What does a scholarship cover?
The gross cost of attending University in the USA usually includes cost of tuition, accommodation and food. A scholarship will cover some or all of these costs – maybe up to 100%. It may also cover ancillary costs such as health insurance but this will vary from University to University.
How much scholarship will I receive?
This will depend on a number of factors. In the USA each school determines its own costs and therefore also the amount of scholarship budget available. The amount of sports scholarship will be determined by your athletic ability and background as well as how important the Coach views you to their recruitment needs. You may also qualify for academic scholarship in addition to sports scholarship – this will be determined by your academic performance to date.
Can I choose which University I attend?
The final decision about which University you attend will always be yours. Of course not every University will necessarily want you for their team, and not all of those that do will make offers that you are happy with. But at FiveZero we always aim to provide you with multiple offers so that you can compare and contrast. We will also provide you with information about a University’s sporting history, coach’s background, academic success, location and other factors to help you make a fully informed decision.
What will I study?
Within reason, this is up to you. The first year and a half will incorporate general study, where you will undertake a variety of classes, which may not be directly related to your Major topic, which will start in earnest towards the end of your Sophomore (2nd) year. That Major topic need not be sport-related just because you are a student-athlete. It can literally be any course that the University offers. Again at FiveZero we will ensure that the Universities we introduce to you offer the Major topic you are interested in.
What is the difference between NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA?
Essentially these acronyms are the names of the various bodies that oversee inter-collegiate athletics in the USA. There are many myths surrounding which is the best – most of which are just based on other people’s experiences. To gain a full understanding, we encourage you to talk to us so we can explain in detail, but in summary the key differences are:
NAIA – usually privately funded 4-year Universities. Often therefore slightly smaller student populations, but with very good sporting levels.
NCAA – often state funded 4-year Universities. Split into 3 divisions. Very good sporting levels but note that Division 3 schools cannot offer sports scholarships, only academic scholarships, and the split between Division 1 and 2 is based on the sports offering as a whole rather than a specific sport. So what that means is that a Division 1 soccer team does not imply that the soccer team is better than all Division 2 soccer teams
NJCAA – these are 2-year Universities. Players tend to attain an Associates degree at these institutions and then move to a 4-year institution to complete the remaining 2 years of their Bachelors degree. The sporting level isn’t necessarily any lower but their academic eligibility levels are lower and they are often considerably cheaper. This makes them a very good alternative especially for those families with a smaller budget and/or students with slightly lesser grades.
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