A look at student spending on housing, food and commuting at Texas Christian University has led athletic directors to consider standardizing the allowances athletes are granted as part of their financial aid packages to attract athletes to their schools.
The study, which revealed that students spend an average of $4,000 throughout the academic year, is concerning for athletic directors that believe they will be "at a competitive disadvantage in recruiting players" if their schools are not able to offer athletes financial offers that will meet all their expenses. They propose standardizing financial aid packages to meet the minimum $4,000 allowance, despite the school's tuition, to allow all schools to have an equal chance at recruiting the best athletes.
Athletic directors at various schools have asked financial aid offices to increase their "cost-of-attendance estimates ... to accommodate athletics," but financial aid offices have refused. "It's put a perverse incentive on schools to inflate their listed costs," Clemson University Financial Aid Director Chuck Knepfle said.
Read more at The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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