Do you work with International Students & Families?

Yes! Since rugby is a worldwide sport, we do work with many international families. We have helped families in the UK, Canada, South America, Australia, Asia and Europe. Because we have so many college and university options here in the States, we have seen a trend in overseas students actively looking to play and study here. In order to even consider studying in the U.S., an international student first must make sure their academics are in order.

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We often receive questions about scholarship and while there are SOME colleges which offer rugby scholarships for highly talented rugby players, the amounts tend to be far from covering the total cost of college. More times than not, international families need to be ready to pay for their education in the states since they do not meet U.S. federal or state requirements for financial aid. For more info about International Student Financial Aid, please download this resource guide.

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Please note: At this time, we can only provide services for those students and families who speak English since we are unable to provide translation services. For more details about how we work with students click here.

My child has a school counselor at his/her school. Do we still need The Rugger's Edge?

Yes – If your child wants to play collegiate rugby and wishes to use their rugby talent to increase their chances of both admission and/or scholarship money, The Rugger’s Edge is the only resource that has the knowledge to help your family.

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Your child’s school counselor may be able to provide your family with adequate academic advising to ensure your child has met college eligibility requirements (appropriate courses, standardized testing, etc.), but only The Rugger’s Edge can help your family understand how to leverage your child’s rugby talent for increased admission support and scholarship opportunities.

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Also, keep in mind that The American School Counselors Association has a recommended ratio for counselors to students is 250 to 1 but on average, the ratio is closer to 500 to 1. We are here to support your family and your high school and often collaborate and partner with high school counselors to provide you the highest level of care.

Can you just send me a list of colleges that offer rugby scholarships?

Unfortunately not. Our focus is helping a student find the best fit for both their academic and athletic goals. In order to do that, a Rugger’s Edge Advisor needs to meet with your family and understand what your specific needs are. For example, Life University is an amazing high performance rugby team, however, if your child is not interested in pursuing one of their 12 majors, this would not be the right fit for him or her. Also, keep in mind, many college rugby programs may not offer official athletic scholarship money for their rugby players, but may have options like an alumni scholarship available (e.g. St. Mary’s College of California) or may be a participant in a state reciprocity arrangement that helps students attend out-of-state colleges at discounted tuition rates (check out the Western Undergraduate Exchange program). It is our job to ensure you are able to take every opportunity that is available to you which simply cannot be done with a simple list.

If you are just starting out, we highly recommend you start your journey with our Rugger’s Edge Playbook and various webinars which does include a variety of college lists that can help your child begin the process on their own.

Do you donate Services for a Non-Profit?

We offerpro bono services to a few partners who work with underrepresented students and families including ICEF Rugby and the Rugby Opportunity Fund however, we do not offer individual advising services for families as we have far more requests than hours available to support them all. As stated above, we do our best to explore options to provide as many free resources and seminars that are accessible to all.

Do you work with students who are not rugby players?

Yes! While my specialty is in working with rugby student athletes, I do routinely work with non-rugby athletes, as well as non-athletes overall through my other college consulting company College by Karen. If you are a family in need of college guidance, please do not hesitate to contact me to see if we are a fit. I can provide advice on such issues such as curriculum choices, college list development, standardized tests, college applications and essays and much more!

We definitely want to work with you, but how do I get started?

We would love to work with you and your family! Depending on what grade your child is in, we start all of our students with a Comprehensive Consultation in order to give a full assessment of your child’s entire academic and athletic profile and make recommendations on next steps for your child. From this point, if your child is ready to take the next steps and commit fully to the process, we will engage in an Elite Service for their remaining years to provide the highest chance of success. We will only recommend this service if we feel it is necessary for the success of your child’s college admission, recruitment and scholarship.

If you are ready to begin work with us, please contact us to schedule your Comprehensive Consultation as soon as possible.