What Are the Benefits of Division III Football?
There has been considerable debate amongst college football analysts about the benefits of Division III football. Many ignorant people suggest there is no benefit at all to playing at the Division III level.
My career began in a Division III program. I would like to explain three benefits of playing Division III football.
Division III football provides a great college football environment.
Where I went to school, the atmosphere on Saturday was just as energetic as any Division I game. It was a big deal. Fans camped out the night before, tailgated on Saturday morning, drank beer, and cheered like crazy. Other than a bigger crowd, there was no difference between playing at Division I and Division III.
Division III football provides a more personal educational experience.
At a Division I school, you are treated like a number to many college professors. They really don’t care if you pass or fail. At a Division III school, your professors probably know you by name. They care about your academic future and want to see you succeed.
Division III football offers great financial aid packages.
Division III schools cannot offer athletic-based scholarships. However, some of their financial aid packages rival that of partial scholarships at the Division II level. That is why it is so important for high school prospects to keep their grades up and have these options; the higher your GPA, the better package you will receive.
Another thing: your talents are probably more needed at a Division III program. You could start sooner and make a much earlier impact than you would at Division I or Division II school.
Which sounds worse: riding the bench at a Division I program as a preferred walk-on for an opportunity that will never come, or starting at a level of the game where your fit is and is surrounded by a family of people who care about you?
Your move.