Athletic scholarship or need based financial aid, or both?

fauve
Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:03:53 +0000

Congratulations to your DD on her athletics.

You might also want to consider the scenario of what may happen if she becomes injured. Would she still like to be at this school for four years?

Are you happy to pay tuition if an injury prevents her from swimming?

Athletes confront a very different lifestyle at college- dorm life can be a challenging adjustment: noise, lack of privacy, temptations of parties, boys.

Different food, close living quarters and the subsequent spread of viruses, no wake-up calls and no private nursing of sickness by mom, all can combine to alter the student’s athletic performance. Be sure you are all prepared for changing circumstances over the course of four years.

Budgets can be cut, coaches can shift money to younger, faster swimmers, etc. Ask the school if they guarantee four years of athletic $ even if the athlete is injured (most do not). Hopefully none of these scenarios will develop for your DD, but its best to be prepared.