There are two types of financial aid for prospective athletes (and for anyone else, for that matter): need-based aid, and merit-based aid. Need-based aid depends on a family's ability to pay. Some schools have discretion in how they award need-based aid and may find ways to award larger financial aid packages to families of prospective athletes even if the school doesn't technically award merit-based aid for athletic purposes. Most financial aid specifically for athletes, though, is merit-based. It can come in the form of an athletic scholarship or a different type of scholarship. Most athletic departments at the NCAA Division I and II level have a certain number of scholarships to award. They apportion these scholarships among their different sports. Some coaches may choose to break their scholarships into pieces and award four different athletes 1/4 of a scholarship each or two different athletes 1/2 of a scholarship. It's actually quite rare for a student-athlete to receive a full scholarship to play a sport in college.

There are a couple of different types of intercollegiate sports. I'll assume the question here is geared towards varsity sports, though. There are two major governing bodies of intercollegiate sports: the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Within the NCAA there are three levels of competition, or divisions, Division I, II, and III. Most of the time what you see when you turn on your TV is an NCAA Division I sport. Bowl games, March Madness, the Frozen Four are all NCAA D. I offerings. Most college athletic scholarships are given by NCAA D. I schools, although D. II schools offer athletic scholarships as well. Playing a D. I sport can be like having a full-time job while also being a full-time student. Student-athletes often, though not always, have scholarships so there is an expectation that those will be earned through continued commitment to the school and the program. In short, the school is paying your tuition and expects you will work hard for it on the court, field, track what have you. The balance between athletics and academics can be more even at a D. III school. Many students make the mistake of assuming, though, that the competition at the D. III level is not all that challenging. Depending on the school and program, the competition can be at a very high level. The same goes for NAIA programs. Don't assume they aren't competitive. Make sure you do your homework. It might be that an NAIA or D. III school is the perfect place for you. You won't know unless you look.

That depends a little on the sport. Newspapers are filled with headlines about football and basketball coaches offering scholarships to high school sophomores and juniors and even evaluating middle-schoolers who seem to have a lot of potential. But those stories are making news precisely because they're not normal. It's possible for many students to find athletic homes without speaking to college coaches until the summer before senior year. The first place to go for help with this process is your coach. Your coach can provide you with an honest assessment of where you are capable of playing and the steps you need to take to make it happen.

Athletics can be a very important hook. Colleges are communities. They're bringing more people into them every year. Anytime someone with specific knowledge about a particular piece of that community (like, say, a coach) approaches the admissions office to say, "This is an applicant who can make a difference here" it carries weight. A school does no favors to anyone if it admits a student who clearly does not have what it takes to succeed academically. It hurts the student, it hurts the team, it hurts the coach. But if a student is capable of making it in the classroom, having that athletic talent can be a huge difference-maker in the admissions process.

They can get an academic or, depending on the college, an athletic scholarship. Be sure to join the NCAA Clearinghouse so qualify. There are also private athletic scholarships students can qualify for, and the list is endless.

They should hopefully be noticed when they begin high school. They need to be doing research all throughout high school and join the NCAA Clearinghouse as early as possible. LOR's from coaches they personally know can be invaluable!

Weigh your options! Consider the answers to the following questions: 1) Which has the highest graduation rate in four-years? 2) Which offers you the least amount of loans and indebtedness? 3) Have you visited each and if not in person, do they have a virtual visit option on their website or through youniversitytv.com? 4) Which has alums who are doing that to which you aspire? 5) Which offers the most options and networks for internships or study abroad? 6) How many schools if any do they share articulation agreements for cross or dual registration? 7) Which if any AP or dual college courses do they accept which might move you closer to graduation, thus saving money? 8) Are there faculty pursuing research opportunities in which you are interested? 9) Do they consider special circumstances in re-negotiating aid? 10) Are there on campus supports such as writing labs, workout facilities, counseling, emergency funds for special circumstances, and grants for summer study? 11) Is it likely you can take the courses required and still have room to explore other interests? 12) Are you required to declare a major from the outset? If so, can you change colleges without losing credits? The answers to these questions should help you determine which college offers the best resources for your plans. All the questions aside, where do you most want to be?

Very important! It makes the difference all the time.

Yes you should because will add exposure to you

Well, I dislke the word "hook" because it sounds as though you're "gaming" the system. You have to enter the college planning process understanding that the goal is a good match, not just getting accepted into the college you think you want to attend. Even thinking about "using athletics to get in" implies you aren't that dedicated to your sport. If you aren't dedicated, but you give the impression you are, you're basically lying to the admission office. And besides, why would you want to be stuck with the pressures of college athletics if you aren't fully dedicated? You're better off being honest with yourself and with your college, and let the process proceed naturally.