If you love playing sports in high school, you may wonder how athletics fit into your college career. Future college athletes have a lot of choices to make about how to balance sports and academics. One of the first decisions you'll make is which school you attend, since a school's NCAA athletics division directly impacts your college sports experience.

For top-performing student-athletes, there may be opportunities to pursue an athletic scholarship at a Division I or Division II school. For others, they may assume they should play Division I or Division II sports if they can make the cut. However, there are many advantages to competing in Division III athletics. 

At Gustavus Adolphus College, our D3 sports offer most of the benefits of a larger school's sports experience. We're fiercely competitive in many sports, offering some of the best athletics programs around. You'll be able to compete at a high level while experiencing distinct advantages in other areas, including community, flexibility, and a comfortable balance between the demands of academics and athletics. Gustavus students play a sport while still having time for other activities such as singing in a choir, performing in a theater production, doing original research in a science lab, participating in a community project, and traveling to study abroad. 

On top of it all, Gustavus offers a top-notch education and access to faculty that bigger colleges can't. If you're considering which NCAA division is best for you, keep reading to learn about the benefits D3 sports offer student-athletes.

What are the differences between the athletic divisions?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) oversees and regulates college athletics in the U.S. and Canada. The NCAA categorizes member schools into three divisions, and schools compete against each other within their divisions.

What are the differences between these divisions?

• Division I schools, which are typically large universities, offer at least seven sports each for men and women, award full-ride scholarships, and actively recruit top high school athletes. Athletic programs at Division I schools are highly competitive and demand the most substantial time commitments from student-athletes.

• Division II schools are mid-sized institutions that offer full or partial athletic scholarships, although typically fewer than D1 schools. The performance demands on student-athletes at D2 schools generally fall somewhere between D1 and D3.

• Division III schools are smaller colleges typically focused on providing students a broad-based liberal arts education and a well-rounded college experience. D3 sports are still a substantial time commitment, but the NCAA Division III philosophy prioritizes a balance between athletics and academics.

Do Division III schools have fewer varsity sports?

You might assume that D1 schools have the most different intercollegiate sports options, but this isn't necessarily the case. It's not unusual for a Division III school to sponsor as many different sports as a Division I school. For instance, Gustavus offers about a dozen intercollegiate sports each for men and women, comparable to the nearby University of Minnesota, which has well over ten times the undergraduate student population.

What are the benefits of Division III athletics?

While Division I athletics get the most media attention, Division III schools offer student-athletes many benefits. Here are some of the excellent reasons to consider playing Division III sports:

The focus is on athlete experience and wellbeing. 

Only a small fraction of college athletes go pro, so most of the benefits of playing college sports aren't tied directly to career success. While playing a college sport looks good on any job resume, for most college athletes, the real value lies in the experience gained, skills developed, and relationships forged. Rather than recruiting players through athletic scholarships, D3 schools draw athletes from the student body. Smaller teams and an emphasis on participation means more average playing time and more focus on your individual development as an athlete, teammate, and individual.

There's a better balance between academics and sports.

Division I team schedules are typically designed to maximize competition and exposure, resulting in more total games or meets. Student-athletes in D1 sports travel more often and longer distances to compete, resulting in considerably more time spent commuting.

Division III sports feature fewer total competitions in a season, and athletes spend much less time traveling to compete. D3 teams typically compete regionally versus nationally, and most away games take place within a few hours of campus. Student-athletes enjoy all the benefits of intensive training, athletic skill building, team community, and intercollegiate competition while not sacrificing academic performance to their sport. 

The improved balance among the demands of academics, athletics, and other extracurriculars rewards D3 athletes with a well-rounded college experience. At Gustavus, our athletes don't miss out on key college opportunities such as studying abroad, participating in student organizations, taking part in original research, or pursuing valuable internships.

Relationships in the athletic community are closer. 

D3 schools have smaller teams, and coaches aren't tasked with maximizing wins at all costs. The healthier balance of competition and participation naturally produces less performance stress for student-athletes. Since athletes don't compete with each other for the attention of professional recruiters, Division III teams typically provide a friendlier and more supportive environment.

