D3 Aid/Scholarship Guidance

Bluedevil_bk,

Yes, sometimes the NCAA will audit a school to ensure atheletes and non-athletes are getting the same FA package. I know of such a school that was audited a few years ago.   Private (D3) schools can offer institutional grants to whomever they want, I think the NCAA wants to make sure that it isn't all going to athletes.  I have heard of this.   But, I'm puzzled by the FA officers comments in terms of being a disadvantage.  I'd call her/him to explain why and how it is a disadvantage.

Good luck.

There are two elements to the question of financial aid at D3's. First is the athletic componet which has been accuretly stated. The second is the institutional philosophy of aid which clearly differs from institution to institution. Some institutions believe that athletics is core to their educational mission; others feel that it is a finanical drain to the school. Each schools philosphy will likely carry through to how much and when financial aid is offfered.

This is something I always wondered about.

1. Do they look at each individual package for athletes and compare them to the core.
2. Do they look at all packages to athletes as a whole compared to the core.

In option two I can see how it could be a disadvantage to be an athlete. Lets say they give preferential packages to their top recruits that are better than the core, and to balance that out the give packages to the bottom recruits that are worse than the core.

I am not saying his is happening I just always wondered.

BLD,

Here are links to a couple of NCAA notifications on D3 which relate to your post and also address the questions from the OP(the first one seems almost directly on the point of the OP and your questions)::

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/co...+broader+allegations

https://web1.ncaa.org/LSDBi/ex...20899&division=3

I hope each are of some help in how the rules are to be applied at D3 and how some programs have tended toward lack of compliance coupled with the NCAA response.

Thanks for the responses.

Sorry, Fenway South I was not clear, The FA office did not out right say it was a disadvantage. It was implied stating that she had to review athletes...and I inferred based on her statements the school did not have the same oversight restrictions for non - athletes.

Second, I got the impression she looked at each individual athlete and compared it to the average non athlete aid package, (she was expressed as % of aid to total tuition)

But, I did not ask that specific question.

Small Private School Financial Aid offices appear to have lots of latitude. If you fit a profile and fall above there averages, there seems to be very generous aid packages available. These profiles and averages are unique, may change from year to year and are unspoken.

Thanks Infield Dad!   The articles are very helpful and consistent with my experience at  few D3s.