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BRONXVILLE, N.Y.—Each year, more than a million high-school athletes graduate with the hopes of competing in college sports. For some student-athletes, sports-based scholarships provide the necessary funds to support their education, but many more compete in college sports without any financial gain for their efforts.

Sarah Lawrence College swimmer Ariana Peschke (Topanga, Calif., La Reina) was one of the lucky few whose practice and training earned her a full scholarship to an NCAA Division I institution, but after a year of intercollegiate competition, her scholastic future changed dramatically.

At her previous school, "I didn't fit in," reflected Peschke. "Swimming had become a task that prevented me from pursuing other activities, and I lost appreciation for the sport."

Before her sophomore season, the native of Topanga, Calif., began exploring other options and her focus soon turned toward the educational model of Sarah Lawrence College.

"As I did my research, Sarah Lawrence looked like the perfect school," she noted. "Students are able to study the topics that interest them most without having to fill their schedule with required courses. And, since I wasn't ready to give up the sport entirely, I was only looking at schools with varsity swimming."

Soon, Peschke applied and transferred to Sarah Lawrence, quickly becoming a dominant leader of the developing program. Still, the transition wasn't without difficulty.

As one of the more than 400 member schools of NCAA Division III, Sarah Lawrence College is prohibited from offering scholarships to student-athletes based on athletic ability. Student-athletes can still receive financial aid but rely on the same process utilized by the general student body.

For Peschke, coming to Sarah Lawrence meant giving up her athletic scholarship. While she was ready to make the transition as a student, her parents were harder to convince.

"At first, my parents didn't support my decision," explained Peschke. "They didn't think I should give up my scholarship, but they did their own research. The network of alumni, the student-faculty relationship—those were the factors that finally convinced them."

When one looks at Peschke's youth, it's not hard to understand why a more conventional school might not be the best fit. She was born in Los Angeles but also spent several years living with her mother in Costa Rica. She's a dual citizen of America and Germany because of her German father, and her upbringing resulted in a love of travel as well as fluency of three languages.

Peschke began swimming at age seven, and thanks to a speedy development—she grew seven inches in a single year—she peaked among the nation's top 20 competitors in her age group. As other girls began to catch up, Peschke began to slip down the rankings. She was still impressive (as a high-school senior, she won the California state title in the 100 yard backstroke) but was no longer extraordinary on a national level.

"By my senior year of high school, I knew I wasn't going to be a professional," Peschke reflected. "I could go far, but I wasn't going to be making commercials like Michael Phelps. At that point, swimming became a hobby, and I started trying to figure out what to do with my life."

Her swimming talent, it seemed, would be necessary to convince a good college that she was a worthy applicant.

"I didn't believe that I could get in without swimming. I went on a bunch of recruiting trips and was convinced that I needed to swim at the top level. Today, I realize that I have a life outside of the sport, and a lot of competitive swimmers can't say that."

Since coming to Sarah Lawrence, Peschke's outlook has improved dramatically. She's been able to reconnect with her hobbies, including fire and aerial performance, while pursuing goals of becoming a documentarian or starting an off-grid organic farm. In her first semester, Peschke studied painting, botany and hunger & excess.

"I'm doing well in my classes because I care about what I'm learning," she explained. "I can choose my courses and take my education in three different directions. Everyone at Sarah Lawrence enjoys learning, is open-minded and appreciates individuality."

To be sure, Peschke says that she wouldn't have been able to make the transition by herself. Director of Aquatics Eric Mitchell, who coaches the women's and men's swimming teams played a big part in making Sarah Lawrence a welcome change.

"Eric is an awesome coach." She repeated that phrase several times. "He treats us like adults and gives all of the team members personal attention. I love swimming again."

In the pool, Peschke's success has been undeniable. Her name is emblazoned on the Sarah Lawrence record board in 10 events after only one season on the team. She captured three titles at the 2013 Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference Swimming championships and was named to the All-HVWAC team.

On the opening day of the 2013 Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association championships, Peschke swam a personal best in the 50 yard freestyle and finished eighth place against competition from several nationally-ranked teams. Sarah Lawrence continues competition at the UNYSCSA event, Feb. 20-23, 2013.

While Peschke may never swim in a collegiate national championship—as a provisional NCAA member, Sarah Lawrence is not yet eligible—she's not bothered by that fact. Swimming will long be a part of her life, but always just a part of it.