The Path to NCAA Academic Eligibility

There is a great deal of hard work and dedication that goes into being a student-athlete at the collegiate level. What most people don’t realize is that this hard work starts long before the athlete first steps foot onto campus; in high school with their first private SAT tutor. In order to become eligible for NCAA Division I and II athletics, the prospective student-athlete must pay as much attention to their school work as they do their sport. Below is a general guideline of how to start planning and preparing for NCAA eligibility during your high school years.
Please note that these guidelines ONLY cover the requirements for gaining NCAA Academic eligibility and does not touch on the numerous NCAA recruiting rules and regulations.
Freshman and Sophomores

• Start planning now!
• Work hard to get the best grades possible
• Make sure that you are taking classes that are NCAA core courses. You can access your high school’s list of NCAA courses at http://eligibilitycenter.org/
• Don’t fall behind early on! Use summer school classes to catch up if necessary
  

Juniors

• Complete registration at the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly known as the NCAA Clearinghouse) at the beginning of your junior year
• Register to take the SAT, ACT, or both. Enter code “9999” as a score recipient to send your scores directly to the Eligibility Center
• Check to make sure you are still on track with the NCAA courses
• After completing your junior year, ask your school counselor to send your official transcript to the Eligibility Center
• Check with a school counselor before registering for Senior classes to make sure you complete all core courses by graduation

Seniors

• Take the SAT and/or ACT again if necessary
• Check once again to make sure you are completing all necessary NCAA courses for eligibility
• Request final amateurism certification on or after April 1st
• Graduate on time (in eight-semesters)
• After graduation, ask your high school counselor to send your final transcript to the Eligibility Center with proof of graduation

With a little planning and the hard-work to make it possible, you can set your dreams of playing collegiate athletics in motion.
For a complete list of the NCAA rules and regulations download a copy of the 2010-2011 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.