Back when I first got offered by this college my mother checked to see if I qualified for a certain state scholarship, which requires a 3.0 core. That is what showed at the time but not all my classes were in so we reached out to my school and they just now fixed it after I signed and it is showing as a 2.9. That’s 3,000 I’m out!! This school was already somewhat risky because they aren’t very disciplined in their workouts/conditioning and even during the games players were talking to people in the stands and bickering with each other on the bench. I’m very independent so I was willing to put in extra in the gym and not pay attention to people in the stands. I am planning to do med school so that’s even more loans I would have to take out. Should I asked to be released and see what else is out there or take out the loan and reevaluate after this year?
The $3k is not going to materialize from another school because it is a state program.
If you won’t like the team, don’t go there. Whether they will release you is up to them (and often based on whether the school you are planning to go to is a conference competitor).
But if I ask to be released that would mean that I would be at square one again. I’m a senior in high school so time is not in my favor.
Did you sign an NLI?
I agree you don’t have a lot of time, but I don’t see how the financial situation is going to change if you get released. If you go to another state school, you will still be $3000 short of where you thought you’d be. It seems you are no longer happy with the school you signed with. You can ask for a release, you can sit out a year, or you can talk to the coach.
It’s a NAIA so there isn’t really a NLI. NCAA doesn’t recognize NAIA and vise versa. Yes I do understand what you are saying about I am gonna be 3000 short anyways. But if I can find a full ride elsewhere I wouldn’t have to depend on that 3,000 or if I go out of state I couldn’t depend on that.
Then do you need a release? Other than your reputation, you might be free to continue looking at other schools.
Even if you signed an NLI for NCAA, you can still look at D3 schools but that doesn’t solve your money issue.
I think you should talk to the coach, tell him your concerns about money. Coaches really don’t want you if you don’t want to be there, and there are ways to make a break where everyone thinks it is for the best without burning bridges. He might be able to help with more money, he might be able to make suggestions of other schools that could work.
I don’t know your sport but at this point you will be hard pressed to find a full ride anywhere. Coaches have all but firmed up their rosters in pretty much every sport. I would worry that you would not only be out the $3K but our a roster spot and an opportunity to play. Good luck to you!
Coaches look for players who not only will impact the team athletically, but will not be an academic risk. In other words, if a coach has a choice between a great athlete with a 3.5+GPA and a similarly gifted one with a 2.9 GPA, any available scholarships are going to go to the one with a higher GPA. You are probably not going to find a better financial package at this point. On the other hand, you may need to evaluate your options if this school is not affordable to you. It doesn’t sound like you are in love with this athletic team but how is the fit otherwise? If you were not able to play your sport at this school for whatever reason, is it a school you would still be happy at? How important are the academics to you- it is not a good idea to attend a school solely for your sport as too many things can change during the 4 years including injuries, coaches leaving, better players coming along, etc. Have you considered attending a community college where you could play your sport and get your GPA up? While transfers are often not eligible for as many academic scholarships, transferring recruited athletes do have opportunities sometimes depending on their abilities as an athlete. This is definitely not for everyone but is something to consider when making your decision.
If this is only about the $: Did you discuss this with your GC? Some schools will drop classes from the HS transcript if they aren’t needed to graduate. Not always a good move, but you could check if this is an option. Be aware of NCAA and NAIA requirements though. Check in with the coach to see if it would be a good move, and to see if there is any wiggle room. S/he will want to help if s/he can. Also, worth stating the obvious: get your grades up this semester and maybe this won’t be an issue?
^^It sounds like this is a Bright Futures or Hope type scholarship, awarded outside the school. There is little you can do to change things. They are very picky and there is no ‘rounding up’ or substituting a requirement.
@twoinanddone -could be, but worth checking with the GC. I know athletes that were able to do something similar for d2 and naia, but the scholarships were from the (state, directional) school itself. Again, improving grades would be the ideal route 
My mom had me stressing about the money, and had me doubting everything but I’m pretty sure my school made a mistake so I have to go deal with the counselors. I had an issue earlier this year where they would not completely enter in my transcript.
My grades are all As and Bs this semester and I talked to the GC and she wasn’t much help because she claimed she could not pull up my information. I talked to the coaches as they are saying that I shouldn’t have to take out anything but the money isn’t adding up. So i’m very confused.
@takeitallin I really do like the school academically but I just have some concerns about the team. Like teammates bickering with each other on the bench during the game or them talking to other students in the stands during a game.