Are my sports related expenses in the US paid for or do I have to pay for tournaments, practice lessons and my sports gear?

Are my sports related expenses in the US paid for or do I have to pay for tournaments, practice lessons and my sports gear?

This is a question we get asked very often, as it is something that most international athletes and their parents have not experienced to this magnitude in their home country. However, here is the good news! Once you are part of a college team in the US, basically every sports-related expense will be paid for by the university or college. This starts with all the expenses related to your actual tournaments and games. So all your travel, food and entry fees while competing for your college team will be taken care of. On top of that, you will receive a bunch of team gear, not only for tournaments and games, but also for practice and even to run around campus. This is also the case for specific equipment that is…
Read More
Can I go visit a college before making my final decision?

Can I go visit a college before making my final decision?

While the answer to this question technically is yes, it is not always that simple to set up a visit and sometimes there just is not enough time. First of all, when talking about campus visits, it is important to differentiate between an official and unofficial visit. Unofficial visits are typically fairly easy to set up as it simply means that you fly over to the US at your own expense and whenever it is convenient to you. The downside of an unofficial visit is that there are restrictions on what you are allowed to do when you are on campus and how much you can actually interact and do with the coaches and team members. Also, when considering an unofficial visit, make sure that it does not slow down…
Read More
How important is college sport in the United States?

How important is college sport in the United States?

The answer to this question is a very easy one! MASSIVE, and in capital letters! For Americans, a sports scholarship is a huge honor and something that young athletes start working towards very early. Even just receiving a walk on spot on a team very often brings athletes and their parents to tears, as you can see from many videos gone viral when these athletes are told by their coaches that they will have a spot on the team. Furthermore, the interest level to follow and watch college sports on TV is something that is unheard of in countries outside of North America. College football or basketball games regularly receive high TV ratings with an audience in the millions. And other sports have started catching up as well. Sports like…
Read More
How do I know whether a school is the right fit for me?

How do I know whether a school is the right fit for me?

While this might seem like an easy question to answer, it is actually not that simple. The reason for that is that every athlete is different (both academically and athletically) and also might be looking for totally different things. To begin with, every athlete and his or her parents should always be realistic when considering his or her options. For example, if you are a below average student, you should not be looking at Ivy Leagues. Or if you have not at least competed at the very highest level in your country, you also probably won’t receive a massive scholarship to one of the absolute top programs for your respective sport. However, here is the good news! If you do that and look at things from a realistic perspective, there…
Read More