Going to college might be one of the most expensive things you do in your life, and one of the main concerns for students is how they will pay for their tuition. With tuition rising yearly you have to have a plan. Luckily, for athletes at the Division I and Division II level, there are a lot of ways to get some extra scholarship money through an athletic scholarship. This can make the difference when deciding schools…but it is not  guaranteed that all recruits receive scholarships. Here are a few things to be aware of throughout your recruiting process.

Related: Difference between a Full Scholarship, Partial Scholarship, and Walk-On

Most athletic scholarships aren't guaranteed for all four years

Be sure to read through your scholarship agreement when you sign with a school–athletic scholarships are usually guaranteed for the first year only. After that you have to continue your success athletically, but more importantly you have to keep your grades up. Depending on the school, you will have to keep a minimum GPA, normally be around a 2.5, to keep up the scholarship. Some students will end up transferring because they cannot afford the school anymore after losing their scholarship. Therefore, you have to make sure you keep your academics up as well as performing well on your team, even if you don't start or have limited minutes. 

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Athletic scholarships can be taken away

Did you know your  coach can take away your  athletic scholarship? They may decide to revoke your financial aid if you underperform, your GPA dips too low, or for reasons outside of your control. For example, if you get a new coach once your scholarship agreement expires, that new coach isn't obligated to continue to fund you.  You can also lose it if you make a mistake. This could be at a party or something you post on social media. Remember, your school wants to help you out with scholarship money, but they also want to keep a good reputation. 

Related: Can a Tweet Cost You a Scholarship? 8 Coaches Talk Social Media and Recruiting

Therefore, you need to make sure you are under control while in school, especially if scholarships are a necessity for you to attend that school. There are many students that ruined their college experience which ruined their future all because they lost their scholarship and couldn't afford to go to that school anymore. Employers will see that you lost a scholarship and will question you about it which could put future jobs in jeopardy. Just be smart about what you're doing and focus on your work on and off the field. 

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* Originally published on July 27, 2022, by Chris Russo