United States (US) College Pathway

Athletic scholarship opportunities in US Colleges (equivalent to Australian tertiary education) are slowly becoming a more popular post school option for highly talented junior athletes. Australian students are potentially able to use their athletic ability to receive scholarships from US Colleges which allows them to access higher education and elite level sporting opportunities.

US College sports are the 2nd tier of sports, the feeder system to professional sport in the US. The level and scale do not compare to any other College sports in the world and is accessed by more than 450,000 student-athletes. Some student-athletes live a similar lifestyle to that of a professional athlete, but instead of wages, College athletes receive a paid education through full or partial sports scholarships. This could possibly cover the costs of tuition and fees, room and board, and textbooks.

There are around 3000 Colleges in the US. These Colleges are divided into a number of sectors and divisions of College sports, all representing different types of the higher education. These are NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association, NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).

It is possible for an individual to be recruited by a US College without going through a recruiting company however the process can be complicated. Eligibility for scholarships is extremely strict and can be somewhat complex. Many families use recruiting services because they are not familiar with the recruiting process and don’t have the time or information to educate themselves on the process. There are now many Australian based Scholarship placement agencies that can assist students to obtain sport scholarships to US Colleges. These agencies are able to assess a potential student’s academic and sport information to determine realistic scholarship opportunities and assist in marketing the student-athlete to potential US Colleges amongst many other services. This however comes at a financial cost which can vary.

It is recommended that if you are going to use a recruiting service make sure that you find out exactly what information and services they will provide. Henley High School currently has an Educational Collaboration Agreement with a US College scholarship agency Aussie Athletes Agency.  

CHECKLIST

We ask that if you are interested in this pathway and wish to pursue it you will be required to follow the checklist below:

The student must discuss this pathway in depth with their parents/caregivers and conduct thorough research to learn more about this opportunity. This will include:

• - Possibility of living in a foreign country for at least 4 years
  - The possibility of not receiving a full academic scholarship and having to finance travel, schooling and living fees
  - Academic requirements to be eligible to attend US College

• Students and parents need to discuss pathway opportunities and requirements with the state peak sporting body (e.g. Tennis SA, Basketball SA, Golf SA)
• Students and parents must meet with an Aussie Athletes agency representative. This is free of charge, the agency will be able to give you a greater understanding of the prospects of this evolving. There are no requirements or pressures to join the agency
• Once all avenues have been researched and this pathway is still an option the student and parent can arrange a meeting with the Athlete Support Manager to discuss subject selection and other support structures

If you require any further information, follow the links below to Aussie Athletes Agency website - http://www.aussieathletesagency.com/ or contact Jarrod Gillings jarrod.gillings@henleyhs.sa.edu.au or Sammy Nutt sammy.nutt@henlehs.sa.edu.au.

 US College Pathway Checklist