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Which Sports Are Easiest To Get A Scholarship For?

By Next College Student Athlete, 07/17/19, 3:00PM PDT

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Often times, student-athletes believe that if they are good enough, they will automatically receive a scholarship, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Although everyone doesn’t receive a scholarship, there are a few sports where it’s a little easier.

Athletic scholarships aren’t easy to receive, and most college athletes never receive one. In fact, less than 2 percent of high school student-athletes are extended an athletic scholarship offer. Across NCAA Division 1, Division II, Division III, NAIA and Junior Colleges, there are less than 200,000 available scholarships (Division III schools provide academic aid instead of athletic scholarships). Here are the men’s and women’s sports that can increase your chances of receiving an athletic scholarship.

Which men’s sports are the easiest to get a scholarship for?

Lacrosse: There are 111,842 high school lacrosse players and 14,202 who compete in college. This means 12.7 percent of high school players make the cut for the college level. There are currently 440 varsity men’s lacrosse programs across all divisions, including 72 Division I teams. The East Coast is prominently known to receive the most exposure for lacrosse. However, the sport is expanding across the country. 

Ice Hockey: There are 35,210 high school ice hockey players and 3,687 who play in college. This means 10.5 percent of high school players can compete at the college level. There are 163 varsity men’s ice hockey programs across all divisions, including 60 Division I teams. Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and New England are the most sought-after states for hockey recruits. If you’re not from this region, you’ll have to put in extra effort to get on a coach’s radar. Recruits from Canada and Europe are also on U.S. coaches’ radars. 

Baseball: There are 491,790 high school baseball players and 56,423 who compete in college. This means 11.5 percent of high school players make the cut for the college level. There are 1,675 varsity baseball programs across all divisions, including 297 Division I teams. 

Which women’s sports are the easiest to get a scholarship for?

Ice Hockey: There are 9,599 high school ice hockey players and 1,736 who play in college. This means 18.1 percent of high school players can compete at the college level. There are 108 varsity women’s ice hockey programs across all divisions, including 35 Division I teams. Canadian and European student-athletes are amongst the competition for roster spots in the U.S.

Lacrosse: There are 93,473 high school lacrosse players and 11,780 who compete in college. This means 12.6 percent of high school players make the cut for the college level. There are 562 varsity women’s lacrosse programs across all divisions, including 115 Division I teams. Lacrosse is predominately played in the East Coast, but this does not mean you won’t also find opportunities to compete in other states across the county. 

Soccer: There are 388,339 high school soccer players and 36,251 who play in college. This means 9.3 percent of high school players can compete at the college level. There are currently 1,591 varsity women’s soccer programs across all divisions, including 333 Division I teams. 

Athletic scholarships are just the tip of the iceberg

Depending on the sport you play, you may be competing with domestic and international student-athletes for an athletic scholarship. Student-athletes can offset the lack of athletic scholarships by receiving academic scholarships and grants. According to scholarships.com, there is roughly $19 billion in financial aid available. Academic advisors and college coaches may not always know all the financial aid options that are available, so here is a helpful search tool to discover scholarships.

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