Academic vs Athletic Scholarships
Will You Be The Next Athlete We Celebrate?
To celebrate those athletes who have met all the requirements to be an NCAA qualifier and receive a National Letter of Intent, whether it be a full/particle, preferred walk-on, or academic scholarship, to play at any level of college football we celebrate you.
The number of athletes who go on to play college football is 7.3% and is falling dramatically due to the college transfer portal. College coaches may choose to recruit from the college transfer portal over high school football players for several reasons. While this isn’t true for all coaches, here are some of the common reasons behind this preference:
Immediate Impact: College transfers often have experience playing at the collegiate level. This means they can potentially make an immediate impact on the team, as they’ve already adapted to the pace and physicality of college football. High school players typically require more time to develop.
Known Performance: Coaches can review a transfer’s performance in college games, which provides concrete evidence of their abilities. High school players may have impressive high school stats, but college performance is a more reliable indicator of how they’ll fare at the next level.
Proven Ability: Transfer athletes have demonstrated their ability to handle the demands of college life, both academically and athletically. Coaches can have more confidence in their ability to balance the two.
Maturity and Experience: College transfers tend to be more mature and experienced, having spent time in a college environment. They often adapt more quickly to the rigors of college athletics and academics compared to recent high school graduates.
Position Needs: College coaches often have specific position needs, and a transfer athlete might fill those needs more directly than a high school recruit. It’s easier to identify an experienced quarterback or a reliable offensive lineman in the transfer portal than to develop one from a high school recruit.
Reduced Risk: College transfers can be viewed as lower-risk recruits because their performance and adaptability are more known quantities. High school players are inherently riskier, as there’s uncertainty about how they will transition to the college game.
Win-Now Mentality: Some college coaches are under pressure to win immediately. Transfer athletes are seen as a quicker path to competitive success, which can improve job security.
Scholarship Limits: Many college football programs have limited scholarship spots available, making coaches selective in their recruitment. If a transfer is available who matches their needs, they may opt for the more experienced player.
Transfer Rules: NCAA transfer rules have become more lenient, allowing athletes to transfer more freely. This has created a larger pool of available transfer players.
It’s important to note that this preference isn’t universal, and many college coaches continue to recruit high school players. High school recruits offer the advantage of a longer developmental horizon and the potential for a multi-year commitment. Yet at the Division I FBS levels due to its competitiveness and frequent change over of coaches you will see schools slashing high school scholarships by half to persue a transfer college athlete.
Ever since COVID in 2020 and the NCAA rule change on transfering, many college programs have used the portal to there advantage by limiting the 10-12 scholarship they use to give to high school athletes now to 4 or 5 which are given primarily to 4-5 starred athletes. More preferred walk-ons are now given to high school athletes who must prove that they are ready to compete at the division I FBS level. This trend is slowly making its way throughout just about all division I program to include FCS also. Division 2 programs and some smaller Division I FCS programs are not afforded the ability to not take high school players, yet when they can bring in transfers they will to cut the number of high school scholarships. But they find ways to make it up with need based grants and leadership grants. Hope is not all lost!
Academic Scholarships for Athletes:
The Good:
Academic scholarships are often awarded based on academic performance and are not tied to athletic performance. They typically cover a student’s college career if their academic performance remains strong.
The Good:
Athletes on full or partial academic scholarships are not as heavily stressed as athletes who are pressured to perform year to year to maintain their scholarships. This is a big thing at the Division I Level, were scholarships can be easily yanked for underperforming or not adjusting to the college football culture. Academic athletes have reduced stress and anxiety associated with maintaining an athletic scholarship.
The Good:
Students with academic scholarships have more flexibility in choosing their major and exploring diverse academic interests. They can also engage in extracurricular activities without the same time constraints as athletes. Some college scholarships and grant money at the lower levels are tied to particular majors and can be limited based on the resources available.
The Good:
In may cases, athletic scholarships are tied primarily to performance, but let’s say you get hurt and can not play football anymore. In that case, an athletic scholarship athlete may lose some or all of their scholarship since their contract is based on them playing. More often, schools will assist an athlete. As an academic athlete, there is less pressure since they are under an academic scholarship. Now, if they are unable to perform academically, there could be a problem.
The Bad:
Academic scholarships may not cover all college expenses, including tuition, books, and living costs. In contrast, athletes on full athletic scholarships often have their entire expenses covered. This can be helpful if an athlete can negotiate some athletic money to cover some of the leftover expenses. – FYI: If a high GPA athlete can negotiate a walk-on opportunity and make the team, they can leverage the fact that they don’t count against a program scholarship numbers but help increase their academic and graduation numbers, and the athlete could find themselves getting some earmarked athletic funds/ or work-study with the football department to cover the remaining amount of school after they make the team and complete a year at the school.
The Bad:
Without the pressure to perform athletically, athletes might lose motivation to excel in their sport, hindering their team’s success.
Athletic Scholarships:
The Good:
Athletic scholarships typically cover tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses directly related to athletic participation.
The Good:
Athletic scholarships provide motivation for athletes to excel in their sport and maintain their eligibility.
The Good:
Athletes on scholarships often receive specialized coaching and access to state-of-the-art facilities to enhance their athletic development.
The Bad:
Athletic scholarships are often awarded year-to-year, contingent on a student-athlete’s performance. This creates uncertainty and pressure.
The Bad:
Athletes on scholarships face the risk of injury that could end their athletic career and scholarship support.
The Bad:
The rigorous athletic schedule may limit academic time, making it challenging to excel in the classroom.
The Bad:
Athletes might narrowly focus on their sport, limiting their ability to explore other interests and career options.
The Ugly (Potential Downsides for Both):
Athletes on either type of scholarship must navigate the delicate balance between athletics and academics, which can be mentally and physically demanding.
The Ugly (Potential Downsides for Both):
Both types of scholarships come with performance pressure. Academic scholarship recipients may feel pressure to maintain their high GPA, while athletic scholarship recipients must continually excel in their sport.
The Ugly (Potential Downsides for Both):
Both types of scholarships can be impacted by changing circumstances. Academic scholarship recipients must maintain their academic performance, and athletic scholarship recipients must remain competitive in their sport.
The choice between academic scholarships for athletes and athletic scholarships depends on individual circumstances, goals, and priorities. Both types of scholarships have their advantages and disadvantages, and student-athletes should carefully consider which aligns best with their academic and athletic aspirations.
