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