Getting a soccer scholarship to attend college is a big deal, considering the amount of competition at this level. It takes a lot of talent and skill to catch the eye of a college scout, and a ton of perseverance and mental toughness to actually make it to a college soccer team.
However, before you jump ship and take up that soccer scholarship, you need to ask yourself some serious questions. Just because you have been offered a scholarship by a college doesn't mean you have to necessarily take it up. If the college isn't the right one for you, the scholarship will do you little good. Therefore, before you step into a college soccer team, there are a few things you should know:
1. Are you picking the right college? Most high school athletes have little idea what they want out of college. Do you want a strong academic department? A strong focus on sports? Do you want to play soccer as a professional? Or do you want to pursue some other academic interest? Unless you can answer these questions fully, don't go rushing into picking a college, no matter how attractive that soccer scholarship might be.
2. Don't pick a college just because they offered you a full tuition waiver. Understand that every college has a different academic environment. You may have been granted a full scholarship to an ivy league college, but that doesn't mean you necessarily have the tools to excel their academically. Know your own academic potential and limitations, and pick a college accordingly.
3. Can you fit into the college's social atmosphere? This may be one of the most overlooked aspects of college. If you are from a small town and go to a huge college in a big city, you may find it very difficult to adjust to the new setting. This will have a big impact on not only your social life, but also your performance on the soccer field and in the classroom. Pick a college that fits the social environment you came from, rather than a big name unive rsity where you will feel like a fish out of water.
4. Will you get enough playing time in the soccer team? The intra-team competition is different for different colleges. If you are less than a star player, you may find that colleges with very strong soccer teams won't have a place in the playing XI for you. So instead of being a benchwarmer for a strong team, try picking a college where you can lead from the front and get maximum playing time, even if the college is smaller.
You can learn a lot more about soccer scholarships, including tips on how to get selected into the college of your choice, athletics scholarships, and financial aid at my website below:
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