Judo for college?

Discussion in 'Judo' started by littlebadboy, Aug 26, 2015.

  1. littlebadboy

    littlebadboy Valued Member

    Hi! My son is currently doing BJJ. However, we were thinking of transitioning to Judo with the hope that it would help him get into college via possibly scholarships, etc. We are thinking that Judo is an Olympic sport while BJJ is not is it might benefit him more.

    Before we make the switch, I would like to ask if universities offer sport scholarships to Judo athletes? Will the switch to Judo benefit him more as a college student?
     
  2. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    I didn't know they offered scholarships for judo? I know they definitely do offer them for wrestling though.
     
  3. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    As far as I know, there are no college sponsorships for Judo, even people on the US Olympic Judo team get minimal funding towards their training and competition.
     
  4. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    You might have better luck with wrestling (assuming you're US-based).
     
  5. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    You're son is going to college soon? Holy wow!

    I feel old.

    AFIK, universities in the US, more often than not, do not give scholarships for judo.
     
  6. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    I was informed that Texas A&M and Bethel University have judo scholarships. Maybe worth a look?
     
  7. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    No, because your son almost certainly won't be that good. If scholarships are what he needs, he would be better served by studying hard.
     
  8. AndrewTheAndroid

    AndrewTheAndroid A hero for fun.

    How about letting your son do what he enjoys because he enjoys it?
     
  9. Prizewriter

    Prizewriter Moved on

    In fairness, it might be for financial reasons.

    To the OP:

    In the USA, San Jose State and Texas A&M do offer small Judo scholarships.

    In the UK, if you are an elite athlete, some universities (like Edinburgh University) will give you a bursary.

    That said... I know one lady in receipt of a bursary in the UK who is an international player (ranked in the world top 30 for a time, Olympian in 2012). That lady had a friend from the international circuit who attended San Jose. The lady at San Jose was again a world ranked international player.

    So to get any kind of funding, or receive preferential treatment on application for a university, your son is going to have to literally be a very successful Judo player (if not world class).
     
  10. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    Financial reasons don't change the fact that his son is unlikely to become an elite athlete. Planning extracurriculars under that assumption is silly.
     
  11. Ben Gash CLF

    Ben Gash CLF Valued Member

    Or, you know, US educational funding is silly. Extra-curriculars are the only hope a lot of Americans have of going to a good school.
     
  12. Prizewriter

    Prizewriter Moved on

    I was suggesting the costs of university may have been a motivation but I agree with you. The OP's son, as I said, is unlikely to get anything from a university unless he is world class or potentially world class at Judo. If he's starting late in the game that is seriously unlikely to happen. If the OP is worried about tertiary education costs, helping his son finding a part time job instead of doing martial arts might be a better way to go.
     
  13. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    You are much more likely to score an academic scholarship than an athletic one. There is 9 times as much money in academic scholarships than athletic scholarships [1].

    And if this is his main (or even a secondary) motivation for training, he should quit MA entirely and pick one of the big American college sports.

    [1] http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703824304575435340724917622
     
  14. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    I'm with HolyHead on this one. I'm a college counselor, and helping people with financial aid is a big part of my job. I don't deal with athletic scholarships really, being at a community college. But there are vast numbers of academic scholarships targeting various populations (e.g., Asian American women studying engineering). Much better to research those sorts of scholarships than to hang your hopes on judo scholarships.
     
  15. littlebadboy

    littlebadboy Valued Member

    Hmmm... been wanting to move to Texas... I'll look into that.

    Thank you ap Oweyn for the advice! Yes, finances is an issue. We moved here to America late and I do not have any savings. I just want his college life to be easy, hence, I am looking at all the options and paths. I was told by peers that he needs to be active in extra-curricular activities such as sports. He likes basketball a lot but can't make it in the try-outs. Hence, I thought of martial arts such as Jiujitsu or Judo. I really thought that Judo is an NCAA sport.

    Oh well... I'll try to talk him into Wrestling. But of course, I will still have him focus in his academics.

    He is doing somewhat good academically by the way. He was supposed to be in Honor's class but things changed when we moved to a different school district.

    Point taken, sir. However, at this time where every dollar spent is important for me, I'd rather have him do activities that matters... especially towards his future.
     
  16. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Then get him to study a lot more. Straight A's and he'll get into most unis. It requires just as much sacra five and hard work as sport scholarships and there are more of them available.
     
  17. TKDDragon

    TKDDragon Valued Member

    If he like judo let him do that. If sports scholarships are a goal have him pick up an additional traditional sport like football. Lots of good cross over skills between judo and football positions like defensive end and running back. Is he bigger and fast for his age? Otherwise academic and band scholarships are an option at many schools
     
  18. qazaqwe

    qazaqwe Valued Member

    There are many obscure sports that can get people into universities, but Judo isn't really among them, you'd have a better shot with something like Water Polo.

    I'd suggest you research this, as i am basing the above suggestion on one anecdote.
     
  19. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Why does it have to be a sport? Extracurricular activities can run the gamut. Student government, for instance. Sports certainly CAN be a path to college. But I feel like it's a potentially problematic one. Depending on your family's EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and income, he could by eligible for the Pell grant from the government. Supplement that with academically based scholarships. Or any scholarships really. When I was in high school in 1989 (God help me), one of my friends got a scholarship from Domino's Pizza, where she worked. All sorts of organizations offer them.

    Academics are a more reliable path to scholarships than sports, even if the truly fantastic athletes tend to get a free ride. That's going to be in the big-ticket sports like football and basketball. Not judo. Maybe wrestling. I don't know that much about it.

    Also, and bear in mind that I'm saying this as a counselor at a community college, there's always that option for the first two years. Far cheaper than a four-year school. And lots of avenues to transfer to one after he's done his general education at a school like mine.

    That said, I was also a STUDENT of a community college back in the day (1989 again). And it's not the same as a four-year school. It really isn't.

    Just some thoughts.
     

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