If you or your child dreams of a college athletic scholarship, you better think again. According to this article, the chances are exceedingly slim (see the chart with all of the collegiate sports).

For the vast majority of young athletes, an athletic scholarship is a pipe dream. Now consider how many thousands of dollars parents invest in their children’s high school sports experience (e.g., sports academies, private coaching, camps, equipment, travel to competitions), all with the purpose of securing that vaunted athletic scholarship to the school of their choice.

Even if a young athlete gets that elusive scholarship, it isn’t as much as you may think. Very few athletes get “free rides” (which don’t actually even cover all college expenses). The average scholarship for an NCAA Division I school is under $15,000 a year and DII schools offer even less. That amount is far less than many families pay for their children’s competitive high school sports experience.

So, do the math. If a college athletic scholarship is your “holy grail,” you may want to reconsider where you invest your money. That athletic scholarship doesn’t offer a very good financial  ROI (though it may certainly offer wonderful experiences and life lessons).