The college system in the USA is the most popular higher education destination anywhere in the world. In fact over 30% (500,000) of all International students worldwide choose to study there every year.

The college route has proven to be very popular for many years with golfers, because as well as earning a world class degree it also provides student-athletes with a positive opportunity to develop both physically and mentally in a team environment over the course of four years. After high school graduation the next step is always extremely tough, so having this option to study, train, compete and develop is great for young New Zealand golfers.

We have provided the information below to act as a guide on the process involved, which will give you a better understanding on the criteria student-athletes must make.

Academic and Athletic requirements

US colleges typically take four years to graduate, with the first two years built upon core subjects (Math, English,
Science, etc) and the remaining years more specific in accordance with the student-athletes choice of major.

As there are three main Associations that a college can fall under and therefore a student can attend, each with their own specific rules and regulations it is important that we firstly distinguish the difference and then give you a brief outline for each.

1.  The National Collegiate Athletic Association  (NCAA)

In order to fulfill eligibility requirements students must complete either their NCEA Level 2 and/or Level 3. Only courses that appear on the Record of Achievement (ROA), listing NCEA completion dates, the Record of Learning (ROL), or School Results Summary are acceptable. (Students must achieve 80 total NZ credits to achieve each NCEA level credential, 60 of which must be earned at or above the NCEA level being achieved for the certificate to be earned.)

The high school graduation requirements and core-curriculum requirements are that 15 credits must have been successfully completed in each of the five core subject areas at NCEA Level 1 or higher, provided the student has achieved at least a NCEA Level 2 certificate.

Four of the five must be English, mathematics, natural/physical science and social science. As well as this the grade-point average must be at least 2.000 to 3.550 or higher on a U.S. 4.0 (4 high) scale and an SAT score that is comparative to the GPA on the NCAA sliding scale (1010 for a 2.0 GPA for example).

It is important to note that students are expected to achieve NCEA Level 2 by the conclusion of year 12, or NCEA Level 3 by the conclusion of year 13, which shall occur within eight (NCEA Level 2) or 10 (NCEA Level 3) semesters after initial enrollment in year nine. The graduation date for the student is a very important aspect and is decided upon when each NCEA Level is completed (on the certificate) rather than when the student finishes school. There are also strict rules on any gaps in a students education, with only six months (or next available time) given after high school graduation in order to enroll in college.

Please note that these rules are only valid at the time we provided, the NCAA rules and regulations are very thorough and change frequently, so it is crucial that every student-athlete becomes acquainted with the Eligibility Centre in order to adhere to them and maintain their eligible status.

Required playing standard

The standard to compete in college golf is high. On elite college teams competing in the NCAA Division I, a sub-zero handicap and regular scoring average below 72 for men or a two handicap and scoring average below 76 for women is expected.

At other NCAA Division I colleges, men need to be averaging around 74, while women need to be around 78-80 to secure scholarships.

At Division 2 colleges, women need to be shooting around 80-84, while men need to be around 76. At Division 3 colleges players can be above these averages, however scholarships become harder to find the higher your handicap and scoring averages.

2.  National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

In order to be eligible to play in the NAIA students must meet two of the three requirements below:

1. Achieve a minimum score of 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT. 2. Achieve a minimum overall high school GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. 3. Graduate in the top half of your high school class.

There are no age limits in the NAIA as long as the eligibility requirements are met, which is why the competition at the top NAIA colleges is comparable to NCAA Division | and || colleges.

To compete within the NAIA colleges, men need to be averaging around 74, while women need to be around 78-80 to secure scholarships.

3.   National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA)

Students that do not meet the eligibility requirements above, but who play golf at a high level can apply to an NJCAA college and study there two years before being able to transfer to a NCAA or NAIA institution for the remaining two years of study.

Scholarship Opportunities

Athletic scholarships vary considerably depending each players athletic and academic ability. The higher the rating/ranking and academic grades the better the scholarship offer is likely to be.

Male players

Male golf programmes have a maximum of 4.5 full scholarships per team to spread out amongst its team of 8+, with amounts typically ranging from a full 100% to 25% in financial aid.

Female players

Due to the equal rights Title 9 rule in college sport, female golf programmes often have twice the number of scholarships available to spread out amongst its team.

How to apply to a US college?

Over a number of years many New Zealand Golfers, both men and women, have attended US College.  Often they have worked through the process of enrolment themselves, with varied levels of success and frustration.  Below you will see two options available to you.  The decision you make regarding how you apply for a College position is up to you.  New Zealand Golf has no direct involvement with, or alignment to, any one College or enrolment facilitator.  The information above and below is simply designed to help those players wishing to combine an education and their golfing development make better, more informed choices.  

There are companies that specialize in the application and recruitment process for golfers wanting to go. These companies do typically charge a fee for their services, however with a professional company the player is able to avoid any unnecessary complications with their eligibility and is more likely to get a higher number of scholarship offers at colleges that are a better fit for them. Meaning more options financially as well as having choices on where they would like to spend their next four years.

 

One such company is Play Atlantic .  They are a New Zealand based company that has been operating since 2003 and have placed hundreds of student-athletes during this time. They offer four different package options for student-athletes, starting with a FREE package and is dependent on each individuals needs.