Can chess ranking influence my college scholarship chances?

I'm a competitive chess player hoping to use my ranking to earn a college scholarship. Does anyone know how colleges view chess rankings and how much they weigh in scholarship decisions?

The specific value colleges and scholarships place on chess ranking can vary greatly, depending on whether the school itself has a thriving chess culture, sponsors a competitive chess team, or simply has a chess club. Some schools place significant value on chess and offer scholarships for top performing players.

For example, the University of Texas at Dallas has a highly competitive chess team and offers a limited number of UTD Chess Scholarships to exceptionally gifted players. Similarly, schools such as Webster University, Texas Tech, and Saint Louis University are also known for their competitive chess teams and may offer scholarships or other types of financial support to high-ranking chess players.

In addition, there are some scholarships for chess players that are not tied to any specific college. For example, the U.S. Chess Trust offers the annual National Scholar-Chessplayer Awards to high school juniors and seniors who have shown outstanding achievements both in the classroom and in chess tournaments.

Simply put, if you're a well-ranked and competitive chess player, your ranking can certainly be leveraged in your college applications and potentially earn you scholarships. In your application, be sure to articulate not only your ranking and achievements, but also how your passion for chess has contributed to your personal growth, challenged your strategic thinking, boosted your problem-solving skills, and so on.

Just remember, scholarships are often competitive and being a talented chess player is just one of many possible strengths that can enhance your application. So, while chess could help, you should certainly keep exploring other scholarships and financial aid opportunities that align with your academic interests, community involvement, and other skills and achievements.