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Athletic Scholarships. The Real Story?


Hasbeen

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I think many of us have a misconception of what an athletic scholarship really is in many cases. I know that on a message board such as this there must be many former athletes who have played at the NAIA or one of the lower NCAA level colleges and could share with us what percentage of your tuition the athletic department actually paid. If you received additional aid that you think you would not have gotten had you not been an athlete, by all means mention it but do note that it is separate from the athletic scholarship.

 

Here's my point. I've noticed that at many small, private colleges such as Union, Pikeville, Georgetown, Cumberland etc., there has been an increase recently in sports teams available for students. For example, Union has recently begun a track team, swimming, bowling, and cycling teams, all at scholarship levels. I have no figures to back it up other than hearsay, but I'm told that over 85% of Union's students came to campus as athletes. Now, normally, we would say great, a lot of free educations. However, I believe that the great majority are on partial scholarships of less than half tuition. It is my opinion that small private colleges are using these scholarships to lure students onto campus with the dream of being a college athlete. One could recieve four to five thousand dollars per year and still pay considerably more than what one would pay to go to a state school.

 

Let's look at tuitions. (I got all these from one website on Google, I hope it's at least close.)

 

One year at EKU--$5682

at Morehead -----$5280

at Univ of KY-----$6302

at Univ of L'ville--$6870

 

How about:

Union College--$15,620

Pikeville College $13,750

Cumberland ----$13,298

Georgetown----$22,360

 

Do you see my point? I think many parents are making decisions such as high school attended, sports played, camps, and finally colleges attended based on a myth. This is theory on my part. Feel free to set me straight.

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I think many of us have a misconception of what an athletic scholarship really is in many cases. I know that on a message board such as this there must be many former athletes who have played at the NAIA or one of the lower NCAA level colleges and could share with us what percentage of your tuition the athletic department actually paid. If you received additional aid that you think you would not have gotten had you not been an athlete, by all means mention it but do note that it is separate from the athletic scholarship.

 

Here's my point. I've noticed that at many small, private colleges such as Union, Pikeville, Georgetown, Cumberland etc., there has been an increase recently in sports teams available for students. For example, Union has recently begun a track team, swimming, bowling, and cycling teams, all at scholarship levels. I have no figures to back it up other than hearsay, but I'm told that over 85% of Union's students came to campus as athletes. Now, normally, we would say great, a lot of free educations. However, I believe that the great majority are on partial scholarships of less than half tuition. It is my opinion that small private colleges are using these scholarships to lure students onto campus with the dream of being a college athlete. One could recieve four to five thousand dollars per year and still pay considerably more than what one would pay to go to a state school.

 

Let's look at tuitions. (I got all these from one website on Google, I hope it's at least close.)

 

One year at EKU--$5682

at Morehead -----$5280

at Univ of KY-----$6302

at Univ of L'ville--$6870

 

How about:

Union College--$15,620

Pikeville College $13,750

Cumberland ----$13,298

Georgetown----$22,360

 

Do you see my point? I think many parents are making decisions such as high school attended, sports played, camps, and finally colleges attended based on a myth. This is theory on my part. Feel free to set me straight.

 

I went to Pikeville for baseball last semester. Overall tutition was 20,000+

whatever your books run you. I recieved 3000 for baseball which is nothing. I quickly realized how big of a scam that place is. Unless your family can get other forms of aid, then it's virtually impossible to go a MSC school such as Pikeville or UC.

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I think many of us have a misconception of what an athletic scholarship really is in many cases. I know that on a message board such as this there must be many former athletes who have played at the NAIA or one of the lower NCAA level colleges and could share with us what percentage of your tuition the athletic department actually paid. If you received additional aid that you think you would not have gotten had you not been an athlete, by all means mention it but do note that it is separate from the athletic scholarship.

 

Here's my point. I've noticed that at many small, private colleges such as Union, Pikeville, Georgetown, Cumberland etc., there has been an increase recently in sports teams available for students. For example, Union has recently begun a track team, swimming, bowling, and cycling teams, all at scholarship levels. I have no figures to back it up other than hearsay, but I'm told that over 85% of Union's students came to campus as athletes. Now, normally, we would say great, a lot of free educations. However, I believe that the great majority are on partial scholarships of less than half tuition. It is my opinion that small private colleges are using these scholarships to lure students onto campus with the dream of being a college athlete. One could recieve four to five thousand dollars per year and still pay considerably more than what one would pay to go to a state school.

 

Let's look at tuitions. (I got all these from one website on Google, I hope it's at least close.)

 

One year at EKU--$5682

at Morehead -----$5280

at Univ of KY-----$6302

at Univ of L'ville--$6870

 

How about:

Union College--$15,620

Pikeville College $13,750

Cumberland ----$13,298

Georgetown----$22,360

 

Do you see my point? I think many parents are making decisions such as high school attended, sports played, camps, and finally colleges attended based on a myth. This is theory on my part. Feel free to set me straight.

 

As far as I know, every institution will put your financial package together in an offer to the student athlete. It's pretty much in front of you to make a decision as to whether you can afford it or not. Also with multiple offers you can very easily compare to see which is more lucrative. You are correct about partial scholarships. The amount of athletic scholarship offered usually will depend on how much they covet you. You did not add room and board to these costs. Also Morehead does not issue athletic scholarships.

