NCAA Eligibility Center
1.
General Information
2.
Academic Eligibility
3.
4.
5.
Core Courses, GPA
& Test Scores
Certification –
Academic & Amateur
Steps to Take
6.
Registering for the
Eligibility Center
7.
Recruiting
8.
Things to Consider
9.
Summary
10.
Resources

Formerly known as the NCAA Initial-Eligibility
Clearinghouse

Located in Indianapolis, IN.

Responsible for ALL initial-eligibility certifications
for prospective student-athletes entering Division I
and II institutions.

Initial-eligibility certification includes and academic
AND amateur certification
A.
Division I Requirements
B.
Division II Requirements
C.
Division III Requirements
To participate in athletics and/or receive an athletics scholarship
during your first year of a Division I School, you MUST:
Graduate from high school on
time!
Complete 16 core courses:
Earn a minimum required
grade point average in core
courses
Earn a combined SAT or ACT
sum score that matches your
core-course grade point
average and test score sliding
scale.
4 years of English
3 years of math (algebra 1 or
higher)
2 years of natural or physical
science (including one year of
lab science)
1 extra year of English, math,
or natural or physical science
2 years of social science
4 years of extra core courses
Time Constraint:
 You MUST graduate from high school with your incoming
ninth-grade class. If high school graduation is on June 2,
you must graduate June 2. If you do not, you have not
completed your requirements “on time.”
 You have four years or eight semesters to complete the 16
core-course requirement.
 If you graduate on time, you may use one core course
completed after graduation to meet NCAA Division I
eligibility requirements.
To participate in athletics and/or receive an athletics scholarship
during your first year of a Division II School, you MUST:

Graduate from high school

Complete 14 core courses. All core
courses completed before full-time
enrollment may be used by the
Eligibility Center

Earn a 2.00 GPA in core courses.

Earn a combined SAT score of 820
or ACT sum score of 68. There is
no sliding scale in Division II
3 years of English
2 years of math (algebra 1 or
higher)
2 years of natural or physical
science (including one year of
lab science)
2 extra years of English, math,
or natural or physical science
2 years of social science
3 years of extra core courses
 Division
III does not use the Eligibility
Center.
 Please
contact the Division III college or
university to inquire about its policies on
admission, financial aid, competition and
practice.
Definition of a Core Course:
 A course that qualifies for high school graduation in one or more of
the following: English, mathematics, natural or physical science,
social science, foreign language, religion or philosophy;
 Is considered four-year college preparatory
 Is taught at or above the high school’s regular academic level
 Mathematic courses are at the Algebra 1 level or higher
 Taught by a qualified instructor as defined by the appropriate
academic authority.

To access North Point High School’s list of approved courses on
line, go to :

www.eligibilitycenter.org

Select “resources”, then “US High School students” and “List of
Approved Core Courses” on the right under “Are You on Track”

Then select “List of Approved Core Courses” from the menu bar
on the left.

Enter North Point’s school code (HS code 211061) and press
submit.

Division I Requirements based on GPA
Core GPA
SAT
ACT
3.550 & above
400
37
3.525
410
38
3.5
420
39
3.475
430
40
---
---
---
2.025
1000
85
2.00
1010
86

Division II does not use a sliding scale with GPA
& Test Scores.

GPA must be 2.000 or higher

Combined SAT score of 820 or ACT sum
score of 68
A. Early
Certification
B. Academic
Certification
C. Amateurism

If you meet the following criteria after six semesters, you will be
certified as a qualifier:

Minimum SAT (math and critical reading) of 1000 or minimum sum
score of 85 on the ACT;
For Division I: Core-course grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher in
a minimum of 13 core courses:
3 English, 2 math, 2 science & 6 additional core courses.
For Division II: Core-course GPA of 3.0 or higher in a minimum of 12 core
courses:
3 English, 2 math, 2 science & 5 additional courses.

