With thanks to Clare Downes of Martlet Life, for writing this blog for us.
Five years ago, in the midst of Covid, I did not envisage that both of our children would be attending Duke University in the US. I had no idea about the US opportunity and thought that the online approach by an agent, to my daughter, Iris – was a hoax! Anyway, winding forward – as a family, we have learnt an enormous amount about the opportunity and hope that we can help others exploring the US for university.
The landscape of US universities, almost certainly has something for everyone and it is complex in terms of the variety of academic offerings, sports divisions, geography, size and consequently the overall experience. It is vital that you find what suits your child across all of these areas. We knew absolutely nothing and now we know a great deal – and it keeps evolving, as the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) changes its rules and regulations around student athletes.
US universities also vary in cost and there are scholarships available. These are not just for international stars – it depends what suits your child in terms of academic and sporting ability. There are developing sports, where scholarships are increasingly available such as rugby: male and female. A Division 1 University for sport is not necessarily top-flight for academics and many of the top academic institutions can be Division 2 or 3 for sport. It is a jigsaw of matching pieces and not something that is easy to explore on your own. Your child may be able to secure an experience that surpasses what is on offer in the UK for very similar money. I am so pleased that I embraced exploring the potential opportunity when we knew no one who had taken this route and I had only been to the US twice in my life!
My top tips:
1. Explore the opportunity that the US provides if your child thrives in a sporting culture and is independent or has the capacity to develop independence
2. If your child is not set on a specific degree route – the US provides scope to explore a wide variety of subjects ahead of any specialisation and many institutions are extremely focused on pre-professional preparation
3. Do not close the door for your child due to the distance – whatsapp is a great communication tool and you can learn from their experience too
4. Find the right Sports Agent – I can help with this…it is worth the investment, if you are seriously considering this (clare@martlet.life)
5. Help support and prepare your child to speak to coaches through the interview process – Iris can help with this via The Athlete Compass (theathletecompass@gmail.com)
For more information about Martlet Life, please contact Clare on clare@martlet.life or contact our founder, Lucy Cawkwell, at lucy@octuition.co.uk
