Obscure American university for sports scholarship?

[deno]

DD is 15 and is one of the top people in her age group nationally at a particular sport. It's pretty unlikely that she'll "go professional" or make any serious money from it, but she has the opportunity to get a full sports scholarship to a US university, where she would compete at the NCAA level. This would include rent/living costs as well as tuition fees, and would mean that she would graduate debt free (which she certainly wouldn't in the UK!) so it seems like an incredible offer.

My only concern is that the particular universities that are good for her sport, are not well-known in the UK. As it is pretty likely that she'll return to the UK afterwards, I'm wondering if having a degree from an institute no-one here has heard of would affect her job prospects.

She's not Oxbridge material, but she's reasonably bright and I'm pretty sure that she would be able to get into universities of the Exeter/Warwick calibre. If she goes to the US, she's looking at colleges such as Baylor (in Texas) and Louisville (in Kentucky).

My friend did this for tennis.

She came back with a degree from a lesser known American university. Found it was not acceptable really in the UK in the same way a 2:1 from RG is, so went back to uni in the UK.

Was overall a GREAT experience but was not an escape from UK uni debt (at that time it was just 1k fees tho so a difference consideration).

*different

deno

Baylor is actually a really good university, my whole family was so proud when my Uncle graduated from there. Waco, TX is fairly nice overall as well, I've been there many times.

God, i wish I'd done something like this when I was younger. I think once you've got your first job, for most people anyway, which uni you went to doesn't matter at all.

I wouldn't assume she'll come back though, a lot of people meet their future spouses at uni, and many of my friends moved all over for partners at that sort of age.

I'd say go for it. To have a degree, debt free and played a sport would be amazing. Worse that could happen is she doesn't like it and comes home - nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Even if the University isn't a well-known one in the UK (ie its not Harvard or Yale) I think a recruiter would look favourably on someone showing guts, independence and determination to take up such an offer and made a go of it.

I don't think degree snobbery exists "as much" as it used to, perhaps only in the medicine and law sectors still (so what subject would she be studying).

Out of interest I've just looked on my department's staff lists and pen portraits. There are plenty of people in my department with degrees from "former polytechnics" who are more senior and earn more money than those from red brick and Russell Group Unis.

@FluffyWuffy100

Thank you so much - it's really interesting to hear people's experiences of the NCAA.

@LeighaJ

I'm definitely not saying that these aren't excellent universities, just that they're pretty unknown in Britain!

@flimflaminurjams

She's not exactly sure what she wants to study - one of the reasons why the US system with the extra year might help her.

But definitely not medicine/law, she'd probably be looking at something in the humanities, history/politics/sociology maybe.

Does she know what profession she's hoping to end up in long term? Unless it's something that needs specific UK accreditation she should be fine I would think.

I would do it sounds like a great experience. She could always do a masters in the UK and only have one years debt to deal with.

I had a friend who did this (although it was about 15 years ago!) but it was actually a second Batchelor's degree in addition to his UK degree. He enjoyed the experience but I don't think the qualification has been very useful. He was at an obscure Bible college in the South and he said they had very strict rules about alcohol and fraternising with members of the opposite sex! And there was a lot of racism.

I'd second 'walkingdead'. I know a few people who've come to the UK to study their masters. Might be worth a call to the uni she would likely apply for if she doesn't go and ask about UCAS credits if she studies in the US.

I would do it sounds like a great experience. She could always do a masters in the UK and only have one years debt to deal with.

I was going to say exactly this. She might even get into Oxbridge for a masters if she does well there, and gains a wonderful experience, great training and a debt free start on the rest of her life.

It's worth bearing in mind that the US university system is geared towards the fact that a much higher proportion of students will go on to graduate study so an undergraduate degree will have greater breadth but often less depth than a UK degree. Depending on what she wants to do she may find that she needs to do a masters either in the UK or the USA.

What an amazing opportunity!

I assume without the scholarship the college fees and living costs would be extortionate? It’s worth being aware that if she sustains an injury and is unable to perform in her sport her scholarship would be dropped and she might be liable for the fees.

Is there any chance of a scholarship to a more famous (and less Christian, if that is likely to bother her) university over there?

@AnathemaPulsifer

The only well-known in the UK university that offers scholarship for her sport is Stanford, which is realistically a bit out of reach for her academically.

@MVLipwig

That is definitely worth considering - the fees & living costs are about as much as my annual income, so there's no way we could afford to keep her there if she got injured & lost the scholarship.

I actually think it may be a con.
Friend’s son did this - v talented footballer.
He had a great year but it did not deliver at all career wise.

Baylor is a fantastic, well respected uni.

If your daughter is not hugely academic and unlikely to go into a career that requires a high level degree from a top uni then a US degree is a great option. I know several people who have done this and not suffered career wise as a result.

Only a very tiny proportion of talented college athletes will have a successful professional career. The real stars are drafted before they complete their degrees.

There are agencies that 'translate' qualifications across different countries. I don't know the names of ones in the UK, but try to find out. It could be that you can see how well her degree would be viewed in the UK. Of course, it would also depend on what her GPa is.

Don’t worry about degree snobbery. Recruiters looking at graduates look at degree, institution but also what you did whilst at uni, what sort of person you are etc. To be able to compete at a senior level, travel, train etc would make that person a great hire. And wow what an opportunity. But someone made great point above re what happens if gets injured etc,

The point about injury is a really important one. You need to read the fine print of the scholarship very carefully and perhaps even take professional advice on it. Your DD will likely be covered for sports-related medical issues but will she be covered for general healthcare? Many American students are covered under their parents' policies. If she has a career-ending injury and loses her scholarship, will you be liable for her medical bills? In the worst case scenario that she loses her scholarship before graduating and cannot afford the fees to continue, could she transfer her credits to any UK universities in order to complete her degree?

Go for it. I graduated from an American university that's far less well known than Baylor and I've worked at very senior levels in the UK. No one gives hoot past your first job and I had plenty of offers even then. If she's going to go into a technical field like engineering then it's true she won't get the same depth in undergrad as she would in the UK and that's worth planning for.