<p>I was offered a $2,000 athletic scholarship for Cross Country and Track. Is this a good amount for me? My PRs are 5k 17:09, 3200m 10:27, 1600m 4:48. It's a one year and from a small school who isn't part of the NCAA. I'm the first one in my family history to be offered any scholarships for running. So I have no idea. Thanks!!</p>
<p>The tuition on average is $20,000</p>
<p>This post would probably be better addressed in the athletics/NCAA forum. It can be hard to even say what is a “good amount.” You might be a fantastic runner - but if the school you are attending does not have the funding to offer you a larger scholarship, you might be limited to only a few thousand. If the school isn’t a part of the NCAA, their athletic funding definitely might be smaller. I have seen this specifically with cross country/track at the NAIA level in comparison with other “big name” sports (basketball, volleyball) who can grant larger scholarships. </p>
<p>Even on an NCAA team, $2000 might be a good scholarship for a freshman. For track, the school only gets 12.6 scholarships, and they can give it all to 12.6 athletes, or spread it out so everyone gets a little. Most teams give more to the best or senior runners a less to the new guys.</p>
<p>Real question is does this school and scholarship offer work for you? Do you have other options? Will you be happy at this school?</p>
<p>The school is very close to home and I really like it. However other schools like CMU, Wayne State, Ferris and Aquinas have my interest.</p>
<p>Are you a senior? Have you gotten any other offers? Have you sent your times to other schools?</p>
<p>You should look at who they run against, and see how your times compare to results of previous meets.</p>
<p>I’m a senior. I haven’t had any offers yet from other schools, but I’ve been in contact with the coaches.</p>
<p>I have and the school who offered me the scholarship would be a good fit. However they don’t have a wide selection of majors if i change my mind.</p>
<p>Do not do any type of sport in college. You will be exhausted most of the time, and your studies will suffer. Or, you will get injured and be unable to really exercise like you want for the rest of your life. It is not worth $2000. It is not worth $10,000. Sports has nothing to do with college. Study. Meet your professors. Work in some clubs. Keep in shape. But don’t do sports unless you have no discipline otherwise.</p>
<p>^^^
Maybe you can’t handle it, but you are definitely in the minority. Tens of thousands of students participate in intercollegiate sports, as well as club sports and intramural sports, every year, and they are doing just fine, thank you.</p>
<p>JSMILL can send the OP a check for $2000 to make up for the athletic scholarship.</p>
<p>My daughter is a college athlete for one reason-she loves to play. The scholarship allows her to go to this particular school, but she’d play club level if she went to another school.</p>
<p>The school is a good fit for me. Although they don’t have a variety of programs. They only specialize in 3 fields</p>
<p>Also I’m running in college. It’s a passion of mine that isn’t a hassle. Even though it takes up my time</p>
<p>There are a lot of good things college athletics does for a student too - structure, an immediate group of friends with similar interests, coaches and athletic department staff who can help with academic or administrative issues.</p>
<p>I felt a lot better sending my 17 year old off knowing there was a coach who would be checking up on her - grades, health issues, study tables, school involvement.</p>
<p>My other daughter plays hockey at a club level. She’s a lot happier since practice started, getting to skate 2-3 hours a week and having yet another option of friends. She does better with scheduled exercise too.</p>
<p>Grades are my biggest concern. If you’re a student athlete you must go to tutoring sessions your freshman year. Also the largest class size is 30. I think it may be a good fit. However not a lot of programs offered in fields other than technology, business and health</p>
<p>The tone of these responses is that my child has fun exercising and being part of a team. It helps her be organized and disciplined. Again, I say that these are things you should have already going INTO college and not be learning them there for $10-$70,000 a year. Sports is far more about the parents and their social cliques than about fitness, which is all that sports should be about in college. Bread and circuses. College is not about having fun. It’s about academics. If you think of it as fun your child will be reporting to a boss speaking Mandarin.</p>
<p>Being a collegiate athlete also creates a special alumni group. In my D’s choice, the alumni is very supportive of the team as far as internships and connections upon graduation. Success is much about who you know.</p>
<p>JSMILL1, my daughter can only attend the college she selected because of the athletic scholarship. She has a merit scholarship, and some other state ones, but the athletic one is $15k per year. We consider this her job, her work study, her contribution. She could not attend this school without the money. She loves the school and the team.</p>
<p>My other daughter has a (small) department scholarship and we’re trying to decide if it is worth renewing it. She’s a theater major, and for this week alone she’s had to put in about 25 hours, ushering at a play (required) and trying out for a program for next spring. Scholarship students are required to work whenever the department assigns them. Part of what is hard about it is the ever-changing hours. Nights, days, weekends. My daughter on the athletic scholarship has a very set schedule (and loves it).</p>
<p>I do disagree with you that college can’t be fun. It can’t all be fun, but there is certainly a lot of room for fun. My friend’s daughter had absolutely no fun her freshman year, and now she’s sitting out a semester. Don’t know all the reasons, but I think if she would have had just a little fun she’d have returned for her second year.</p>
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<p>Oh, please. Four years of nothing but academics would be insane. Balance is important. All work and no play… you’ve heard that expression before, right?</p>
<p>So my final question is am I being too hesitant to go to this school? I did a visit and loved it there. However I haven’t visited others</p>
<p>Too early to decide. Look at a few of the other schools you mentioned and go meet with the track coaches there.</p>