How Greek students obtain an athletic scholarship to study in the USA

An athletic scholarship is awarded to young people who are going to attend a college or university based predominantly on their sports achievements. Although its main aim is to cover the costs of a college degree, athletic scholarships also help institutions recruit talents for their sports teams. This type of scholarship is very common in the United States, while in a majority of countries it doesn't exist. Hence, people  from all over the world who excel at sports apply for athletic scholarships in America, and Greek students are not an exception. This form of financial aid is regulated by the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 

According to the statistics, US colleges spent almost $4.1 billion on scholarships for various athletic programs. As each division sets its own rules about sports department funding, award amounts often vary significantly. Sometimes they can cover full tuition fees but often scholarships provide partial financial aid. 

In the United States, there are many colleges offering athletic scholarships for incoming student athletes. For instance, UNC Chapel Hill with its amazing athletic facilities and sports clubs awards its different scholarships for eligible applicants. Another example is Stanford that serves over seven thousand undergrads. This university has more than 22 teams and some of its athletes get full-ride scholarships that cover their tuition, fees, board, rooms, and even textbooks. UCLA applicants that play baseball, football, or basketball also have a chance to get a scholarship. 

If you don't want to limit yourself to the schools mentioned above, consider the following opportunities:

• Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program awards freshmen that are going to pursue a 4-year college degree with $20,000.

• Triple Impact Competitor Scholarship allows high school athletes to get $500-$2,000 depending on their location.

• Norma and Rita Nussbickel Memorial Scholarship awards $2,000 to graduating high school students that demonstrate excellent academic and athletic achievements.

• The New York Ramblers Scholarship for Student Athletes covers school tuition fees up to $2,500. 

• Craig M. Epstein Memorial Scholarship Fund gives graduating students who play football or track and field an opportunity to get $1,000. 

• Coach Wade Pittsford Scholarship offers an award of $1000 for applicants involved in the BHS Bulldogs' football or basketball team.

Getting a degree always imposes additional challenges to international students, especially those who play sports professionally. Students arriving in the US from Greece put so much effort into an opportunity to have their study funded by an athletic scholarship. Therefore, they often turn to the professional essay service that can help them enter the university of their dreams and keep up with the studies. Balancing between college classes and sports is very difficult. But it gets much easier if one can find proper assistance.

When applying for an athletic scholarship, make sure to do the following:

1. Choose a division with the help of the recruitment services of an agency. Such services can figure out your strong skills and which division level lines up with them.

2. Check if you meet some eligibility criteria. Before registering, make sure you meet the standards of the division you want to join. 

3. Research schools and create a list of those you would like to apply to. Sort them out by location, academics, and athletics to make the application process easier. 

4. Put a resume together including your performance stats, academic transcripts, awards, and ACT/SAT scores. To make your resume stand out from others, showcase your skills in a video so the coach can evaluate you. 

5. Use a personal approach when contacting coaches. If you tell each of them what draws you to their school, chances are they will remember you better. If you find it difficult to choose the right words you can get help from professional services like https://us.dissertationteam.com/buy-custom-thesis that will show you how to put your thoughts on paper.

If your goal is to get a degree, athletic scholarships provide a great opportunity for funding your program. As studying at college may be extremely expensive, it makes sense to apply for financial aid to save money. According to the latest NCES data, the average cost for students living on campus is $24,900, so you can put aside such a big amount of money for other purposes if you manage to get a scholarship. 

Moreover, obtaining an athletic scholarship means that you lessen the chances of having student debt. If you get funding for your degree, there will be no need to take a student loan. Luckily, scholarship money typically doesn’t need to be paid back if you decide to give up your study.  

Author’s BIO 

Robert Everett is an academic coach helping young people to get enrolled in leading universities all over the world. He assists with both the program search and application process. Robert can find the best scholarship opportunities and write an outstanding personal statement to enhance the chances to get funding for a degree.