side makes a massive difference when it comes to getting on coaches’ radar, communicating well, getting certified to play (your eligibility), as well as receiving strong offers. For more information on the recruiting process with us specifically, please click here.
Getting recruited is the result of years of hard work.
Hard work you have put in both as an athlete and as a student day-in, day-out.
And hard work put in by yourself and your recruiter through the recruiting process - identifying the right athletic program & university for your future goals.
A Typical Day as a Student-Athlete
Depending on the time of the year, most student athletes start their day with morning practice, which means getting up early. These practices might include strength and conditioning workouts in the gym and typically last 1-2 hours. After the early workout or practice, athletes go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast, followed by classes, usually between 8:00 a.m. and noon. After that, it’s lunch time together in the dining hall with their teammates or other friends.
Teams typically have a 2-3 hour practice session in the afternoon. This is often the primary training session of the day. If not in practice, athletes may use this time for additional classes, attending labs, or study hall. Student athletes can also be scheduled for ice baths, stretching, or physical therapy to prevent injuries and recover after training.
In the evening there is plenty of time to do homework, relax, and socialize. While you have a meal plan in college, you will most certainly also go out for dinner at times and find some other fun things to do with your friends.
Game days or competitions can be scheduled to take place over the weekend, but also during the week.
What Does The Team Look Like?
Obviously, the college team consists of student-athletes but there is a bit more to it.
Within the group of student athletes, you have underclassmen and upperclassmen. Freshmen and sophomores across the board (both junior colleges and four-year college), as well as juniors and seniors (four-year schools). A team usually has a captain who is selected by coaches or teammates and serves as leader. Captains are often responsible for speaking on behalf of the team, running practices if need-be, and serving as an anchor to tie the team together; a liaison between athlete and coaches.
The coaching staff is responsible for the team. Every team has a head coach, who is is responsible for the overall team strategy, leadership, competition schedules and ultimate recruiting decisions. The assistant coach helps the head coach with specific duties, such as practice and recruiting. Large teams (football, basketball, track, etc.) may also consist of several special coaches or volunteer assistant coaches, and strength and conditioning coaches, who focus on the athletes' physical fitness.
In addition to trainers, athletic departments often employ trainers and doctors who specialize in sports medicine. They are available for injury assessments, surgeries, and other medical needs. The largest colleges even provide academic advisors or nutritionists for their sports teams.
The atmosphere within a College Swimming & Diving Team is something very special. There are so many different characters and each of them contributes in their own way, ensuring that the team is successful together.
