Are you a cross-country athlete wondering what will come after high school? Are you looking for cross-country scholarships in the USA that will enable you to hone your cross-country skills and get a world-class education at the same time? If you answered yes, you’ve come to the right place!
At Aspire Atlantic, we can help you find a cross country scholarship at the right university for you. Average cross country scholarships can be difficult to find on your own, but with us, we will help you find a dedicated cross-country running scholarship that will take your sporting career to new heights, while you study your chosen profession.
Contact Us to find out about the variety of USA sports scholarships we offer.
Cross-country scholarships are popular, and finding the right match can be hard when applying on your own. Athletes need to understand what different coaches are looking for, when the right time to apply is, and how to present themselves in a way that will add value to different teams and cultures.
At Aspire Atlantic, we take the guesswork out of finding the right scholarship and ensure you have everything you need to succeed in your cross country career, allowing you to focus on running and your studies.
A cross-country scholarship works like any other sports scholarship in the USA. Scholarships can be full or partial, covering all fees or only a portion of your studies; they can also be granted for your entire college duration or yearly, which will be renewed at the end of each academic year.
During your college cross-country career, you will be trained six days a week, pushing your body to the limit while having to attend and balance a full university class schedule in your chosen study area.
NCAA colleges are allowed to give full scholarships to a certain number of men and women each year in cross-country. If your application to Aspire Atlantic is successful, you will be matched with an American University that best suits your cross country abilities, academics and financial needs.
There are a variety of requirements that a student-athlete may need to meet to be eligible for a cross-country scholarship at a college or university in the United States. In general, however, a student may need to meet the following requirements:
1. Athletic ability: To be eligible for a cross-country scholarship, a student must demonstrate strong potential by submitting specific race time and track-based performance data.
2. Academic ability: Most colleges and universities will require students to achieve a certain grade point average (GPA) to be eligible for an athletic scholarship. This GPA requirement may vary by school and athletic conference; however, a 2.3 is the minimum GPA requirement for NCAA D1 Eligibility.
3. Personal character: Many schools strongly emphasise personal character when awarding athletic scholarships. A student may need to demonstrate leadership qualities, a strong work ethic, and good sportsmanship before coaches will grant them substantial scholarships.
Contact one of our scouts to verify that you meet the basic athletic scholarship requirements.
Your journey to the college of your dreams starts right now! The earlier you start looking for a cross-country scholarship, the more options you will have.
Generally, the best time to start looking for a cross-country scholarship or track and field scholarship will depend on your age, grade level, running ability, and academic ability. Here are a few general guidelines:
1. Grade 9: If you are in high school and interested in competing at the US collegiate level, it's a good idea to start researching a good fit college for you in grade 9. This will give you plenty of time to identify the best college and build relationships with coaches and scouts.
2. Grade 10/ 11 or 12: If you are further along in your high school journey, it's important to start finding a cross-country scholarship as soon as possible. Many top cross country colleges have limited scholarship funds and tend to fill up quickly.
3. Current university students: If you have already graduated high school and are interested in competing for a cross-country scholarship, it's a good idea to speak with us as soon as possible to see what options may be available.
Check out the timeline below for USA College Cross Country Scholarships now:
To apply for a college cross-country scholarship in the United States, you will need to following:
1. First, it is always good to research the many colleges with cross-country teams by looking at websites and reviewing where they are located and their different degrees they offer.
2. Contact the cross-country coach at the colleges you are interested in attending and ask them about any scholarship opportunities they may have and the requirements to meet them.
3. Submit an athletic CV to the coach highlighting your cross-country achievements, academic transcripts, reports, SAT scores and any relevant info, including video footage.
This process can be daunting; however, all you need to do to get started is to Sign Up with Aspire Atlantic today, complete the free online evaluation, and see if you qualify to study and run in the USA – it's that simple!
Aspire Atlantic is one of the worlds best USA university sports recruitment consultancies dedicated to bridging the gap between talent and opportunity for aspiring students. Contact Us to start your stress-free and rewarding USA university sports scholarship admission process today.
It is not a perfect science to determine which college has the best cross-country program, as many factors contribute to the success of a college's cross-country team, and the best program for you will depend on your academic and athletic goals and needs.
Some of the top college cross-country programs in the United States are listed above, however, It's a good idea to research several more to compare their degrees offered, sports facilities, and their coaching staff.
At Aspire Atlantic, we partner with some of the best cross-country universities in America, including Northern Arizona University, Villanova University, The University of Colorado Boulder, The University of Oregon, The University of Arkansas and the University of Virginia.
In order to qualify for a cross country scholarship in the United States, South African student-athletes typically need to meet certain academic and athletic requirements. The typical GPA one should aim for needs to be above 2.3; however, some colleges may have higher GPA requirements, depending on their academic standards.
It is also important to note that student-athletes will need to meet certain NCAA eligibility requirements to be able to compete. These requirements include completing several core courses or core academic subjects and achieving a qualifying score on a standardized test (such as the ACT or SAT).
"All athletes need three things: commitment, discipline and hard work" ~ Haile Gebrselassie. We will help you find the right college for your skills and sport; contact Aspire Atlantic today.
The NCAA hosted their first cross country national championship back in 1938, when Indiana University took home the inaugural title. Since then, cross country has grown to over 1,500 university teams and is closely aligned with track & field(or athletics).
College cross country has produced many outstanding runners throughout history, with the foremost being the University of Oregon’s legendary Steve Prefontaine. More recently, Oregon has produced Edward Chiserek and Galen Rupp, two of the best long-distance runners of the 21st century.
Yes, South African cross-country runners can get scholarships at a college or university in the United States! Sign Up with us today and complete the free online evaluation and see if you qualify to study and play sports in the USA.
The times you need to run to qualify for a college cross-country scholarship in the United States will vary depending on the specific college and the level of competition they compete in.
To get an idea of the times for NCAA Division 1 college cross-country scholarships, you can look at the results from NCAA cross-country races online or your country's U/18 national qualifying times. Speak to your high school coach or contact us for more specific guidance.
Sign up and complete the free online evaluation, and see if you qualify to study and run in the USA.
In the United States, the college cross-country season typically takes place during the fall semester, which begins in late August or early September and runs through until November. The season culminates in the NCAA Cross Country Championship, which is held towards the end of November each year.
Universities in the USA's Western and Southern regions can train and compete outdoors year-round. In contrast, those in the Northeast and Midwest regions often take a break due to the harsh winters opting to train indoors, with these schools often having indoor running tracks where distance athletes train in climate-controlled conditions.
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This blog explores how you can win a cross country scholarship to a USA University, and provides some tips to help you get there. We end off with the story of an Aspire Atlantic alumnus, Elyas Ayyoub.
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