Actually, there is a lot more academic money available simply because there are thousands of private scholarships and grants available on top of what the institutions are offering and there is no governing body that determines the number (or amount) of scholarships any school is allowed to offer its students. Additionally, states offer programs very similar to the "Palmetto Fellows" and "Life" scholarships that South Carolina has where any student with a decent SAT/ACT score (which, since we're all from the 1600 era of the SAT = ~10-1100), a 3.0, and is in the top 30% (for a large high school, can be up to 168 people) can get up to 5k a year or more. And that's a 3.0 regardless of whether you're college prep or AP/Honors/IB.
Also, you have to consider the fact that most colleges rarely offer full athletic rides; usually they offer partial rides with academic and or need-based aid to fill in the rest. Per the NYT (sorry, don't feel like pulling out the PubMed), the average girls' soccer award covers only 43% of college tuition and ~4000 soccer scholarships were shared between ~9300 student athletes.
"In 2003-4, there was the equivalent of one full N.C.A.A. men’s soccer scholarship available for about every 145 boys who were playing high school soccer four years earlier." -http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/sports/10scholarships.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1
Comparing that to the fact that just with a state scholarship like LIFE, up to 168 students from ONE SCHOOL can earn 5k (using numbers from my graduating class)...your odds of earning money for college are statistically better with doing well academically, and in extracurriculars. Add that guaranteed state scholarship to any of the thousands of private scholarships/grants you can apply for and athletics is only a small piece of the pie. You can get money for being related to a Daughter of the Revolution, or a Shriner, or for knowing someone who's a VFA, for a piece of artwork in a contest, or a speech.
Any way you look at it, if you're looking for straight up money, unless you're one of the 2% of 6.4 million high school athletes...sports aren't the way to go.
Last edited by adidaskitten86; 07/16/10 08:22 PM.
