Many parents automatically believe that full-ride athletic scholarships translate into a free education for their child. Unfortunately, research studies are now revealing that this is simply not the case. Check out my article on The Examiner to learn more about some of the hidden issues pertaining to college recruiting.
When a child is being recruited for an athletic scholarship, it is not uncommon for mom and dad to get caught up in the emotions of the possibility of seeing their child one day play D1 college sports. As a result, many parents wrongfully assume things when it comes to scholarships and grants as their emotions prevent them from sitting down and looking at things logically. Sadly, in some cases families learn the hard way that the scholarship money may not have been everything they expected, or that certain academic services and other opportunities are not in place when it was assumed that they would be — all of these things can lead to increased athletic pressure for the child on and off the field.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do as a family to ensure your student athlete will be fully prepared to make the jump to D1 college athletics. Check out my 5 tips below to help you get started:
- Learn as much as you can about the stability of the athletic program. Some parents erroneously assume the program is on stable footing, only to learn later about financial problems or even concerns with Title IX. As an example, many D1 mens wrestling programs have been eliminated the last few years due to both financial and Title IX issues.
- Talk to the college about any “hidden costs” that may not be recognized with a D1 athletic scholarship. Does the full-ride really cover everything?
- Be sure to stay on top of all important deadlines, especially when it comes to additional scholarship money that may be available for your child. In some cases there may be academic grants available that can compliment the athletic scholarship your child has been offered.
- Ask about who you should communicate with regarding any future questions you might have – should you call the coach, the financial aide office, or your child’s future adviser?
- Learn about the academic support services available to your child, and what services are included (i.e. academic, career, etc.)
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