Scholarships Explained: Athletic, Academic, and Need-Based Opportunities

When it comes to college, one of the first things on every parents mind is always; “How am I going to pay for this?” It’s a reasonable question and given the many different options available out there for college funding— especially those that pertain to athletic pursuits—there’s no simple answer. In many ways, scholarships are the way to turn an athlete’s college dreams into reality, but learning the ins and outs of applying for them is often a daunting task for families.

In this article, we will break down scholarships into the simplest terms we can. Considering that parents are such an important part of the process, our goal was to compile all the relevant information into one place, so that parents from every walk of life can help their kids get the scholarships that best fits their needs. To that end, we will discuss: what scholarships are, the difference between different scholarships, how to apply for them, and how parents can help their child to make the most of every funding opportunity available. Ultimately, this guide is meant to assist parents of all soon-to-be college-aged children, not just those who are enrolled in athletic programs.

What Is a Scholarship?

By its very definition, a scholarship is money awarded to a student to help pay for their education. These are different from loans, which need to be repaid, as scholarships do not. Moreover, they can be used to defer the costs of tuition, books, housing, or various and sundry college expenses. They range in amount, however, and while some will cover full tuition and then some, others might only cover a portion of the cost. Scholarships are given for academic achievement, athletic ability, community service, artistic talent, and in some cases, out of financial need.

Types of Scholarships

There are thousands of different scholarships out there, but most of them fall into one or more of these three main categories:

Athletic Scholarships

We begin, as you knew we would, with athletic scholarships. These monies are typically awarded to students with outstanding sports ability, those who are recruited to compete for a specific college team. such scholarships are offered by schools in the NCAA (Divisions I, II, and III), NAIA, or NJCAA (junior colleges) and all three have different requirements in order to be considered. For instance, Division II schools require a more even balance between athletic and academic pursuits, than Division I, which tend to care way more about the sports side of things.

The most important thing to remember is that athletic scholarships are competitive by nature. Coaches look for players who can make an impact on the field, but also those who show leadership, potential, commitment, and those who fit the team’s culture. Good grades also matter, however, so make sure your child is not neglecting those, either.

Academic (Merit-Based) Scholarships

Academic scholarships are often referred to as merit-based scholarships. These awards are meant for students who achieve high marks, test scores, or other special academic accomplishments throughout their school career. Many colleges will even have automatic merit awards for students who have high enough GPAs or SAT/ACT scores. Private organizations also dole out merit-based scholarships to certain exceptional students for leadership, volunteer work, or excellence in a specific subject like math, writing, or science.

Need-Based Scholarships and Grants

For families who simply cannot afford tuition, there are need-based scholarships. Such awards are almost always based on financial need, not a student’s grades or their athletic performance. Families can fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or the CSS Profile to determine if they qualify.

Basically, these forms are there to calculate your child’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) — which is an estimate of how much their family can reasonably pay for college education. If your family’s EFC is less than the school’s cost, your child may qualify for federal, state, or institutional grants such as the Pell Grant, institutional grant from the college itself, or state need-based scholarship.

Other Scholarship Categories

Many niche scholarships also exist to fit certain non-sport, non-academic criteria. These scholarships include:

• Community and leadership scholarships – These tend to be given to students who volunteer or hold leadership roles.
• Arts and performance scholarships – Students with a particular talent for music, theater, or visual arts can apply for these scholarships.
• Minority and first-generation scholarships – These are exclusively for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
• STEM or career-specific scholarships – Students with an aptitude for science, technology, engineering, math, or health can apply for STEM scholarships.
• Local scholarships – Though you need to do some research in your area, these local scholarships are often sponsored by community foundations, rotary clubs, or local businesses.
• Religious or organizational scholarships – In the same way, these religion-affiliated scholarships are offered by churches, civic groups, or youth organizations like the YMCA or Scouting associations.

Renewal and Performance

it should be noted that most athletic scholarships are one-year agreements. And while they are renewable, students-athletes must still meet certain benchmarks for performance, academics, and behavior before being considered. Mitigating circumstances notwithstanding, coaches re-evaluate these scholarships annually. Meanwhile, the NCAA has implemented certain renewal rules to protect students from sudden cancellations.

Combining Aid

Did you know that you can combine athletic, academic, and need-based scholarships in certain ways? This works as long as total aid doesn’t exceed a student’s total tuition and living costs, but the point is it can defray any additional costs your family might be struggling to meet. Keep in mind that certain scholarships don’t stack well with others, so speak to the financial aid office at your child’s college about the rules and limitations before you apply for any or all of the ones that might fit your needs.

Applying for Scholarships: Step-by-Step

Breaking the application process into steps or stages helps to streamline the process.

Step 1: Research Early

Families can and should start exploring scholarships as early as freshman or sophomore year of high school. The most lucrative scholarships require at least some degree of planning. The fact is, whether it is a student’s grades, test scores, athletic history, or community involvement, each aspect for consideration takes time to build up and compile.

Parents can keep an organized record of their child’s achievements, awards, and volunteer work. Meanwhile, both kids and parents can do their own research to find out which schools meet their athletic of academic goals. Visiting colleges and speaking to administrators or students can also prove helpful in gleaning information about financial assistance.

Step 2: Fill Out the FAFSA

Even those who think they won’t qualify for need-based aid should submit a FAFSA. YEs, you might not, but it is still an important step, as some merit scholarships require it. Moreover, many colleges use the FAFSA to determine a student’s eligibility for institutional grants as well.

Step 3: Communicate with Coaches and Counselors

For athletic scholarships, parents and students will want to keep open communication with coaches, recruiters, and college athletic departments. Relationships matter a great deal when it comes to sports recruiting and so too does an athlete’s athletic resume, GPA, and their overall attitude about the sports program they seek to join.

Step 4: Write Personal Essays

Bear in mind that many scholarships ask students to write short essays about their ambitions, challenges, and experience. Parents should encourage their children to write honestly and passionately about such things and to write a draft early on. You can always add or subtract when it comes time to send, but writing it out early leaves time to fix errors and make it truly perfect.

Step 5: Apply, Apply, Apply!

Don’t limit yourself! Why stop at one or two big scholarships when you can apply to basically as many as you need? Even the smaller ones can be just as helpful to a student’s bottom line as the largest awards. College is full of unforeseen costs and even a few hundred dollars here and there can help cover books, fees, or travel costs.

Cultured Athlete Says…

As you can see, parents need to look at scholarships as opportunities, not a way to get fast college cash. Considering that scholarships are typically awarded based on a student’s hard work, dedication, and potential, it is the student themselves that ought to be responsible for achieving them.

Still, it does not matter whether your child earns an athletic scholarship, an academic one, or simply qualifies for financial aid, their success is going to hinge on proper preparation. And like it or not, it is going to be your job as a parent to help facilitate this process. As you may have gleaned earlier, the rules of thumb you’ll want to keep in mind are as follows:

Start early: Remember, the earlier your child focuses on grades and sports development, the more doors will open for them when the time comes.

Diversify: Don’t rely on one scholarship type. Where possible, combine athletic, academic, and need-based scholarship options.

Stay informed: Keep in mind that policies change yearly, so be sure and double-check eligibility requirements in and around the time when your child is going to college.

Balance: Having a good balance of academics and athletics is important for your child’s chances at a scholarship, but keeping them engaged, relaxed, and emotionally healthy is just as important.