[JackFrost]

If you was offered a scholarship at a smaller school, then offered a walk on spot at a much larger school, which would you choose?

[king360]

Depends on the playing time they say i would get

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

Give me the scholarship.
My reasoning is in this scenario it does not appear I have a chance to go pro and as a wlk-on my chances of playing are slim to none.

[JackFrost]

Give me the scholarship.
My reasoning is in this scenario it does not appear I have a chance to go pro and as a wlk-on my chances of playing are slim to none.

Not exactly, the defensive back that walked on at EKU is going to the pro bowl this year. I cant think of his first name but his last name is Bell and plays for the Dolphins.

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

Not exactly, the defensive back that walked on at EKU is going to the pro bowl this year. I cant think of his first name but his last name is Bell and plays for the Dolphins.

Like I said chances are against me.

[Stardust]

I'm going where my eductaion is paid for. If money is no issue, then go with the prestige of sitting on someone's bench.

[Wyatt Earp]

Is it a full scholarship to the smaller school? Are they giving enough to satisfy the person that chooses to sign with the smaller school? Many schools say they are giving someone a scholarship and they help with some of the cost but that person still has to come up with a nice sum of money on their own. Scholarship is a nice sounding word that doesn't mean everything is paid for. Before I would decide personally I would check and see what the extra cost is going to be at the smaller school compared to what I would be out going as a walk on. I do know that some of the smaller schools are fairly expensive. If it is a full ride to the smaller school then that would be great. I do know that when it comes down to deciding, only the person involved has to be satisfied with their choice.

[charlie22]

If you was offered a scholarship at a smaller school, then offered a walk on spot at a much larger school, which would you choose?

Depends. If I am financially able to pay for my son's college education, I don't let the scholarship offer play any decision. For that matter, I wouldn't let the athletic issue play any role in the decision unless I felt realistically and reasonably certain my kid could play pro. Way too often kids want to pick a college because of the athletic thing and they don't pay enough attention to where they will be the happiest and get the best education. College sports end in 4/5 years; the education you get lasts for a lifetime. I unfortunately have known parents that sent their kids to what I consider an inferior college because the kid got a scholarship, even thought the parents could have afforded the best colleges in the country. To each their own I guess, but I think that's selfish on the parents part.

[Rob Van Winkle]

Not exactly, the defensive back that walked on at EKU is going to the pro bowl this year. I cant think of his first name but his last name is Bell and plays for the Dolphins.

Yeremiah Bell, DB, Miami Dolphins. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 2003 draft. Not too bad for a former Steel Mill worker who walked on.

[IRISH4]

I would take the scholarship....it would be the best situation financially and also for a legit shot at significant playing time. However, IF I was offered a walk-on spot to wear the Blue & Gold of Notre Dame or the Blue & White of UK I'd take that into consideration.

[hollerballer]

well if you are getting a scholarship wouldnt that mean that the school giving the scholarship is more interested which means they think you would fit their program and get more playing time...and where you could possibly have more of a chance of being the standout player so i go with scholarship plus education is getting paid for

[bigben]

I will take the Scholarship for the free eductaion

[TRUBLX3]

The difference lies in your heart, do you go to the D1 school and prove to them that you belong and are worthy, or do you go NAIA and wonder IF? Not many kids receive opportunities to do either/or, you have no one to please but yourself, go big-play hard, and be satisfied that you control your destiny. Have you ever heard the old saying, opinions are like a**holes- everybody's got one and most of them smell like s***!

[The Iron Skillet]

I would most likley take the scholarship, you get a college education for free. The best things in life are free.

[cj2561]

Scholarship, How many people have the money to pay for college...

[Bengal4Life]

I'm going where my eductaion is paid for. If money is no issue, then go with the prestige of sitting on someone's bench.

That's about like me.

[JackFrost]

Well you got to look at it this way, most colleges, unless their division 1, dont offer a full ride scholarship which still leaves the player owing some amount of money. And also having the oppurtunity to play for a big time school only happens once in a lifetime. The player could always transfer down if their not comfortable at that level of play. So I would take the offer to walk on, cause you never know if you do good it may turn into a scholarship.

[fan first]

It is according to what you call a "full ride". D-1 subdivision offer full rides also. Financial Aid, keys money, grants and academic scollys are used with the balance paid by athletic scolly. Morehead for example uses athletic funds and donations to fill in the rest of what grants and academics don't cover for their football team.
A full ride is student athletes not paying anything IMO, no matter where the money comes from

[Hilbily]

Go with the education and scholarship. You can still achieve great things at a smaller school. Play hard every down no matter what color your helmet is.

[EKUAlum05]

It all comes down to what is best for you and your family.

If there is no guaranteed academic scholarship when you walk-on then it is nearly a no brainer.

If you are being asked to walk-on the chances of playing a professional sport are astronomical, so in the end this will be the last level of sports you play on. Thus, taking the full scholarship is the only wise way to go.

The issue comes in that the majority of NAIA and lower tier schools (Division 2 and Division 3) have very few "full rides". I found this out myself personally, when option 3, don't play any sport if you have a academic scholarship, was available.

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

As far as I know no D-3 can give athletic scholarships.