Step Two to Earning an Athletic Scholarship: Find Schools that Match You

The second step to earning an athletic scholarship is to finding school that match the athlete. In order to be successful at the college level, you need to think of a variety of things that could factor into the college decision process. Location is definitely one of the most important. If you are a homebody, it would be safe to say that you should look at in-state schools or programs that are in a certain mile radius.

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Most athletes don’t want to go to school in the same city that they grew up in but they also don’t want to be 1,000 miles away. Do you want that comfort zone where you are not too close or too far away? Think about what factor location would play in your decision.

Other things to look at when looking for that potential college is finding a fit athletically. If your coaches feel that you are a Division II athlete, then chances are probably good that you are. So if you are looking for a fit athletically, you want to find a school that matches your abilities. Not a Division I program that you may never play at. Finding a fit athletically where you can succeed will help you enjoy your college experience a great deal.

Academically, you may not know your major early on but think about what you are interested. These areas may eventually help you pick what field you decide to go into after school so think long and hard about this. If you are interested in engineering and looking at programs that do not offer it or have poor programs, it would seem to me you are wasting your time.

The next fit you must find is a school that meets what you want socially. If you want to find a laid back place or a strict school, these are available all throughout the country. Would you be more interested in a military academy or a party school? Think about what you want to accomplish at the college level. This could help you find that match.

Once you feel you know what you are looking for, CLICK HERE for a website that lists all of the colleges throughout the country. If I was doing this, the first thing I would think about is location. More than major or athletics, distance could play a factor. How many students leave a school because they are home sick? While you may not be sure if you are that type of person, keep it in mind when looking at the list of colleges.

After you have narrowed it down to a location, start looking strongly at the athletics offered. If you are a big on the small side for a football player, it probably it not worth looking into USC. Think about what schools may be of interest for you and fit the criteria you are looking for. Really take some time and write out what you are looking for in a potential school. Then once you get to that website and research your options, you will not just be surfing websites. You are finding potential fits for you at the college level. Chances are good that you will spend four or five years of your life there so focus on what you want in your future college.

One note that I want to make that could throw a wrench in all of this matching is if a school that doesn’t match what you want offers you a scholarship. What should you do then? That is a tough question to answer because I would love to have no student loans at this point in my life. That may not be realistic but I would not go to a school for free that does not offer what I am looking for academically. Having student loans are better than going into a field you are not interested in.

You will play athletics for the next four or five years. Your academics will help you find a job for the next 40 plus years of your life. So think about it carefully when accepting a scholarship just because it is a scholarship. It may be tough to turn down money to play a sport you love but you need to find a school that is a good fit for you overall.

Five Steps to a Scholarship Articles:
Step One to Earning an Athletic Scholarship: Build a Successful Recruiting Profile
Step Two to Earning an Athletic Scholarship: Find Schools that Match You
Step Three to Earning an Athletic Scholarship: Market Your Child to College Coaches
Step Four to Earning an Athletic Scholarship: Make a Quality Highlight Tape
Step Five to Earning an Athletic Scholarship: Build a Website with Video