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<channel>
	<title>Returned Athletes</title>
	<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes</link>
	<atom:link href="https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<description>AAS are proud of the students they have placed. They continue to keep in contact with their students and families once they commence at a US college and follow their journey with enthusiasm. When they return they speak to them about the process and ask them to complete a student athlete Q &amp; A.

Returning students can be viewed below:
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<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/ella-kleinschmidt_115s116</link>
<title><![CDATA[Ella Kleinschmidt]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Brenau University
Graduated 2018
Major - Early Childhood Education
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Ella Kleinschmidt 
Brenau University
2015 &ndash; 2018

Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. I decided to compete and study at a US college because I wanted three things after I graduated year 12... I wanted to continue my studies and get a degree, keep swimming and travel. This gave me the opportunity to do all three at once. 

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A. I commenced the process after seeing an advertisement in one of my swim meet programs. I contacted the website and it started from there! The whole process took just under a year I believe. I cannot remember the exact dates. I stated some time at the beginning of year 12 and finished when I signed to Brenau University in February the following year.

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. I loved growing up in swimming Australia, I have so many great memories. However I feel as though the US (especially the NAIA system I was in) was incredibly cohesive with so much comradery between teams. I was not competing for myself but a team. 

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A. I think time management is a HUGE one. I graduated as a successful national finalist level athlete and at the top of my graduating class with a 4.0 GPA. I can only commend this success to being able to time manage between schooling, training and also giving myself time to enjoy experiencing life in a different country. Determination, perseverance, and the ability to accept help when you need it. 

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. I balanced these two things by, calendars, writing all things down that I had to do and communicating closely with my teachers to work with me. 

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. I feel as though the key challenged I encountered were battling homesickness for both Aus and the US when I was in either place, but I feel as though the biggest key challenge was the abrupt shock of how much more work (mentally, physically and emotionally) being a college athlete was. There&rsquo;s a reason why it&rsquo;s commended. 

Q. What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. For me to pick just some of my most memorable moments is impossible. For me, it&rsquo;s the entire experience. The entire experience from the friendships I made, the academic successes I had, the training sessions, the successes in the pool by myself or with my team, experiencing &lsquo;life as an american&rsquo; to doing things I never would have had a chance to do. Leaving after 4 years was so difficult. 

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. Yes yes yes and YES! It is the most incredible experience I&rsquo;ve ever had and I would go back to do it again and again if I could! I would reccommend it to everyone! 

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. I benefited by being able to continue to succeed in the pool, achieving placings in times I wouldn&rsquo;t have if I had stayed in Aus after year 12, as I would have stopped swimming. Academically I never would have gotten the individual attention and copious amounts of help. The academic system in the US and everyone at college is so driven to do so well and achieve the best grades they can, which most definitely pushed me to do the same. I would not have not as well academically if I had not been in this environment. 
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/ella-kleinschmidt_115s116</guid>
<pubDate>07 Jul 2018 17:02:26 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/116/med-EllaPhoto.jpg' length='16519' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/courtney-hayward_115s94</link>
<title><![CDATA[Courtney Hayward]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Brenau University
Graduated 2017
Major - Psychology
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Courtney Hayward
Brenau University
2013 &ndash; 2017

Coming soon

 
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/courtney-hayward_115s94</guid>
<pubDate>02 Jun 2017 22:04:14 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/94/med-courtney_hayward_184_wsw.jpg' length='13114' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/ashley-stone_115s95</link>
<title><![CDATA[Ashley Stone]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[University of North Texas
Graduated 2017
Major - Communication Studies
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Ashley Stone
University of North Texas
2013 &ndash; 2017

Coming Soon
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/ashley-stone_115s95</guid>
<pubDate>02 Jun 2017 22:31:40 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/95/med-stone.jpg' length='21074' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/bradley-moore_115s92</link>
<title><![CDATA[Bradley Moore]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Limestone College
Graduated 2017
Major - Sports Management
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Bradley Moore
Limestone College
2013 &ndash; 2017

Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. &ldquo;Just the thought of a new adventure in another country and being able to travel as well as compete and study at the same time made it an appealing option&rdquo;

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A. I first contacted AAS in August of 2012 and it was about 5 months until I chose a school. I then started college in August of 2013.

