NORTH ALLEGHENY SPORTS NETWORK Athletic Director

Financial Aid

1. How much financial aid is available for both the academic year and summer school? What does your scholarship cover?

2. How long does my scholarship last? Most people think a “full ride” is good for four years, but athletics financial aid is available on a one-year, renewable basis.

3. What are my opportunities for employment while I am a student? Find out if you can be employed in season, out of season or during vacation periods.

4. Exactly how much will the athletics scholarship be? What will and will not be covered? It is important to understand what college expenses your family is responsible for so you can arrange to pay those. Educational expenses can be paid with student loans and government grants, but it takes time to apply for these. Find out early so you can get something lined up.

5. Am I eligible for additional financial aid? Are there any restrictions? Sometimes a student-athlete cannot accept a certain type of scholarship because of NCAA limitations. If you will be receiving other scholarships, let the coach and financial aid officer know so they can determine if you may accept additional dollars.

6. Who is financially responsible if I am injured while competing? You need to understand your financial obligations if you suffer an injury while participating in athletics.

7. What circumstances would cause my scholarship to be reduced or canceled? Coaches should be able to give you some idea of how players are evaluated from year to year and how these decisions are made. The institution may have a policy governing renewal of athletics aid. Ask if such a policy exists and read it.

8. Are there academic criteria tied to maintaining the scholarship? Some institutions add academic requirements to scholarships (e.g., minimum grade-point average).

9. What scholarship money is available after eligibility is exhausted to help me complete my degree? It may take longer than four years to complete a college degree program. Some colleges assist student-athletes financially as they complete their degrees. Ask how such aid is awarded. You may have to work with the team or in the athletics department to qualify for this aid.

10. What scholarship money is available if I suffer an athletics career-ending injury? Not every institution continues to provide an athletics scholarship to a student-athlete who can no longer compete because of a career-ending injury.

11. Will my scholarship be maintained if there is a change in coaches? A coach may not be able to answer this, but the athletics director may.

Financial Aid

If your son or daughter is academically eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics and is accepted as a full-time student at a Division I or II school, he or she may receive athletics-based financial aid from the school.

Division I or II financial aid may include tuition and fees, room and board, and books.

Division III institutions do not award financial aid based on athletics ability. A Division III college may award need-based or academically related financial aid.

A nonqualifier may receive only need-based financial aid (aid unrelated to athletics). A nonqualifier also may receive non-athletic aid from private sources or government programs (such as Pell grants). The college financial aid office can provide further information.

It is important to understand several points about athletics scholarships from Divisions I and II schools:

• All athletics scholarships awarded by NCAA institutions are limited to one year and are renewable annually. There is no such award as a four-year athletics scholarship.

• Athletics scholarships may be renewed annually for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Athletics aid may be canceled or reduced at the end of each year.

• Athletics scholarships are awarded in a variety of amounts, ranging from full scholarships (including tuition, fees, room and board, and books) to very small scholarships (e.g., books only).

• The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete may receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team may receive can be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete may accept additional financial aid from other sources. Ask financial aid officials at the college or university about any other financial aid your son or daughter might be eligible to receive, and how this aid impacts his or her athletics aid limit. You must inform the college financial aid office about scholarships received from all sources, such as local civic or booster clubs. An athletics scholarship is a tremendous benefit to most families, but you should also have a plan to pay for college costs that are not covered by a scholarship (such as travel between home and school). You should also consider how you will finance your son’s or daughter’s education if the athletics scholarship is reduced or canceled.

QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BOB BOZZUTO AT 724-934-7238