3 Components to Academic Certification

Qualifying score on ACT or SAT

Qualifying GPA in core classes

Graduation from High School



Eligibility Center encourages student-athletes to update their
athletic participation information often, especially if they participate
in events outside of the normal high school season.
Stay college eligible – always ask before you act!
Amateurism Red Flags…Ask questions before:








Signing a contract with a professional team
Receiving money for participating in athletics
Receiving prize money above actual and necessary expenses
Playing with professional athletes
Trying out, practicing or competing with a professional team
Receiving benefits from an agent or prospective agent
Agreeing to be represented by an agent
Participating in organized competition after your first opportunity to
enroll in college

Freshmen & Sophomores



Start planning now.
Take classes that match your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core
Courses.
Juniors:




At the beginning of your junior year, log on to the Eligibility Center Web
site at www.eligibilitycenter.org and register. $60.00 registration fee.
Register to take the ACT,SAT or both and use the Eligibility Center Code
“9999” as a score recipient.
Double check to make sure you’re taking approved courses.
Request that your high school guidance counselor send an official
transcript to the Eligibility Center after completing junior year. NO
FAXED Transcripts

Seniors:





Take the SAT and/or ACT as often as you feel necessary. The Eligibility
Center will use the best scores from each section of the SAT or ACT to
determine your best cumulative score
Continue to take core courses
Review Amateurism questionnaire responses and request final
amateurism certification beginning April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October
1 (for spring enrollees).
Graduate ON TIME!! If you fall behind, use summer school sessions
prior to graduation to catch up.
After graduation, ask your high school guidance counselor to send your
final transcript to the Eligibility Center with proof of graduation.

www.eligibilitycenter.org - To create a new account either click on
the “New Account” button on the top right of screen or the cell
phone on the left.

Valid email address required – be sure to use one that will be
active after you have graduated from high school.

Follow directions to complete the process

$65 registration fee
A.
Overview
B.
Freshman Year
C.
Sophomore Year
D.
Junior Year
E.
Senior Year

Before a Division I college or university may invite you on an
official visit, you must provide them with a copy of your high school
transcript and SAT or ACT score(s). You must also register with
the Eligibility Center.

Division II colleges and universities require official SAT or ACT
scores, along with registering with the Eligibility Center.

You may take a maximum of five expense-paid visits, with no more
than one permitted to any single college or university. This
restriction applies only for expense-paid visits to Division I or II
institutions.

Get settled in high school. Concentrate on a solid high school
curriculum.

Setup a workout schedule allowing comfortable time for academics
and sports

If you think you are interested in attending a college for a sport,
send an introduction letter or e-mail in your freshman year..

Prepare your athletic resume.






Continue striving for academic success. Research NCAA academic
requirements.
Make sure that you are “on target” for all core requirements.
Visit your High School career center to start investigating colleges
and their admission requirements.
Refine and update your resume.
Send an updated letter to the schools you are interested in.
During the summer between your Sophomore and Junior years,
update your athletic resume.






Continue or begin to send out athletic resumes now, if you have
not already done so.
Register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse (it’s never
too early, but it can be too late)
Request that ACT/SAT test scores be sent to the NCAA Initial
Eligibility Clearninghouse
Keep up with studies and review NCAA requirements to make
sure they have not changed.
Keep investigating other colleges and send out additional
resumes.
Visit some of the campuses that you are interested in.

In July, after completion of your Junior year, phone contacts
initiated by college coaches is permissible. Begin heavy contact
with the schools you are interested in, even making a few phone
calls (but REMEMBER that coaches cannot call you back until
July 1st after you complete your junior year).

Update your academic information with the Clearinghouse. If your
top choices of colleges have not panned out send MORE info to
your second and third choices. If coaches want to make home
visits, they will do this after July 1st.

Update academics with Clearinghouse.