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. &ldquo;It was a lot different to competing in Australia. All of the training and competitions were very thoroughly thought out and planned accordingly. Competing in the USA allowed me to see a different side of swimming and made me focus on maintaining a balance between sport and academics&rdquo;

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A. &ldquo;Qualities needed to be a student athlete are time management, perseverance, hard work, determination and commitment&rdquo;

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;Through a very thought out schedule and forcing myself to focus on maintaining that schedule was what helped me balance sport and academics&rdquo;

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;Challenges I encountered were: being on my own in another country, doing tasks myself and not improving in my sport&rdquo;

Q.  What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. &ldquo;Winning national medals in the 500 and 1650 freestyle in my freshman year&rdquo;

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. &ldquo;I would recommend it. It is an experience that not many people get to experience and you get the chance to make life long friends from around the world and invaluable connections&rdquo;

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. &ldquo;It helped me with a lot of key skills I will need for my professional life&rdquo;

 
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/bradley-moore_115s92</guid>
<pubDate>02 Jun 2017 10:47:27 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/92/med-moore_image.jpg' length='24673' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/adele-schultz_115s33</link>
<title><![CDATA[Adele Schultz]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Eastern Michigan University
Graduated 2016
Major - Sports Management
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[
Q &amp; A &ndash; Adele Schultz
Eastern Michigan University
2012 &ndash; 2016


Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. &ldquo;I wanted to have the opportunity to travel, study and swim; going to college in the US allowed me to do all three!&rdquo;

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A, &ldquo;We got in contact with AAS through their website; the next day Noel called us; the overall process took about 12-months&rdquo;

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. &ldquo;In the US it is more team based and not so individually-focused&rdquo;

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A. &ldquo;I think you need to be pretty strong, mentally. It can be hard sometimes, and you need to be able to work your way through it on your own&rdquo;

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;I focused more on academics, as this was my priority. I think it is about figuring out what you want out of athletics and academics and just going from there&rdquo;

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;I ended up finding that I wanted to do other things, and so this made things tricky. Culturally, there is a difference that you have to adapt to as well. I loved my time in the US and wouldn&rsquo;t change a thing&rdquo;

Q.  What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. &ldquo;Travelling; you are able to travel to so many other places on breaks. I also met some life-long friends all around the world&rdquo;

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. &ldquo;YES! I loved my overall experience. I think I would just make sure that you&rsquo;re prepared for a four-year stint. And that you go over with an open mind&rdquo;

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. &ldquo;I gained such a worldly view; in which I would not have learned otherwise. You really learn to appreciate the little things&rdquo; 
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/adele-schultz_115s33</guid>
<pubDate>15 Mar 2016 03:53:56 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/33/med-adele_schultz.jpg' length='11691' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/des-cairns_115s66</link>
<title><![CDATA[Des Cairns]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Colgate University New York
Graduated 2016
Major - Mathematics
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Desmond Cairns
Colgate University
2012 &ndash; 2016

Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. &quot;I decided to compete and study in the US because I wanted to continue swimming in an environment that was supportive and understood my educational goals. My decision also gave me the experience of living and studying in another country&quot;

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A. &quot;A friend referred me to AAS toward the end of Year 11. Once we had gathered all the necessary documents and I had taken the SAT, AAS began contacting coaches on my behalf. By the second semester of Year 12, I was talking directly with coaches and by the end of that year I had decided on my university&quot;

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. &quot;The camaraderie between my American teammates was much stronger than anything I had experienced in Australia. This was because the success of the program was measured predominantly by the team&rsquo;s score at the conference meet, and to a lesser extent, the results of dual meets. I also found that I was encouraged to practice more events because each swimmer has to compete in three events at each meet&quot;

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A. &quot;My American university provided considerable support for their student-athletes and as such I think it is important for students to be willing to seek out these services when appropriate. I also think that in order to make their study-abroad as enjoyable as possible, foreign student-athletes should be open to experiencing as many aspects of American culture as possible&quot;

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. &quot;Developing consistent study habits and remaining organised were important in ensuring that I kept up with my coursework. However my coaches were always very understanding when it came to schoolwork and this prevented me from having too many conflicts or getting overwhelmed&quot;

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. &quot;The only challenge I&rsquo;ve faced in America is bringing myself to leave at the end of my degree. I&rsquo;ve had such a positive experience in the US that I&rsquo;ve decided to stay after graduation&quot;

Q. What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. &quot;Every January we would have a training camp in warmer locations to escape the snow and boost team moral. On these trips to Florida, Peurto Rico and Colorado, the intense workouts and other activities we did as a team helped me to form strong bonds with my teammates&quot;

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. &quot;I would recommend it to anyone that&rsquo;s interested. I think that there enough universities in the US that everyone can find one that suits them&quot;

