What is an Athletic Scholarship?
Sport scholarships are awarded to athletes of outstanding performance in order to enable them to finance their studies in the US. The athlete participates fully in practice sessions with the college team and represents the university in various tournaments and competitions.
What is the SAT-Test?
The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a combination of Math and English tests, which is required for final eligibility by the NCAA and enrolling at many universities.
What are the NCAA and the NCAA Eligibility Center?
The NCAA or National Collegiate Athletic Association serves as the governing body for more than 1280 colleges and universities in the US.
The NCAA Eligibility Center is responsible for certifying the academic and amateur credentials of all college bound athletes who wish to compete in NCAA Division I or Division II athletics. In order to be allowed to play in the NCAA I or II, you must have registered with Eligibility Center. The Eligibility Center decides based on your SAT/ACT results and academic performance whether you are eligible or not. In addition to this, they will check whether you are an amateur athlete.
What do coaches look for?
College swimming is very competitive. However this is by no means the only criterion. Coaches want versatile swimmers who are competitive in more than one stroke, good students, hard workers, and team players.
What is the level of performance of American college teams, and what divisions are there?
American universities play in different divisions, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) I, II and III, and the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). The NCAA I is the largest and most competitive division of all but there are many NCAA II or NAIA teams that are better than NCAA I teams. The universities in the NCAA III do not offer scholarships.
Can you guarantee me that I will receive a scholarship?
No . It would be a violation of NCAA regulations for a service such as American Athletic Scholarship to promise or guarantee you a scholarship. Our commitment to you is to work with you in matching your needs with colleges’ requirements and helping you every step of the way of the process.
When do colleges start evaluating prospects?
Different colleges start their recruiting process at different times. As a general rule, college coaches want to identify prospects and receive personal information on them as soon as possible. You can start the process as early as year 10 which will enable you to plan and ensure you meet the NCAA academic requirements of required subject study.
What is the National Letter of Intent?
The National Letter regulates the recruitment athletes into collegiate athletic programs. Under this program, prospective student-athletes sign a binding contract, known as a letter of intent, or NLI, under which they agree to attend a participating institution for one academic year in exchange for a year of athletic financial aid.
Will I need a Visa?
Yes, a student athlete requires a student visa for the duration of their scholarship. Once you have been admitted to the University you will be provided with a I-20 form to facilitate the process through your nearest US embassy.