D3 sports programs also tend to be more involved in the local community, with student-athletes participating in projects or campus events that build team camaraderie outside of practice and competition. With less performance pressure, better sports-life balance, less incentive for internal competition, and increased opportunities for relationship building, Division III sports offer great opportunities for forming healthy bonds and even lifelong friendships.

You have better career prospects, including in athletics.

Unless you aim to become a professional athlete, playing sports at a Division III school is probably as good or better for your future career. Here are a few reasons why:

• A more reasonable sports schedule with fewer competitions and less travel means more time to devote to academic exploration and excellence. You're better prepared to start work in your field, and your GPA and academic performance are in better shape for applying to graduate or professional school.

• A healthy balance among academics, athletics, and other extracurriculars results in a more holistic school experience. This translates directly into a well-rounded resume, which serves you well on job applications. Employers like to see that you took the initiative to explore multiple interests during college, and you have more diverse experiences to talk about in a job interview.

• If you are going into an athletics-related career, such as high school coaching or athletic training, the close community and increased participation of D3 sports provides a more intimate and connected experience to draw from. You are more likely to have a personal relationship with your coach, athletic trainer, and administrators, creating valuable avenues for recommendation letters and references.

Division III schools such as Gustavus have the smallest total student populations and smallest average class sizes. An intimate campus environment and tight student-faculty ratio offer students more faculty mentorship opportunities and individual, personalized guidance from both instructors and administrators. Expert guidance paired with an extensive professional and alumni network facilitates student exposure, exploration, experimentation, discernment, and acquisition of the right skills and experiences for a successful and fulfilling career.

What are the potential drawbacks of Division III sports?

Depending on your preferences and goals, there are possible drawbacks to playing sports at a Division III school:

Professional sports careers

If you are an exceptional athlete with a good shot at a career in professional sports, and that's the direction you hope to go, a Division 1 school is probably your best bet. High school athletes in this category are typically offered full-ride scholarships to Division I schools, where they will be more visible to scouts and recruiters for professional teams.

Personal college preference 

D3 schools offer a substantially different environment and culture than larger schools. Some students enjoy the more intimate community at a residential liberal arts school like Gustavus, while others prefer life at a big university. Not sure which one suits you better? Visit your top schools, explore the campus while classes are in session, and determine where you feel more at home.

Athletic scholarships

One potential drawback to attending a D3 school is the lack of athletic scholarships. If you've been offered a large scholarship to a D1 or D2 school, you'll need to decide if that outweighs the benefits of D3 sports for you. Importantly, don't assume an athletic scholarship is your best bet at financial aid. D3 schools such as Gustavus often have excellent merit-based and need-based scholarships, and these might match or even exceed the savings your athletic scholarship provides. 

Be sure to consider your entire college education in your financial calculations. Many athletic scholarships are subject to annual renegotiation and can even be pulled due to lack of funding, administrative changes, and other factors outside the student's control. Ask questions ahead of time to make sure you're getting the best deal.

At Gustavus, our scholarships renew all four years based on clear eligibility criteria. Your high school grades, test scores, extracurriculars, community involvement, leadership experiences, and talents outside the sports arena can all contribute to substantial financial aid awards. For more information on athletic versus other scholarships, see our article on funding college as an athlete at a Division III school.

Division III sports at Gustavus

According to the NCAA, student-athletes at Division III schools report that playing a sport during college didn't get in the way of their academic and co-curricular activities and had an overall positive effect on their experience of college. At Gustavus, we host eleven Division III sports for men and twelve for women, and over a quarter of our students participate in varsity sports. We support our student-athletes through excellent coaching, dedicated athletic training, state-of-the-art facilities, and sports-friendly class scheduling that prevents academics from conflicting with afternoon practices.

We approach the liberal arts as an opportunity for cross-disciplinary discovery and experiential learning, with athletics as one of many enriching opportunities for challenge, exploration, and growth. We work with each student-athlete to make sure they have the resources to compete at their best while also taking advantage of all that college has to offer, including study away programs, student-faculty research opportunities, professional internships, community-based learning, and a vibrant residential school life. Join us and experience the benefits of Division III sports and a holistic, student-centered liberal arts education.