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. &quot;The US college system gave me the opportunity to extend my swimming career for another four years, without compromising my scholastic pursuits. It allowed me to continue practicing swimming at a level that fulfilled my competitiveness and in doing so, helped me to unlock more of potential. Outside of the pool, moving to the other side of the world taught me to be accountable and responsible. Lastly, through this experience, I met many great people that wouldn&rsquo;t have crossed my path, otherwise&quot;

 

 
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/des-cairns_115s66</guid>
<pubDate>17 Mar 2016 05:26:31 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/66/med-des-cairns.jpg' length='14488' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/justin-griggs_115s63</link>
<title><![CDATA[Justin Griggs]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[University of Eastern Michigan
Graduated 2011
Major - Psychology
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Justin Griggs
University of Eastern Michigan
2000 &ndash; 2012

Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. &ldquo;I had always been curious about the concept of a Sports scholarship in the US. In school I attended a lecture looking at the possibility and was told I it was probably too late (I was in year 12 at the time). It all seemed a bit too hard, the process seemed massive. So I took the &lsquo;safe option&rsquo; of completing university in Australia. I actually studied for four years in Australia before finally being given the opportunity to go&rdquo;

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to say as I was looking the do it on my own for 12 months before contacting Noel. From the time I spoke to Noel to getting on a plane to head to the US it was just over 12 months&rdquo;

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. &ldquo;For Swimming it was far superior to anything I&rsquo;ve experienced here. The atmosphere at our championship meet was similar to an AFL final (on a smaller scale obviously)&rdquo;

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A. &ldquo;As a student athlete you need to be independent and really mentally strong. If you are going straight out of school you need to be confident in the person you are and who you want to be. As you live on a college with thousands of young adults aged roughly 18-24, there is the potential to do some really great things or do some really stupid things. Insecure or less confident people could easily end up being convinced to do things they would never do in Australia just because you don&rsquo;t have the same support network and you are associating with people who have a completely different set of values and upbringing to you. There&rsquo;s nothing wrong with going outside your comfort zone, but it&rsquo;s important to not forget who you are just because you&rsquo;re in a different country&rdquo;

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;Personally I found balancing athletic and academic interests quiet easy in the US compared to Australia, primarily because I only needed to worry about swimming and study. In Australia I was trying to balance part time work as well to try and pay my study and other bills. I also had to travel 2 hours a day to get from home to training to university and back home whereas in the states everything is so close there is hardly any time wasted on travel&rdquo;

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;I found the temperature (-20 degrees Celsius at times) to be challenging as I really enjoy getting outside and getting some sun and that obviously isn&rsquo;t possible in winter where I was situated (Michigan). Being away from your family and friends is difficult especially in the first month or two but does become easier as you make new friends and settle in&rdquo;

Q. What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. I&rsquo;ll never forget my first conference which was at our home pool, huge atmosphere. Living with my teammates was awesome. Getting to travel around the US while I was there also made the experience much richer. The best thing though was meeting my beautiful fianc&eacute; while I was there&rdquo;

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. &ldquo;I would definitely recommend considering it. It will not be for everyone as with everything in life however it is a great opportunity to get some benefit for your sporting expertise. It is a huge decision though and you need to make sure you have the right match in terms of your university, study options, scholarship offer and the sports coach you&rsquo;ll be working with which is why I choose to seek assistance from Noel and American athletic scholarships. If you can get that balance right for you then I can&rsquo;t see why you wouldn&rsquo;t give it a go&rdquo;

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. &ldquo;What I got from a sports scholarship was basically that I got paid to study and swim, two things that I was doing already in Australia but having to pay for myself. I also got to see a different part of the world and meet a bunch of awesome people. Through this opportunity I was also able to extend my swimming career a number of years&rdquo;

Q. Any other comments you would like to make?

A. &ldquo;No&rdquo;
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/justin-griggs_115s63</guid>
<pubDate>17 Mar 2016 05:14:29 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/63/med-justin-griggs.jpg' length='15760' type='image/jpeg'/>
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<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/ted-taylor_115s64</link>
<title><![CDATA[Ted Taylor]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Drexel University, Philadelphia
Graduated 2016
Major - Geoscience
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[&ldquo;We are delighted to provide a testimonial for Nick Terzis and AAS, especially if you are from New Zealand.

We first became interested in exploring US schooling options when Lauren Boyle did so well in the 2012 Olympics after she trained and studied at Berkeley. Another successful AAS kiwi family put us in touch with Nick and we began the process in late 2012, in our son Ted&#39;s year 12 at school. It is worth starting early if you can as there is a lot to do, but throughout this process we have felt like we have been in expert hands as AAS have guided us through the various hurdles to swim/study in the US.

