However, the United States is not a socialist society. Individuals get paid for the work they do and some jobs simply pay more than others. A lawyer is always going to make more than a manager at McDonalds even though both likely work equally as hard for their families. Working hard does not always equal increased pay. College football and basketball are simply the most revenue-generating sports sponsored by the NCAA and those will inevitably be the ones with departments that can offer their student-athletes paychecks to supplement or substitute for their scholarships. Furthermore, if the football or basketball departments can afford to pay coaches the high salaries they deserve then the students also deserve to see some of the money that the school is generating for itself from the sweat of its students.

College athletes are also adults. As adults and residents of the United States, college athletes cannot work without receiving any compensation: to do so would be akin to slavery. No student unless those who expressly perform volunteer work, would expect to work as hard as NCAA athletes do and not receive financial compensation. The students who receive full...

Sure, a scholarship is a prime incentive for college athletes. College athletes strive for professional recognition in their sport, though. Paying college athletes a reasonable sum for their work would ensure that they are treated like human beings and not exploited for profit only.
Works Cited

Korman, Chris. "End the debate, pay college athletes." Feb 20, 2003. The Daily Collegian. Retrieved May 27, 2008 at http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2003/02/02-20-03tdc/02-20-03dsports-column-01.asp

Meshefejian, Krikor. "Pay to Play: Should College Athletes Be Paid?" March 23, 2005. The Illinois Business Law Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2008 at http://iblsjournal.typepad.com/illinois_business_law_soc/2005/03/does_it_make_se.html

Whiteside, Kelly. "College Athletes Want Cut of Action." USA Today. Aug 31, 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2008 at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2004-08-31-top-ten-number-7_x.htm