oo often, athletes focus more of their attention on the field than in the classroom. When college coaches are evaluating high school football players they need two things, a highlight tape and a transcript. They won’t look at one without seeing the other. Do not underestimate the importance of grades during the recruiting process.
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD GRADES
We have surveyed hundreds of college coaches to understand how grades impact recruitment. Of the coaches we surveyed, 85% told us they are less likely to recruit an athlete with a low GPA even if they can get them admitted.
Your grades will also determine what kind of financial package you could receive. Most D1 schools offer full athletic scholarships to most of their athletes, however, the vast majority (85%) of college football players receive either partial or no athletic based aid. Of the non-D1 schools surveyed, 83% indicated that players with a good GPA will pay less for their education compared to those with a lower GPA. It literally pays to be a great student! The graph below, indicates that 94% of D2/NAIA schools say that a good GPA will result in a reduced college bill. This is because D2 and NAIA schools find ways to combine partial athletic scholarships with partial academic scholarships for a full aid package. Furthermore, D3 does not offer any athletic scholarships, so the financial aid package will be based solely on a combination of academic scholarships and financial need. The better your grades are, the less you will pay for school.