So you didn't get a scholarship offer to play sports at the next level? That's okay. After you recognize your disappointment and acknowledge your feelings, it's time to take some actionable steps.

Keep it in Perspective

First, keep in mind that the clock isn't up and you may have yet to be given a scholarship offer for many reasons. For instance, you may have been academically ineligible to qualify for an offer, your current film was lackluster, or you were offered a spot on the team, but not money to go along with it. In your continued pursuit of searching for a scholarship, it is essential to weigh the pluses and minuses of each route and decide what you prioritize as a recruit. 

Weigh Your Options

Not getting a scholarship offer does not mean your playing career is over. Frequently, recruits will not receive a scholarship offer but still be recruited by a coach to play in the respective program. Being a preferred walk-on means you are more than likely offered a spot on the roster, but the program cannot provide you with any financial assistance. That said, you may be able to receive a scholarship after your first year. If you are a regular walk-on, that means you can attend an open tryout posted by the respective program in the hopes of making the team. 

Be Flexible

A new route to getting a scholarship after high school is for athletes to enroll in a post-graduate program. Athletic-based schools, such as IMG, offer a high school year post-graduate program in which students live on the campus while taking classes and training rigorously in their respective sports. The post-graduate program serves as a gap year where students get to fine-tune their athletic skills at college-level facilities while taking college-level classes, which will improve their academic resume as well. 

Consider JUCO

In addition, junior college is the perfect stepping stone when pursuing an academic scholarship. Accredited Junior colleges offer prospective NCAA athletes an opportunity to hone their skills on the playing field while actively pursuing a 2-year associate's degree, a certification, or other vocational degrees. Junior colleges are often low-cost or free of cost and are an excellent way for players to gain visibility from college coaches and receive scholarship offers. Athletes maintain their years of NCAA eligibility when enrolling in a JUCO and are immediately eligible to play during their first year. 

Find a Club

If playing the sport in any capacity is what you value most, consider playing a club sport. Many large and small universities have their school NCAA team and one if not a few intramural teams where students can try out and play for fun. This is a great option to stay involved with your sports in a lower-stakes environment where fun is the priority. 

Find Other Scholarships

If receiving a sports scholarship was your plan to get your college education financed without debt or severe financial detriment, then there are other options to pursue. Suppose you have been highly successful in high school academics and submitted an exceptional application. In that case, you may be considered or given a merit-based scholarship from the college to which you applied. It is vital to research the merit-based scholarships a university offers and the unique requirements needed to be eligible for them. 

The federal government also offers students financial aid based on various factors, including but not limited to home status and parental finances. Whether or not you have received a sports scholarship, you must fill out the FAFSA® form. Don't just stop there–also apply to outside scholarships. Talk to your college counseling department at school for more information about outside scholarships and what ones would best fit your demographic and academic profile.

Scholarship offers are hard to come by and they are far and few between. Do not be discouraged if you do not get one because there are other ways to receive financial aid and play at the next level. The best thing you can do as an athlete and a student is to stay persistent and explore all of your options. 

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* Originally published on November 9, 2022, by William Calhoun