College Tennis in the US is a fantastic opportunity for tennis players all over the world, who want to combine study and tennis at a high level.
After graduating from high school, you can combine your favorite study with daily hours of tennis and physical training.
But there are many myths surrounding College Tennis.
Myth 1. You must be the number 1 player in your country to have a chance for a scholarship.
Not everybody knows that College Tennis consists of different levels.
The number 1 in your country will play at a higher level in College Tennis than lower-ranked players, but also the lower-ranked players can receive a scholarship. For every player, there is an opportunity to play College Tennis, but you must have completed high school.
Myth 2. Arranging a scholarship is easily possible within a short time.
A lot of players think they can first graduate from high school and then look around for a scholarship. However, within a certain time frame after graduating from high school you must start at the university. The whole procedure for arranging a scholarship normally takes about one year. You have to arrange your recruiting video and profile text, do your tests, find universities, communicate with the coaches, decide to choose the right university, arrange the application process, and at the end arrange your visa.
When you are interested in College Tennis, start early the whole procedure and arrange most of the tasks before your exams of high school.
Myth 3. It's very easy to arrange a scholarship by yourself.
College Tennis is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Of course, you can try to arrange a scholarship by yourself, but when you mess up there's no way back and your College Tennis dream is over.
Better is to collaborate with a recruiting agency. They are specialized in scholarship procedures and they support you during your whole procedure.
Of course, you have to pay a certain fee to the recruiting agency, but you earn this back by getting a good scholarship at a good university.
Myth 4. Many players returning from College Tennis have not increased their playing level.
Especially players and coaches who don't have experience with College Tennis themselves are sometimes negative about the playing level in College Tennis.
First, it's up to your discipline and attitude whether you raise your playing level.
Don't blame the whole College Tennis environment, but choose the right university that fits you. For example, when your playing level is high and you have dreams to play in the pro circuit in the future, search for the right university that can help your dreams come true.
There are many examples of College Tennis players who made the switch to professional tennis like Ben Shelton, Christopher Eubanks, Cameron Norrie, J.J. Wolf, Rinky Hijikata, Mackenzie McDonald, Danielle Collins, Peyton Stearns, Emma Navarro, and many more.
Myth 5. With a scholarship, everything is free in the US.
In general, this is not true. When you receive a scholarship, the university is paying the biggest part of the real costs. You must pay the remaining amount yourself. The good news is that you don't have to pay back this scholarship when you quit College Tennis after one year or when you've finished College Tennis after 4 years.
Only girls in the highest division (Division 1) may receive a full scholarship.
Myth 6. Having the guarantee to play in the lineup, during the entire competition season.
That's not entirely true. You start at a certain position in the lineup, but you must prove yourself constantly in practice and matches. The best players, according to the coach, are playing in the lineup, ranked by playing level. Each tennis team has also several substitutes.
So choose a university where you can start in the middle of the lineup at the start of the season. Then there are still better players in your team, and you don't have to start as a substitute.
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