Which sports offer the best college scholarships?

Trying to decide which sport to focus on for better college scholarship opportunities. Do certain sports typically offer more scholarship funds or have more opportunities than others?

Indeed, certain sports tend to offer more college scholarships or have more opportunities than others. This is often related to the popularity and funding of the sport at the collegiate level. As a rule of thumb, sports that generate revenue for colleges--like football and basketball--typically offer the most scholarships. Here's a quick breakdown of some sports with good scholarship opportunities:

1. Football: NCAA Division I colleges, specifically in the Football Bowl Subdivision, can offer up to 85 full scholarships. Football ranks highly because of the large team sizes and immense revenue-generating potential.

2. Basketball: Both men's and women's basketball teams have a good number of scholarships available. NCAA Division I colleges can offer up to 13 full scholarships for men's teams and 15 for women's teams.

3. Baseball/Softball: NCAA Baseball teams can offer up to 11.7 scholarships while Division I Softball teams can offer a maximum of 12 full scholarships. However, these tend to be partial scholarships since the sport is classed as an “equivalency” sport, meaning coaches can split the value of these scholarships among multiple athletes.

4. Track and Field/Cross Country: These sports can also provide scholarships, although often divided among athletes. Division I colleges have 12.6 scholarships for men and 18 for women.

5. Athletics in non-revenue sports: This includes sports like golf, tennis, and swimming. Scholarships are available, but these are often partial scholarships that are divided among several team members.

Keep in mind, that playing sports is a major commitment and can have a significant impact on your academic and social life. Therefore, you should choose a sport that you are genuinely passionate about, not just because it seems like a shortcut to secure college funding. Scholarships are also available for academic achievements, extracurricular involvements, and other talents, so don't funnel all of your energy into sports if you also excel in other areas.