Students seeking college athletic scholarships often focus on NCAA sports, such as football, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, cross country, track and field, golf, and even fencing. But there are scholarships out there, garnering less competition, for many sports offered as a club or intramural activity on campuses.
College-bound students passionate about archery can compete for scholarships at the Junior Olympic Archery Development National Target Championships.
Scholarship money is likewise offered each year by the International Surfing Association and The Surfer’s Environmental Alliance. Students dedicated to boxing can seek scholarships from The Eastern Collegiate Boxing Association and the American Association for the Improvement of Boxing. Students passionate about bowling can seek scholarships from schools competitive in this sport, including Vanderbilt University and New Jersey City University.
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There are even college scholarships available to golf caddies, including The Evans Scholarship. It covers tuition and housing and has been awarded to more than 12,000 men and women since it was initiated back in 1930. Additionally, the New Jersey State Golf Association (NJSGA) Caddie Scholarship is available to qualified applicants who have caddied at a participating NJSGA club for at least two seasons.
Students who have not yet reached high school may want to pursue a less popular sport or activity that brings them fulfillment, and which offers a greater opportunity for them to excel. Those who are already involved at the high school level should seek opportunities to gain financial support from colleges that showcase their sport.
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Of course, there are a multitude of scholarships available to students outside the arena of sports. Scholarships.com lists a wide variety of funds that are specifically available to New Jersey students and recommends that college-bound students pursue these funds since New Jersey residents have one of the highest average student loan balances in the country: $35,000 for the average borrower.
Another site providing scholarship information is Discover.com which offers an online scholarship search database with four million scholarships that are collectively worth more than $22 billion.
College-bound students should also download the free college scholarship app “Scholly” which helps to target the specific scholarships for which they are likely eligible. Utilizing this tool, students have successfully been awarded more than $100 million since it was first created by a Drexel University student back in 2015.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.
