Merit/Academic scholarship-athletic limitation

[slorunner]

TSAAA has a rule that prohibits students that are getting merit/academic scholarships from playing varsity sports. I assume the reasoning is that these scholarships could be used to recruit athletes rather than for academic purposes. Is this correct? Seems to be a harsh rule given the relatively small number of these types of scholarships that are offered. I think it would be reasonable to review the awards on an individual basis to determine whether it was truly realated to academics or not. Current rule penalizes a good student that may also be a good athlete. Has this rule been challenged in the past or is there any likelihood that it may change in the future? New to all this and just trying to figure out the rationale for the rule-if there is one.

[OnlineLC]

I notice you are new to the boards so let me give you a quick overview of Div I and Div II.

 

The schools who play in Div II are allowed to give scholarships and the students are allowed to play sports. The scholarship approval goes through an independent 3rd party.

 

Div I privates are not allowed to give scholarships to athletes and are placed in with Public Schools with a 1.8 enrollment multiplier. . In that instance the student receiving a scholarship may practice etc with the team but is not allowed to play at all in a competition with another school. This is not a major issue since the majority of the smaller Div I privates don't have the deep coffers and endowments that you would find at MBA etc. and don't have money to offer scholarships.

 

If at some point they wish to offer aid etc, the school can put in a request to the TSSAA to move up to Div II.

[slorunner]

I notice you are new to the boards so let me give you a quick overview of Div I and Div II.

 

The schools who play in Div II are allowed to give scholarships and the students are allowed to play sports. The scholarship approval goes through an independent 3rd party.

 

Div I privates are not allowed to give scholarships to athletes and are placed in with Public Schools with a 1.8 enrollment multiplier. . In that instance the student receiving a scholarship may practice etc with the team but is not allowed to play at all in a competition with another school. This is not a major issue since the majority of the smaller Div I privates don't have the deep coffers and endowments that you would find at MBA etc. and don't have money to offer scholarships.

 

If at some point they wish to offer aid etc, the school can put in a request to the TSSAA to move up to Div II.

 

 

 

Thanks for the response. For the sake of argument say my child is considering a Div. II school like Baylor or McCallie. I understand that they can play varsity athletics if they get only "need based" financial aid but not if they get a merit/academic scholarship. It is correct that to detemine whether family/child is eligible for need based aid financial information is submitted to a national review service that then reports to the school. Merit/academic scholarship is treated differently-say for example the child is offered a 50% merit/academic scholarship with no "need based" financial aid-in that situation the student cannot play varsity sports other than non TSSAA sports like lacrosse and crew. Trying to understand the history or rationale for the rule in that type of situation and anything that might be in line to change or alter the rule.

[Antwan]

Thanks for the response. For the sake of argument say my child is considering a Div. II school like Baylor or McCallie. I understand that they can play varsity athletics if they get only "need based" financial aid but not if they get a merit/academic scholarship. It is correct that to detemine whether family/child is eligible for need based aid financial information is submitted to a national review service that then reports to the school. Merit/academic scholarship is treated differently-say for example the child is offered a 50% merit/academic scholarship with no "need based" financial aid-in that situation the student cannot play varsity sports other than non TSSAA sports like lacrosse and crew. Trying to understand the history or rationale for the rule in that type of situation and anything that might be in line to change or alter the rule.

 

 

That may be true...but that's the first I've heard of it.

[OnlineLC]

Thanks, I now understand your first question a lot clearer, and to be honest I do not know with any degree of confidence.

 

I think there may well be a situation where a student receives a small need based aid package which in turn is sweetened by the school with a substantial "Merit/Academic" Scholarship. If I understand the TSSAA rules correctly, the student would not be allowed to play.

 

Interesting question and what do the TSSAA do to check on this?

 

Thanks for the response. For the sake of argument say my child is considering a Div. II school like Baylor or McCallie. I understand that they can play varsity athletics if they get only "need based" financial aid but not if they get a merit/academic scholarship. It is correct that to detemine whether family/child is eligible for need based aid financial information is submitted to a national review service that then reports to the school. Merit/academic scholarship is treated differently-say for example the child is offered a 50% merit/academic scholarship with no "need based" financial aid-in that situation the student cannot play varsity sports other than non TSSAA sports like lacrosse and crew. Trying to understand the history or rationale for the rule in that type of situation and anything that might be in line to change or alter the rule.

[BDURHAM]

Never heard of this rule. Can an administrator at the potential

school help you request a "wavier" from the TSSAA?

 

I agree with you that it is hard to understand any logic for this rule.

My best guess is that it is to tie-up a potential recruiting violation or

something that has been abused in the past.

 

 

 

Thanks for the response. For the sake of argument say my child is considering a Div. II school like Baylor or McCallie. I understand that they can play varsity athletics if they get only "need based" financial aid but not if they get a merit/academic scholarship. It is correct that to detemine whether family/child is eligible for need based aid financial information is submitted to a national review service that then reports to the school. Merit/academic scholarship is treated differently-say for example the child is offered a 50% merit/academic scholarship with no "need based" financial aid-in that situation the student cannot play varsity sports other than non TSSAA sports like lacrosse and crew. Trying to understand the history or rationale for the rule in that type of situation and anything that might be in line to change or alter the rule.

[big red big blue]

Thanks for the response. For the sake of argument say my child is considering a Div. II school like Baylor or McCallie. I understand that they can play varsity athletics if they get only "need based" financial aid but not if they get a merit/academic scholarship. It is correct that to detemine whether family/child is eligible for need based aid financial information is submitted to a national review service that then reports to the school. Merit/academic scholarship is treated differently-say for example the child is offered a 50% merit/academic scholarship with no "need based" financial aid-in that situation the student cannot play varsity sports other than non TSSAA sports like lacrosse and crew. Trying to understand the history or rationale for the rule in that type of situation and anything that might be in line to change or alter the rule.

 

 

I have never heard of this and I think it would be odd if it actually were happening. What you are suggesting is that there is some bucket of financial aid that is awarded solely based on academic accomplishment and not need. So, it would follow then that the schools could hand out financial aid to a family who doesn't at all need it because of their child's academic record. The stated purpose of all financial aid is to open the school doors to people who can't afford the tuition bill. It's not to reward accomplishment (athletic, academic, artistic, etc.) of any kind. I certainly hope that the financial aid available is given 100% to the families who need it.

[cbg]

I was told that a student/athlete had to return a $1000.00 academic scholarship for finishing first in their 8th grade class. It was a private grade school and the scholarship was to be used for tuition at the high school they had selected to attend.

[Bighurt]

From the TSSAA handbook, Article II, Section 16 -

3. Any loan program, grant program, educational foundation or similar program that is established and/or administered, in whole or in part, by a school or official of a school is considered financial aid.

[BDURHAM]

I'm missing the point of this reference. You can play

athletics in D2 if you are receiving financial aid. This

reference doesn't indicate that receive financial aid

prevents a student from playing athletics. Or am I

missing something?

 

I have never heard or read this rule:

 

TSAAA has a rule that prohibits students that are getting merit/academic scholarships from playing varsity sports.

 

From the TSSAA handbook, Article II, Section 16 -

3. Any loan program, grant program, educational foundation or similar program that is established and/or administered, in whole or in part, by a school or official of a school is considered financial aid.

[silverpie]

If the amount of aid given is any higher than the amount SSS indicates as the "need-based" amount, then the kid is ineligible even in Division II.

[KCHSCoach]

To get around that rule, some DII schools load kids up on finical aid their freshman year, making them ineligible that year, but good to go the three years after