Our son is now heading to Drexel University in Philadelphia in September 2014. I am pretty sure we would not have got there on our own without AAS. Their network into the US swimming community has an amazingly broad reach and we had interest from a wide range of coaches from right across the US which was very exciting. But AAS&#39;s service is far more than just connecting you with a coach and swim-team. They have detailed knowledge of what is needed in the way of suitable responses to university requirements, productive ways to approach on-line interviews and calls for information at various times. They have always been extremely prompt to respond if we had questions and also kept us on target when we weren&#39;t as pro-active as we should have been.

We know that it won&#39;t end when Ted starts his Geoscience programme at Drexel, as Nick and AAS have a keen interest in following their &quot;alumni&quot;. So we highly recommend Nick and AAS to you, for us it has been very much worth the commitment.&rdquo;

Sally Davenport
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/ted-taylor_115s64</guid>
<pubDate>17 Mar 2016 05:23:26 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/64/med-Taylor-sidearm-2014.jpg' length='10613' type='image/jpeg'/>
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<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/joel-berryman_115s65</link>
<title><![CDATA[Joel Berryman]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Drexel University, Philadelphia
Graduated 2016
Major - Graphic Design
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/joel-berryman_115s65</guid>
<pubDate>17 Mar 2016 05:25:06 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/65/med-Berryman-sidearm-2014.jpg' length='10426' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/llewellyn-little_115s34</link>
<title><![CDATA[Llewellyn Little]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Western Kentucky University
Graduated 2015
Major - Int. Affairs &amp; Politics
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Llewellyn Little
University of Western Kentucky
2011 &ndash; 2015

Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. &ldquo;After a chance meeting with a coach who handed me Noel Greeves number, I decided to pursue US athletic scholarship. The main reasoning behind it was so I could strive for my swimming goals as well as pursuing a degree without putting life on hold as such, as we do in Australia&rdquo;

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A. &ldquo;We commenced the process in mid 2009, and signed with a school by December 2010. Noel was there &ldquo;every step of the way&rdquo; with SAT preparation help, to advising with picking schools and negotiating with them&rdquo;

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. &ldquo;It is a lot more intense in terms of training and lifestyle. It becomes your identity and your family in the states. There is also a lot more facilities available to you compared to Australia&rdquo;

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A.&ldquo;I believe determination and an ability to adapt to different environments. You have to want to achieve in the pool and school. It is really easy just to train and coast through the schooling, but if you want to succeed above the norm, you have to push yourself and show the coaches and your teaches your not just some other athlete whose there just for &#39;kicks&rdquo;

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;It was easy for me to balance the two. We had mandatory study hours first semester, which really instilled in you a study ethic that could balance with your sport. On top of that, teaches on a whole are usually understanding with you competition schedule. If not, the coaches will usually go in and fight for you (As long as you are a good student that is)&rdquo;

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;The biggest challenge for me was the food. American food is terrible. even the healthy stuff&rdquo;

Q. What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. &ldquo;Winning conference champion in the 400m IM. Pre season workouts where we ran around the school in speedos and social life of the swim team&rdquo;

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. &ldquo;I would recommend it. It is a great experience and you come out with a degree at the end, whilst being able to pursue your sporting dreams&rdquo;

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. &ldquo;The way the academics are laid out, you get to double in a little bit of everything before you actually focus on your major. This was brilliant for me; I had no idea what I wanted to do before I went in. Being able to dabble in other areas really helped me decide where I want to go in life&rdquo;

Q. Any other comments you would like to make?

A. &ldquo;Be focused on what you want out of it, and let them know exactly what that is. Enjoy everything that is on offer to you and have a blast!&rdquo;
]]></content>
<guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/llewellyn-little_115s34</guid>
<pubDate>15 Mar 2016 03:57:59 GMT</pubDate>
<enclosure url='https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/uploads/115/34/med-llewellyn.jpg' length='9043' type='image/jpeg'/>
</item>

<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/tom-coates_115s62</link>
<title><![CDATA[Tom Coates]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[University of Eastern Michigan
Graduated 2014
Major - Pre-Medical Studies
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[Q &amp; A &ndash; Thomas Coates
University of Eastern Michigan
2000 &ndash; 2014

Q. What made you decide to compete and study at a US college?

A. &ldquo;I was interested in continuing my swimming while I studied, and I didn&rsquo;t see that as a viable option if I stayed in Australia&rdquo;

