In any high school or college sports event, one cannot help but notice and admire the cheerleaders who add vibrancy, color, and energy to the game. They shout to encourage the players, dance to support the team, and execute stunts to goad the audience to have fun and enjoy the activity. When the team members are already on the verge of giving up, it is the cheerleaders who boost their morale and give them the courage they need to win the game. Truly, cheerleading gives life to any competition. It is what drives fans to support their team.

A cheerleading squad does not only liven up the crowd in sports events, but brings honor and prestige to the school as well. Apart from cheering its team, a school's cheerleading squad also join various cheerleading competitions. For these reasons, it's already no wonder why the cheerleading squad is one of the most popular groups in a campus. With this, it's just appropriate that cheerleaders get financial support in college, too.

Making the Right Moves for the Grant

There are two ways to qualify for a cheerleading scholarship. The first one is to get recruited by a college cheerleading squad. If you are an outstanding cheerleader, you will most likely be asked by a college cheerleading squad to join the team once you graduate from high school. However, if you are not one of the lucky ones recruited by a college cheerleading squad, another option to is to try-out for it. During the try-out, you will be asked to do a certain routine, which if you managed to execute perfectly will make you a shoo-in for the squad.

However, making the cut in the cheerleading squad does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship grant. Having the right moves is not the only thing the selecting panel takes into account when choosing a scholarship recipient. Academic excellence matters, too, as well as social involvement. With that said, you must possess high ACT or SAT scores and a GPA not lower than 3.0 to qualify for a cheerleading scholarship. You must also have a good record of community services and extracurricular activities. In most cases, scholarship programs require their applicants to submit statements of their family income. This is because a lot of scholarship programs single out applicants who are from low-income households.

Schools that Offer Scholarship to Cheerleaders

Fortunately for cheerleaders, there are numerous colleges and universities that have scholarship programs. An example of this is the Waldorf College, which is the only college in Midwest to offer financial assistance to its cheerleaders. Requirements include a videotaped routine of stunts, dances, jumps, and chants; financial need, ACT scores, and GPA.

Another academic institution that has a cheerleading scholarship program is Kilgore College. The college's scholarship program is inclusive of uniforms, housing, campus employment, and financial aid. Members of the cheerleading squad must have a GPA not lower than 2.0 to qualify for the scholarship. Likewise, the cheerleaders must fulfill all their duties and must be present in all practices and athletic events.

Meanwhile, the Matt Morris Cheerleading Scholarship is for a deserving student of Jacksonville State University who is also an active member of the school's cheerleading squad. This scholarship program was founded in memory of a JSU cheerleader who died in an accident. It is inclusive of full tuition, housing expenses, as well as book expenses.

The Fort Hays State University in Kansas also grants financial assistance to its cheerleaders. Scholarship grants already includes residential housing and tuition. In addition, uniforms, athletic bags, warm ups, and shoes are also provided by the university. Cheerleaders also get a two-hour credit in their Physical Education class.

Tips on Earning a College Cheerleading Scholarship

The key to finding a scholarship program is asking yourself these four basic questions: where, what, who, and when. First, you need to ask yourself where you plan to attend college. Once you already picked out a college or university, find out whether or not it has any existing scholarship grant for cheerleaders. Know what these scholarship programs are and what they offer. After gathering information about the scholarship programs, know which individuals to contact to be able to apply for them. These people will tell you everything you need to know about the scholarship programs including their requirements and benefits. Once you have learned about the different requirements, know when the deadlines for them are. Applying for a scholarship is an overwhelming and somewhat confusing process, but all the effort you put into it will all be worth it.