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You did not add room and board to these costs. Also Morehead does not issue athletic scholarships.

 

I didn't add room and board because of variables such as some athletes are able to still live at home. Also, Morehead, UK, UL, etc. were listed to show that it can be cheaper to go to a state school as a walk-on or even as a non-athlete than it would be to go to a smaller private school with a partial athletic scholarship. Also, you are correct that your money will be upped the more you are desired. However, the more given to one athlete means less given to another. Generally, they have X amount of scholarships available for a particular sport. They will divide up one scholarship among one, two or more athletes.

 

I started thinking about this thead after reading where some people were putting down a kid considering an invitation to walk on at UK. One argument was that he should go to a smaller school for playing time and financial reasons. Not always true.

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I didn't add room and board because of variables such as some athletes are able to still live at home. Also, Morehead, UK, UL, etc. were listed to show that it can be cheaper to go to a state school as a walk-on or even as a non-athlete than it would be to go to a smaller private school with a partial athletic scholarship. Also, you are correct that your money will be upped the more you are desired. However, the more given to one athlete means less given to another. Generally, they have X amount of scholarships available for a particular sport. They will divide up one scholarship among one, two or more athletes.

 

I started thinking about this thead after reading where some people were putting down a kid considering an invitation to walk on at UK. One argument was that he should go to a smaller school for playing time and financial reasons. Not always true.

 

You are correct. Each student athlete and family need to evaluate each opportunity, and decide on their need which is the best fit, financially, athletically, and most important academically.

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If you're staying in state, then KEES and FAFSA are important supplements, to your financial package.

 

Most Baseball schools will give $500 or so. The prize Pitcher, Catcher of perennial "All-Star", will get sometimes 50%-85% of one scholarship. Do your research, for any college which has offered or you're considering.

 

Scholarships are also renewable, on a one year basis.

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Division III schools, such as Transy, do not give athletic scholarships. Their tuition, including room and board are $30,000. They do give wonderful academic scholarships, but a certain GPA must be maintained in order to keep those scholarships year to year. Occasionally, the student athlete will get an endowment of a few thousand dollars. While mine received offers to play both softball and basketball, once they dedicated time to their studies, there wasn't a lot of time left for sports. They both chose to forego sports for their freshmen year, and are now considering walking on for their sophomore years. They needed time to adjust to college life, to learn time-management skills, and to squeeze in 25+ hours of practice a week, not including travel time. They both have work-studies and work 10 hours per week for spending money. When they were making the decision to forego sports for their freshmen year, it simply came down to money. If they didn't maintain the GPA requirement to keep their academic scholarships, we didn't have to worry about sports because there would be no Transy at all. We certainly didn't have another 10G's each to cover the added costs if they lost their academic scholarships. We are more than satisfied with the school and the girls love attending there. I told them life is about choices and sometimes the choice is a very difficult one. They both love sporst so much. I was proud of their decision, but it took many phone conversations and many, many tears to make this decision. Welcome to LIFE 101...

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It is a good way for the smaller colleges to market themselves to prospective students. The parents just need to be well-informed on the overall costs as opposed to going to a state college, then make a decision if the opportunity to play college sports is cost effective for them or not.

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Division III schools, such as Transy, do not give athletic scholarships. Their tuition, including room and board are $30,000. They do give wonderful academic scholarships, but a certain GPA must be maintained in order to keep those scholarships year to year. Occasionally, the student athlete will get an endowment of a few thousand dollars. While mine received offers to play both softball and basketball, once they dedicated time to their studies, there wasn't a lot of time left for sports. They both chose to forego sports for their freshmen year, and are now considering walking on for their sophomore years. They needed time to adjust to college life, to learn time-management skills, and to squeeze in 25+ hours of practice a week, not including travel time. They both have work-studies and work 10 hours per week for spending money. When they were making the decision to forego sports for their freshmen year, it simply came down to money. If they didn't maintain the GPA requirement to keep their academic scholarships, we didn't have to worry about sports because there would be no Transy at all. We certainly didn't have another 10G's each to cover the added costs if they lost their academic scholarships. We are more than satisfied with the school and the girls love attending there. I told them life is about choices and sometimes the choice is a very difficult one. They both love sporst so much. I was proud of their decision, but it took many phone conversations and many, many tears to make this decision. Welcome to LIFE 101...

 

 

Sounds like to me that you have taught your daughters many important life lessons! We need more parents like you.

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As far as I know, every institution will put your financial package together in an offer to the student athlete. It's pretty much in front of you to make a decision as to whether you can afford it or not. Also with multiple offers you can very easily compare to see which is more lucrative. You are correct about partial scholarships. The amount of athletic scholarship offered usually will depend on how much they covet you. You did not add room and board to these costs. Also Morehead does not issue athletic scholarships.

 

Are you sure? A friend of mine is going to play tennis there, on scholarship, and he's not smart enough to get an academic one.

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As far as I know, every institution will put your financial package together in an offer to the student athlete. It's pretty much in front of you to make a decision as to whether you can afford it or not. Also with multiple offers you can very easily compare to see which is more lucrative. You are correct about partial scholarships. The amount of athletic scholarship offered usually will depend on how much they covet you. You did not add room and board to these costs. Also Morehead does not issue athletic scholarships.

 

Morehead offers scholarships for all sports except football.

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