Q. How did you commence the process and how long did it take?

A. &ldquo;My family and I spoke to Noel over dinner we discussed the pros and cons of going to the USA and decided it was a good decision&rdquo;

Q. How did it compare to competing in your sport in Australia?

A. &ldquo;Swimming in America is quite different. Swimming for a team is a great experience and having their support it helpful through the year. Conference championships are always extremely energetic and the focus is on development over 4 years and tapering for a few meets&rdquo;

Q. What qualities do you feel a student athlete needs to possess to be successful at a US university?

A. &ldquo;Perseverance and commitment. Once you&rsquo;re in the USA you&rsquo;re committed to 4 years of study and swimming, if you&rsquo;re uncertain you want to continue swimming and studying that long it can be a tough 4 years&rdquo;

Q. How did you balance your athletic and academic interests during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;The key is to plan your time. If you plan your weeks and keep to those plans it&rsquo;s not too tough to get to the weekend with a fair bit of spare time&rdquo;

Q. What are the key challenges you encountered during your scholarship?

A. &ldquo;The hardest thing is learning how to live independently and adjust to the college lifestyle. Once you get past the first few months the flexibility and lack of restraints are amazing&rdquo;

Q. What were some of your most memorable moments during your experience?

A. &ldquo;Winning our conference championship the second and third year was amazing! On top of this traveling to Florida each new years for swim camp was a great experience and the research I did during my studies was an opportunity I won&rsquo;t ever forget&rdquo;

Q. Would you recommend other students consider a US scholarship experience?

A. &ldquo;Of course. So long as you feel you can commit to 4 years of hard work and you&rsquo;re comfortable moving out, then I think college life is a phenomenal experience&rdquo;

Q. How did you benefit from studying and competing in the US college system?

A. &ldquo;I feel the benefits from this experience were endless. Apart from the becoming more dependent and gaining some great life experiences, employers love people who&rsquo;ve had this sort of exposure. It took me a month to land an amazing job after I returned home and about 2/3 of my interview time was spent discussing my time in the USA&rdquo;
]]></content>
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<pubDate>17 Mar 2016 05:07:54 GMT</pubDate>
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<item>
<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/tecla-di-francesco_115s35</link>
<title><![CDATA[Tecla Di Francesco]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Fordham University New York
Graduated 2015
Major - Psychology
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[&ldquo;Nick Terzis from American Athletics Scholarships was worth his weight in gold and I would highly recommend his services to any parent with a child who is considering applying for a sports scholarship to the States. I don&#39;t know how we would have managed to work our way through the quagmire that is the application process without him. His guidance, attention to detail and constant reassurance and assistance was invaluable&rdquo; 

Louise Di Francesco
]]></content>
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<pubDate>15 Mar 2016 03:58:27 GMT</pubDate>
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<link>https://www.americanathleticscholarships.com.au/returned-athletes/andy-mccoll_115s32</link>
<title><![CDATA[Andy McColl]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Delta State University, Mississippi
Graduated 2011
Major - Sports Science
]]></description>
<content><![CDATA[&ldquo;Noel assisted my son Andy and myself in an US scholarship application in 2011-2012 in the sport of swimming.

Noel has extensive experience in the area. His daughter has gone through the process so he has unique insights into the practicalities of not only receiving a scholarship but getting a teen over to the US and happily set up.

Noel is an excellent communicator and explains the complex process in the first interview and explains the reality of it being unsuccessful. He gives a realistic assessment of chances so that money is not wasted on subsequent steps. The process in a bureaucratic nightmare right down to the visa process weeks before leaving for the US and would be nie on impossible to navigate without help.

Noel is friendly and not pushy but follows up on the jobs that needed to be done with gentle encouragement and keeps to the time table necessary for the lengthy process. At times this process can seem too hard but with Noels assistance the targets can be achieved.

Noel not only assisted with paperwork but liaised with the school; interacted with the NCAA (a fairly recalcitrant organisation) provided advice and a tutor for the SAT exams and coached Andy in interview skills with the coach.

What has impressed me is that his concern over Andy did not stop once the scholarship was awarded. He phoned many times to make sure everything was going well including visa issues and even down to US mobile phone services and the linen that will be needed for the special long athletes beds.

I can highly recommend Noel he showed genuine concern for the wellbeing of the student, he is an excellent communicator and certainly has excellent skills in manipulating the fickle US collegiate system&rdquo;

Doug McColl
]]></content>
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<pubDate>15 Mar 2016 01:08:10 GMT</pubDate>
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