College Guide: Realities of playing NCAA sports and more
It’s Week 7 of Newsday's Essential Guide to College in New York newsletter course that teaches families what they need to know about the college search.
This week, we’re taking a close look at college sports.
Many young athletes believe high school sports stardom will translate into hefty college athletic scholarships. For some families, chasing that dream can cost thousands of dollars, not to mention the time spent practicing and traveling.
Is it worth it?
Newsday’s Roger Rubin investigated, and it turns out fewer than 7% of the kids who participated in the most popular high school sports went on to compete at Division I, II or III colleges. An even smaller number — just 2% — win National College Athletic Association, or NCAA, college scholarships.
The most generous scholarships are guaranteed only for certain Division I sports, such as football, basketball and women’s tennis. In sports such as ice hockey or track and field, a more limited pool of scholarship funds can get divvied up among many players.
Of course, that doesn’t stop kids from trying.
Niche sports are especially attractive to some families seeking an admissions edge. NewsdayTV’s Jared Valluzzi, for example, talked with aspiring college pole-vaulters vying for scholarships.
Even without a full ride, sports standouts can be well-positioned to win partial and academic scholarships, among other benefits of playing on a college team.
THE PERKS — AND DRAWBACKS — OF COLLEGE SPORTS 🏟️
On-campus school spirit runs high at SUNY Cortland. Credit: SUNY Cortland
For some, competing and being part of a vibrant sports community is an essential part of the college experience.
Newsday looked at New York schools with robust sports scenes, from upstate Syracuse University to St. John’s University, closer to home in Queens.
There are plenty of benefits to college sports. But families need to make sure they don't take a toll on young athletes’ mental health, experienced coaches and other experts told Newsday.
As one coach put it, “Being dedicated to becoming the best version of yourself and having it come from within is ideal. There are lots of high school athletes [pushed] by the desires of people around them and that fails more than it works.”
Learn more about NCAA scholarships and other opportunities for college athletes.
TRY THIS 💻
Even without athletic scholarships, higher education can be more affordable than you might expect. Newsday’s college search tool includes 91 New York schools with average annual costs of less than $20,000 after financial aid. Check them out.
SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS 💬
What’s on your mind? What questions do you have for Newsday’s staff and our network of experts? We are taking questions and comments about selecting schools, seeking financial aid, increasing your odds of admission and many other topics. You can contact us by email at collegeguide@newsday.com.
NEXT WEEK ✅
We're almost done! In our final email, we’ll share takeaways and offer tips on how to use our search tool to find helpful information about colleges.
Maura McDermott covers education. Since joining Newsday in 2012, she also has worked on the investigations team and covered real estate and the business of health care.
