Division 3 (D3) athletics is hardly ever mentioned in sports media. But it is by far the largest division within the NCAA. The truth is that most athletes who play at the college level are doing it at that level. D3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships, and perhaps that is why many recruits seem to approach it as an afterthought. But before you choose to ignore D3 schools altogether in your recruiting journey, it is important that you know what it actually is, and what it is not. There are more than 200,000 D3 athletes who are living proof that it just might be a great fit for you as a sports recruit.

Division 3 is more competitive than you think

Division 3 sports is often considered to be glorified high school athletics, but that does not match the reality. Although it may be true that the very best teams in D1 are significantly better than their Division 3 counterparts, the same could be said about those teams in comparison to the bottom half of D1. The top D3 teams in almost any sport can compete with those at the bottom half of Division 1. And some have proven every year, that they can be beat D1 teams altogether. 

Getting recruited at the D3 level is also not easy. Although there are some low level D3 programs with relaxed recruiting standards, the best teams recruit very competitively. An All American at the D3 level in any sport is typically competing at least at the same level as an All Conference athlete for a smaller D1 program. Many D3 athletes were the best in their county, region, or even within the state. 

Division 3  offers more money than you think 

Contrary to popular belief there are D3 athletes who will choose that level over D1. The reason why D3 schools can be competitive in recruiting is because they are able to offer more money than you may think. Although D3 schools do not give athletic scholarships, this does not mean they do not give significant amounts of non-athletic aid. Many of the top D3 schools for athletics are also top schools for academics. They have billions of dollars in endowment and can afford to give a lot of money to just about any student who they really want. 

Any D3 school that is public is also in a unique place to recruit because the cost of a public education is almost always lower than that of a private one. D3 schools can leverage this financially, especially in states that have tuition assistance programs that apply to all students. If you are already receiving a full tuition scholarship to go to a public school that is D3, it very well might be a better deal than taking a half scholarship to a private Division 2 school. And athletes who are being recruited without much scholarship money at the D1 level, can often find a better deal for them and their wallet in Division 3.

Division  3 is likely a better fit than you think

Overall Division 1 athletics is the most competitive level of college athletics. Which means that the national champions in any sport will likely be future professional at whatever they do. But with more than 350 D1 schools, most athletes will be asked to train, travel, and sacrifice at the same level as a D1 athlete without any of the recognition. In Division 3 you still get to compete in your sport, but instead of traveling thousands of miles to do it, you can do so within your state or region. College athletics is always a sacrifice of time, energy, and effort. But if your goal is to be an athlete and have a complete college experience off the field, it will be much easier to do at the D3 level, than at the D1 level. Division 3 sports may not be for everyone. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t right for you.

KNOW THE GAME. WIN THE GAME.

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