I’m sure you’ve seen the following statement on the CollegeXpress home page a few times: "Do you know that every year scholarships go unused just because no one applied? That's wasted money!" I’m also sure you’ve probably glanced at it a few times but never really took it to heart. But think about it: There are over 17,000 scholarships in our database alone. Altogether, the scholarship search is worth over $7 billion. (That's billion with a "B"!) What's even crazier is some of that scholarship money really does go to waste every year because no one applies! Would you refuse free money and just say, “No thanks?” That’s kind of what's happening out there in the scholarship application world right now. There's plenty of free money to go around, and you should take advantage of it. Unfortunately, a full ride for your sport isn't that common, so searching and applying for scholarships is especially important for student-athletes. Check out this advice to help get your search started.
Important questions to ask
If you're looking at NCAA schools, there are some things you need to consider first. Ask yourself: What division do I want to play in? Do I absolutely need a scholarship to go to this school? How much money do I need? Answering these questions will put you on a better path to finding the right college and team for you. NCAA Divisions I and II offer scholarships to their athletes ranging from full- to half-tuition awards, which is amazing, but there are a lot of other expenses you'll have to cover. On the other hand, Division III schools don't offer any money to their athletes. Don't be deterred by that one small issue though—if you want to play D-III, play D-III! There are tons of options out there that will help minimize your college costs.
Related: 5 Questions to Answer Before Becoming a College Athlete
Scholarships for student-athletes
Scholarships just for athletes include things like Foot Locker Scholar Athletes and BigSun Athletic Scholarship, but there are thousands more out there, including school-specific athletic scholarships and grants—it just takes some work to find them. If you're eligible for a scholarship, go for it! You have absolutely nothing to lose by applying but plenty to gain. And don’t stop there; there are tons of other scholarships that you can and should apply for that don't have to do with sports. I pulled a few of my favorites together for you (and no worries, they're all quick and easy to apply for):
- CollegeXpress Easy One-Question Scholarships
- "Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship
- 10 Words or Less Scholarship
- CareerFitter.com Scholarship
No excuses for not applying
Regardless of your situation (i.e., your parents are footing the entirety or part of your tuition, you get a full athletic ride—which is rare, by the way), scholarship money is still very important. Think about books, supplies, grabbing food outside of school, and all that extra stuff that adds up over four years. Scholarships don’t just cover tuition and fees; they can save you from falling into a lot of money pits in the college world. And really, there's always room to get some extra dough and plenty of awards that don't require that much time to apply for. So there really are no excuses!
Related: 6 Student Tips to Help You Apply for Scholarships the Right Way
Make your athletic dreams happen
It’s also important to remember that with scholarships (and maybe even student loans), anything is possible. Don’t let finances ruin your chance to go to your dream school and play on your dream team. Even if you get the smallest scholarship, that could save you hundreds of dollars on athletic equipment or a semester of books, which is incredibly helpful. Ultimately, most people leave college with at least a little debt, and those same people will tell you the experience was worth every penny! Take 10 or 15 minutes to search every few days and check out the awards above (and more on CollegeXpress)—just give scholarships a shot. Every applicant has the same chance of winning an award, so what do you have to lose?
Baseball, basketball, badminton, boxing, billiards...find scholarship opportunities for your favorite sport using our Scholarship Search tool!
