Author: Andy Koffi Brou
Date of Publication: 25/06/2023
In our era, professional sport is probably one of the best options for those who want a highly-paid job. However, this domain is harshly competitive since it is daily fueled with people who want to take your place.
So what should you do if you prefer a much safer domain which relatively pays well? Well, you should then probably opt for the school path. Yet what if you are hesitating about this choice and you don’t see a reason preventing you from doing both at the same time? In this case, University sport is suited for you.
University Sport ? Ok, but where ?
Each year more students are packing their stuff to go to one of the best destinations. This is in terms of Universities prestige, education quality, scholarships and decent university sport level: The United States.
But let’s start with the most important:
“What is the real status of those students?”
An “athlete-student” is mostly an American and a Canadian phenomenon. Actually, it defines a student who is mostly part of a college (University in Europe). They are normal students with one difference. They defend their university colors while doing sports at a good level. For example, Football, American Football and Basketball are the most popular picks. Their prospects are quite simple, though. The student can either obtain their diploma and enter the work market or rise to the highest tiers of American College sports leagues. As a result, they make it professional.
Pros & Cons
Now that you know what this is about, maybe you will want to know the reasons why so many students opt for this project and if it is worth it or not?
American Universities / Education Quality
You are not unaware that the United States has the best universities in the world. In fact in many universities world rankings, the five first spots will most likely be American colleges. These institutions' reputation is an amazing advantage. So, obtaining a degree or any diploma in these establishments is indeed very beneficial for a student.
Languages
This experience in America will enhance your level in the most spoken and studied language in the world, English.
Scholarships
Colleges in America are extremely expensive due to the quality of their infrastructures (Gyms, cafeterias, computers/laptops). Therefore, you will need an average 35. 000 $ (≈33 000€) a year to study for a private college in the USA. Alternatively, you need approximately 60 000 $ (≈55 000€) a year for a very prestigious one. This is the reason why American colleges and other institutions grant scholarships to the students willing to enter this program.
University sport level
The prestige of American best colleges is not only a matter of education quality. Let's take the example of Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Their recognition as the Big 3 in fact comes from their simultaneous domination of college football during the 1880s.
American Football and Basketball are played at a very high level within American colleges. So, since the world’s best leagues in these 2 sports are in the US (NBA, NFL), practicing these within a college is a “royal path” to make it professional.
Time-saving
The sports path will be much more difficult than the studies one. However, since these students are doing both at a time, they won’t be forced to start from scratch if they fail in the sports domain. What’s more, with an American college diploma in their hands, finding a job won’t be a huge struggle for them.
Conclusion
This “athlete-student” experience has really convincing advantages such as: a Prestigious college education and studying in better infrastructures. We can also mention the multilingual environment and that possible scholarship grant. Honestly, any student had better accept this challenge if they want to pursue studies in an excellent university. However, the same is true if they want to do sports at a relatively high level.