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DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOUR SENIOR YEAR TO MAKE FIRST
CONTACT OR REGISTER FOR THE CLEARINGHOUSE
Do not let up on academics
Review core requirements with your high school counselor
Send out your team schedule as soon as possible.
Keep college coaches posted on any changes or updates to your
team schedules.
Send out last of resumes, if new interest in other schools
Find out Letter of Intent dates for your sport from NCAA
Take advantage of no more than five college paid Official Visits, if
offered.
Ask a lot of questions and weigh all the advantage and
disadvantages of the schools your are interested in.
A.
Balancing Academics and Athletics
B.
What to Consider when looking at a college
C.
Level of Play
D.
Financial Aid
E.
Probability of Making it to Pros

Time Requirements of College Athletics

12 Credit Hours course load minimum

National Championship Season – 20 hours per week


Includes:

20 Competitions

Strength Training

Meetings

Individual Training Sessions

Individual Meetings
The Critical Skill – Time Management

Can you live away from home?

Country/Region of the Country

City – Large, Midsize, Small

School – Large, Midsize, Small/Private or State

Starter, Substitute, Practice Player, Red-shirt (A year of not
competing but can train and can be on scholarship)

Quality of FIT or Quantity of Financial Aid (Scholarship)?


Is it the right FIT for you?
Level of Play?
Level of Play

Differences between NCAA Division I, II, III & NAIA?

Number of scholarships offered by sport

Rules governing the sports and institutions with regard to recruiting,
training & competition

Standard of play
THERE ARE NO FOUR-YEAR ATHLETIC
SCHOLARSHIPS!!!

All athletic scholarships awarded by NCAA institutions are
limited to one year and are renewable each academic year and
may be reduced or withdrawn.

Athletic scholarships may be renewed each academic year for a
maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous
college attendance.

Athletics scholarships are awarded in a variety of amounts,
ranging from full scholarships (including tuition fees, room,
board and books) to partial scholarships (e.g. books only).
Approximately 3.3% of senior
girls will play at a NCAA
member institution
Approximately 1% of NCAA
female senior players will get
drafted by WNBA
Approximately .02% of high
school seniors will eventually be
drafted by a WNBA team
High School Student Athletes
452,929
High School Senior Student Athletes
129,408
NCAA Student Athletes
15,096
NCAA Freshman Roster Positions
4,313
NCAA Senior Student Athletes
3,355
NCAA Student Athletes Drafted
32
Percent High School to NCAA
3.3%
Percent NCAA to Professional
1.0%
Percent High School Senior to Professional
.02%
Approximately 5.7% of senior
boys will play at a NCAA
member institution
Approximately 1.8% of NCAA
male senior players will get
drafted by NFL
Approximately .08% of high
school seniors will eventually be
drafted by a NFL team
High School Student Athletes
High School Senior Student Athletes
1,071,775
306,221
NCAA Student Athletes
61,252
NCAA Freshman Roster Positions
17,501
NCAA Senior Student Athletes
13,612
NCAA Student Athletes Drafted
250
Percent High School to NCAA
5.7%
Percent NCAA to Professional
1.8%
Percent High School Senior to Professional
.08%
Approximately 3% of senior
boys will play at a NCAA
member institution
Approximately 1.2% of NCAA
male senior players will get
drafted by NBA
Approximately .03% of high
school seniors will eventually
be drafted by a NBA team
High School Student Athletes
546,355
High School Senior Student Athletes
156,096
NCAA Student Athletes
16,571
NCAA Freshman Roster Positions
4,735
NCAA Senior Student Athletes
3,682
NCAA Student Athletes Drafted
44
Percent High School to NCAA
3.0%
Percent NCAA to Professional
1.2%
Percent High School Senior to Professional
.03%

All students planning to participate in Division I or II athletics as a
freshman must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center

Students must receive both an academic AND amateurism
certification

Division I: High School graduation, 16 core courses, core GPA/test
score sliding scale.

Division II: High School graduation, 14 core courses, 2.0 core
GPA, 820 SAT or 68 ACT

Division III: Students are not certified by the Eligibility Center

Eligibilitycenter.org





College-bound student athletes complete their registration
Check Status
Download and print a copy of the 2009/2010 Guide for the College-Bound
Student Athlete.
Access list of approved courses
NCAA.org

Under “Academics & Athletes” section. Click on “Eligibility & recruiting”
and then click on “Information for College-Bound Student-Athletes and
Parents.”

Act.org

Collegeboard.com

Northpointathletics.org for a copy of this presentation.