How to Apply for Athletic Scholarships

It is just about any high school athlete's dream to get a scholarship to their favorite school to play sports. Unfortunately, that is many high school athletes' dream, so it may seem that getting such a scholarship is difficult. So how do you start the process to make your dream a reality? Here are some easy, simple steps to follow so you can make your dream come true.

1. Find out what the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidelines are for eligibility as a student athlete. This is a necessity to be able to compete at all, and many schools will require you to prove your eligibility as part of the scholarship application process. The guidelines can be found at the NCAA Website: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/
2. Prepare a professional-looking "resume" of your high school and community athletic achievements. This should include, at a minimum, a letter of introduction, a personal profile, your athletic accomplishments, any academic or extra-curricular accomplishments, your personal schedule (i.e. class times, clubs, or events in case coaches or representatives want to come meet with you), and reference letters from your coaches. The whole idea of this resume is to make yourself attractive to the prospective schools, so you may also want to include a video of your best athletic accomplishments. This provides a visual idea of what to expect from you as an athlete.
3. Don't focus on just one school, target as many schools as you can think of (around 20 to 30) that you may be interested in attending. This way you will increase your odds of being accepted. Send a resume to each of these schools, and don't be afraid to tailor your resume to what you know about those schools. (For instance, address it to specific coaches or mention a relative who may have attended the school or perhaps some teammates you know.)
4. As with any college application, be ready for possible "sticker shock" when it comes to application costs. Keep in mind the old adage, "You get what you pay for." At the same time do not spend so much that you put yourself or your parents into the poor house.
5. Remember, colleges get hundreds (if not thousands) of such applications and letters each year. Send yours early enough, and make it original enough, that it stands out from the crowd.

Keep in mind that each school and division will have application guidelines. Ensure that you know what they are so that you can stay within those guidelines. In short, remember that when you are applying for an athletic scholarship, it is like you are applying for a job. Be sure that you put your best foot forward, and be "professional" in your conduct.