USA Scholarships has been in existence for almost two years. Our team of recruiters have noticed a common trait amongst the students who apply to our programme. At its core, students who have leadership qualities make it while the others do not. 
 
Most high school students do not know what they want to achieve in life, which is fine, as we know they are only kids. However, there are a select few who do and will go to extraordinary lengths to accomplish their goals. Before hearing about our company, most students and parents never thought studying in the USA could be possible, once they realise their dreams are attainable, two groups of athletes emerge: The "Go-Getters" and "The Avoiders". The Go-Getter students, effectively utilise all opportunities at their disposal to win huge scholarships, while the Avoiders tend to preserve the status quo, play it safe and miss out on life changing experiences. 
 
Avoiders tend to have low empathy and lack assertiveness, only asserting themselves when stressed or uncomfortable. They tend not to care about the scholarship procurement process and only want results to go their way. Avoiders do not like taking advice and will keep a low profile. Students who fall into the Avoider category may enjoy early successes but will need to adapt a Go-Getter attitude to maintain that success throughout their careers.
 
Go-Getters are highly assertive and possess an ability to set goals and achieve them. They have high expectations of themselves and those around them, exhausting all available resources. Go-Getters are optimistic, consciously knowing the risks yet confident in the abilities of others. They actively engage in the recruitment process with our agents, ask questions, meet deadlines and consistently follow up on our progress. One of the most prevalent traits of the Go-Getters in our programme is their willingness to research colleges that have shown interest in them. USA coaches are blown away when communicating with these athletes, who, inevitably, received more funding.
 
Go-Getters In Action:
One of the most influential students to pass through the USA scholarships programme is Gerald Lowe. Gerald is a South African Rugby player who joined USA Scholarships back in 2015. Gerald was the Deputy Head Boy of Menlo Park High School, and Captain of the Blue Bulls U/19 Academy. During his senior year at Menlo Park, the team suffered a number of major setbacks: The coach was replaced in the middle of the season and the majority of the team sustained injuries - the season looked bleak. When speaking to Gerald about these experiences, he downplays them, as he has the Go-Getter leadership traits. He is naturally confident, charismatic and he exudes optimism. Gerald will be attending Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, where he will be a member of the Goldern Bears Rugby team. 
 
When asked to pen his thoughts on leadership, Gerald produced the following: "...A natural leader is someone with good work ethic, influential skills and adaptability. Leaders set goals and work hard each day to achieve them. I believe that a leader's ultimate goal is to become the best possible version of themselves; one can achieve this through balance, discipline and working harder than anyone in the room to achieve their goals."
 
It's important to remember these athletes are only kids and both types of students are important. As USA Scholarships grows and expands its reach into Europe and Asia, students will come in all shapes and sizes and may not fit the mould of the Go-Getter. We strive to ensure that all our recruiters are examples of the Go-Getter leader. The better we are as a company, the more Avoider's we will be able to guide and nurture into becoming world-class student-athletes.
 

​​Choosing your subjects wisely can play a major role in your USA athletic chances. There are three major sporting associations that you need to know; the NCAA, NAIA, and the NJCAA. By following the subject requirements set out by the NCAA, you will qualify for all three and will give yourself the best opportunity to win a scholarship. 

​All the above-mentioned associations take your marks into consideration from Grade 9 to Grade 12. The NCAA requires South African students to take; Mathematics, English and an additional language for four consecutive years. They also require 2 Social Sciences and 2 Natural Sciences. (Maths Literacy is not accepted)  

When choosing your Social Sciences, the following subjects will give you credit; History, Geography, Religion, Archaeology, Criminology, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology and Economics (Business Studies and Business Economics do not qualify). 

Ways to Ensure Social Science Compliance: 

1. When selecting subjects in grade 9, you should choose either History or Geography. This is the best way to qualify for NCAA eligibility.
2. If your high school does not combine History and Geography into Social Science in grade 9, you will get two credits. It does not matter that both subjects were taken in the same year.
3. If you are in Grade 11, and it is too late to switch subjects. You can complete an online course to make up. These online courses are eight weeks and are turned in and marked online. (Contact us for more information.)

The following subjects will give you credits toward your Natural Science requirements; Biology, Life Science, Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science, Anatomy, Environmental Sciences and Physiology. The NCAA requires students to complete two years of a Natural Science in high school.

Ways to Ensure Social Science Compliance: 

1. In Grade 9 you took Biology and Physical Science which were not combined into Natural Science.  
2. In Grade 9 you should select Biology or Physical Science as a high school subject. This is the best way to qualify for NCAA eligibility.
3. You are in Grade 11, and it is too late to switch subjects. You can complete an online Natural Science course. These online courses are eight weeks and are turned in and marked online. 

Common Problems Students Experience:

1. In Grade 9, South African schools often combine History & Geography into Social Science and Life Science & Physical Science into Natural Science. As a result, the NCAA will only recognise one year, and you will need to take additional subjects in grade 10. 

Maths Literacy is not acknowledged by the NCAA. No matter how talented you are, you will not be eligible to compete in the NCAA for one year. The problem is, coaches do not offer scholarships to ineligible athletes when they can recruit someone who can play. Our advice is to avoid it at any cost; it is better to get 50% for Core Mathematics than 80% for Mathematics Literacy. (Maths Literacy is accepted by NAIA and NJCAA Colleges.)

Yes, you can still play in the NCAA. The requirements listed above are specific to the NCAA which is the biggest athletic association in the USA with over 1100 top institutions. The NAIA has 300 member colleges, and the NJCAA has over 500. When students do not meet the requirements, they will have to spend at least one season outside the NCAA before being able to transfer in. This is not uncommon and is used by many top athletes in our program.

​When people think of South Africa, they think of a place that is rich in culture, history and abundant resources. Often, we do not think of the successful people who left to make a distinctly South African mark all over the world. In this week's blog, we focus on five South Africans who are using their heritage to dominate their respective fields in the USA.

South Africans are gaining a lot of international attention and are often complimented on the way they are changing the world. Whether it be a tennis father making his kids realise their potential, a lawyer helping million's of people or a philanthropist trying to make the world a better place, all these South Africans have the same thing in common: Determination. I think this is something every person who grows up in the Rainbow Nation gets instilled with. ​

​Shelby Foote once said, "A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library". In this week's blog, we focus on some of the most beautiful of these Universities. From Ivy League Universities to State Colleges, find out who made their mark on these stunning campuses.
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College of New Jersey was the original name of this Ivy League University when it first opened in 1746, changing to Princeton University in 1896. It was the fourth chartered institution of higher education making it one of the only colonial colleges established before the American Revolution. Princeton has a great reputation for education having a faculty to student ratio of 1:6, they are also extremely competitive in their sports programmes, having won the most Ivy League Championships since the league began. ​

Rice University is a small private institution based in Houston Texas.  The university opened in 1912 after its founder William Marsh Rice, a businessman from Massachusetts, created a Charter in his will stating when he passed, his enormous fortune would be used to fund a top University. When Mr Rice was murdered by his Valet, the Charter to build Rice University was triggered, and the first classes were held in 1912.  Today, Rice University has a large focus on research, having recently raised $115 million in sponsorship's for research. This is a considerable feet considering that Rice only has 7000 students. ​

Robert Frost complimented the university by saying it is “the most beautiful campus that ever there was”. Miami U, Miami of Ohio or Miami are often what is referred to when speaking about Miami University.  The Univerisity held its first classes in 1824 with no more than 20 students. Now, Maimi consists of 18000 students. If the have an appreciation for beautiful architecture and Greek traditions then Miami is the place for you.