Swimming in the USA is tremendously competitive. There are over 900 University swimming programmes and they are of the highest calibre. There are two Athletic Associations in which athletes can compete at in college: 1. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or 2. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NCAA swimming programmes are made up of three divisions, while the NAIA swimming programmes only have one division.
There are two types of swimming scholarships available: full and partial. A full scholarship covers the swimmer’s tuition, housing, meals, books, and in some instances, it will cover a swimmer’s medical insurance. Partial scholarships will only cover a portion of the previously mentioned classifications. If you are looking to swim at an NCAA Division 3 university, you will not be eligible to receive a swimming scholarship, as it is the only division to not grant athletic aid. NCAA D3 Schools do, however, assist with academic, financial aid, which means you will need to have a good Grade Point Average (GPA). |
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As a prospective swimmer, it is important to understand that swimming scholarships are only awarded to athletes who show great potential. USA swimming programmes place a high value on their scholarships and view them as an investment in the future of their programme. Coaches can identify an athlete's potential by looking at their times, their training schedule, technique, size and age. It is not an exact science, but coaches can calculate your current level and future potential by looking at these key aspects.
As a prospective college swimmer, your times and GPA are the most important factors when looking for a swimming scholarship. Your GPA needs to be a 3.0 or above to attract the attention of great universities and your times need to be highly competitive in at least three events. To find out if your GPA and times are competitive, sign up for a scholarships evaluation below and an agent will call you and assess your realistic chances.
As a prospective college swimmer, your times and GPA are the most important factors when looking for a swimming scholarship. Your GPA needs to be a 3.0 or above to attract the attention of great universities and your times need to be highly competitive in at least three events. To find out if your GPA and times are competitive, sign up for a scholarships evaluation below and an agent will call you and assess your realistic chances.