College is an expensive undertaking, and unfortunately things like the cost of tuition tend to grow with each passing year. Many would argue, however, that the value of a college degree couldn’t be overstated.
If your child is a student athlete who hopes to help alleviate some of the cost of attending a four-year university by earning an athletic scholarship, you should know that this isn’t always an easy task. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to help your child grow in their sport and become more of a desirable candidate for an athletic scholarship.
1. Improve Their Grades
While the athletic abilities that your child has are the most important factor to consider, coaches regard the grades that a student athlete has earned as a close second. Different universities have minimum GPA and SAT/ACT scores that a student has to earn in order to be eligible to receive an athletic scholarship. Furthermore, the NCAA requires that students reach a minimum level of academic standing to be eligible to play for a university at all.
Some coaches will try to make the most of the athletic scholarship they have at their disposal by bringing in athletes who qualify for academic scholarships from the university. Generally speaking, though, if it is an athletic scholarship that your child is after, then he or she shouldn’t overlook the importance of getting good grades.
2. Protect Their Amateur Status
One of the more hot-button topics surrounding the regulations that the NCAA places on student athletes, is that of the issue of amateur versus professional status. Only those athletes who have an official amateur status that has been verified through the NCAA Eligibility Center may compete at the collegiate level. Thus, only amateur athletes are able to receive athletic scholarships.
The best thing you can do for your student athlete is to familiarize yourself with the things that could jeopardize their amateur status and take the appropriate precautions against such occurrences. The NCAA is known for being particularly unforgiving in cases where an athlete violates its eligibility policies.
3. Seek Professional Guidance
Different college coaches will have their own lists for what they want to see in prospective recruits. It can be tough to know exactly how to make your student athlete as marketable as possible to certain coaches and recruiters. Once you cover the main basis of protecting eligibility and earning the right grades, where do you go next?
Don’t underestimate how valuable the guidance of someone with the right know-how can be in your child’s journey to earning an athletic scholarship. It is a good idea to start by inquiring with the athletic department of the university that your child hopes to attend. They will be able to tell you exactly what their university requires of their student athletes.
If you are looking for even more guidance, check out asmscholarships.com for more helpful information that could make all the difference.
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