High School Basketball Scholarships
A full basketball scholarship provides a student athlete with the ability to attend college and represent his school on the court. More importantly, an athletic scholarship allows a student who may not otherwise have the means to attend college the opportunity to do so without having to worry about the cost of tuition or room and board.
An Overview
The governing body of all college sports is the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA regulates and presides over all rules, procedures and financial issues pertaining to college athletics. This body classifies collegiate sports into two categories: "Head Count" sports and "Equivalency" sports. Basketball is a "Head Count" sport, meaning that scholarships are offered "Full Ride." A "Full Ride" typically covers the cost of tuition, room and board, course fees and provisions for books. There are 329 Division 1 schools and 290 Division 2 schools in the NCAA that offer men's basketball scholarships to high school graduates. There are about the same number of schools that offer these scholarships to women. It means there are nearly 7,200 total scholarships available for men's basketball from the NCAA and nearly 9,300 for women. This does not include the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA, which also offers basketball scholarships to Division 2 athletes. Division 3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships.
Marketing Yourself For a Scholarship
You do not necessarily have to be a blue-chip player to get a basketball scholarship. You do have to maximize your basketball skills by practicing, attending camps and doing the appropriate workouts. Keep in mind that while you might be the "star" on your high school team, once you get to college, you are playing with others who were also the stars on their respective high school teams. The college game is faster and the players are typically stronger and better conditioned. Going to basketball camps and playing in leagues such as the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is imperative to getting your name out there and garnering attention. College coaches pay attention to these leagues and are constantly looking for young talent to sign. High-profile summer camps can also help a basketball player become noticed. Most of these basketball camps are privately run, but provide an outlet for the top players to compete against each other. It is important to be proactive in getting noticed. While you are attempting to get into just a few colleges to play basketball, college coaches are looking at several hundred talented players at once. Also, do not wait for a college coach to notice you. Speak to your high school coach about contacting the schools of your choice and even sending game film. A college coach is more likely to take you seriously if your high school coach is adamant about your ability.
Academics
While being good at basketball is a must for earning a basketball scholarship, it is also imperative to do well in school. The NCAA and the NAIA both have grade standards and also require that you have at least a minimum score on standardized tests such as the ACT and the SAT. College basketball players on the most decorated teams attend classes just like non-athletes and are expected to perform successfully in the classroom as well as on the basketball court.
The NCAA Clearinghouse
In order to be eligible to participate in college athletics, an athlete must first register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse looks at grades to determine whether an athlete is eligible academically to participate in collegiate athletics. A high school transcript as well as SAT and ACT scores must be sent to the Clearinghouse before it can make a determination. A student must maintain a certain grade point average, take a set number of core classes and be a high school graduate before eligibility is granted. Once all academic requirements are met and the athlete performs to the satisfaction of his college coach, a scholarship will be granted.
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