<p>Esquette; I understood your post; I just wasn’t clear in my presentation. I was just mentioning for those interested in athletic scholarships, that Division III doesn’t offer athletic scholarships. Division I/II/NAIA do. And from my experience, DIV II/NAIA tend to give less money towards each scholarship. Not always, just many times.</p>
<p>TheGFG; I don’t think anyone is over simplifying the subject. Yes, some are fortunate to have kids that are both academically as well as athletically gifted. Of course that is nice. The emphasis on academics is because anyway you look at it, it is easier to get financial aid/assistance/etc… based on academics than it is with athletics.</p>
<p>If you look at the numbers, only about 3% of HS athletes will go on to play college athletics. And not all of them will get full ride scholarships. Some will be walk-ons. Some will get partial scholarships. If you look at scholarships, merit, grants, and many 3rd party financial aid (Free money from scholarships and such); a much larger percentage of kids will get to college with this money than with athletics. </p>
<p>If you review my post, it suggested GETTING INTO COLLEGE with your academics; and if you can use sports to help pay for it, then that’s great. If parents are reading this thread and they have elementary school kids, they should be concentrating on academics as a means to college. Of course you want the kids to do athletics. Especially if they like it. Colleges want well rounded students. Even 2 identical students applying to Harvard with the exact same GPA and members of the same clubs and volunteering with the same agencies; if competing against each other; one will have a better chance if they also do athletics. It just makes them more well rounded. Same thing applies to extra curriculum and other factors.</p>
<p>Athletics is a great thing for kids. It’s healthy; teaches team work; teaches them how to work hard; UNDOES ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL garbage of not competing, by teaching the kids how to win as well as lose. Teaches them the real world in that the greatest reward is the one you feel within for your own accomplishments. It also helps you to learn respect for yourself, fellow team mates, and the opposition.</p>
<p>Academics and athletics are both important. Both are difficult. Both take hard work to succeed in. But; if you are going to bet your son/daughter’s entire future on getting a scholarship, then you have a much higher chance of getting an academic scholarship/merit/grant/etc… than you do a full ride athletic scholarship.</p>
<p>P.S. TheGRG; There are a lot of scholarships for Ivy League schools. Just that they don’t come from the schools. There are a lot of private scholarships out there that people don’t look for. My son was offered a PRIVATE full ride scholarship to include tuition, books, lab, dorm, food, monthly stipend, etc… for a very good out of state school. (I admit it wasn’t ivy, but I know similar ones that are for Ivy league schools). These are usually given by alumni, corporations, etc… There’s a lot of money out there. Sorry for those who think that the only money available is from the school via merit scholarships. (There’s also a difference between the school giving MERIT scholarships and a NATIONAL MERIT).</p>