“College Athletics”

College-bound student athletes who wish to pursue college athletics must consult with the organization designated for their level of play. Each association has academic eligibility criteria designed to uphold academic standards for all its athletes. Students must meet admissions criteria for the institution in addition to athletic eligibility requirements.  Colleges not only seek great athletes, but prospective students who can graduate from their institutions.

NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association/Division I and II Institutions

• Division I – This is the largest and most competitive athletic association. Division I colleges can offer full and partial scholarships to athletes.
• Division II – Less competitive athletically than Division I; member colleges are typically smaller than Division I schools. Athletic aid is available in lesser amounts.

Register: https://web3.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp 
Olympian School Code:  054072

Helpful Resources (Free Downloads):

•  NCAA Eligibility Brochure
• Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete
• Search for NCAA Sport
• Map Search for a School
• Probability of Competing Beyond High School
• 2.3 Or Take a Knee website
• Division III – This division consists of 400+ colleges/universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to student athletes. It offers an “intense and competitive athletics environment for student-athletes who play for the love of the game, without the obligation of an athletics scholarship.”

Learn More about Division I, II, III (Click Here)

NAIA –National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (Small-college Athletics)

There are 350+ colleges associated with the NAIA. Most are small colleges. Similar to the NCAA, students must meet eligibility requirements to participate and make good progress toward college graduation.

Register:  https://www.playnaia.org (Student Eligibility Center)

NJCAA—National Junior College Athletic Association (Junior and Community Colleges)

Students must have graduated from high school or received a high school diploma equivalent. Students should discuss their academic eligibility with the athletic staff at the NJCAA college they will be attending.  Students who are not academically eligible to play at an NCAA college can start at an NJCAA school and then transfer.

Website:  https://www.njcaa.org/

Helpful Resource (Free Download):

• NCAA Transfer Guide

You will only need to file with the NCAA Clearinghouse if you will be participating in a Division I or Division II NCAA Sanctioned Sport.

When should a student register with the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Students can register with the NCAA Eligibility Center in their sophomore year in high school. At the end of the student’s junior year, a transcript, including six semesters of grades, should be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center from the high school. Additionally, students should have their SAT or ACT scores forwarded directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center (by using code “9999”) whenever they take the exam.

What is the fee to register?
The registration fee for U.S. students is $75

*Students that qualify for an SAT/ACT fee waiver, may be eligible for an NCAA registration fee waiver.

What requirements do I need to be able to practice, play and get a scholarship at an NCAA Division I or II college or university?

Quick Reference Guide

You need to complete the following:

• Establish an account with the NCAA Eligibility Center
• Submit Transcript Release Form to the School Registrar, Ms. Garcia:

https://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/TranscriptReleaseForm.pdf

• Complete a minimum of 16 core courses in the required framework; communicate your interest in college athletics to your counselor and coach – the earlier, the better.
• Present the required grade-point average (GPA) in NCAA core courses (2.300 to compete Div. I; 2.000 Div. II until Aug. 1, 2018). Take challenging courses and work hard at the best GPA possible. NCAA Core GPA: https://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Grading_and_GPA/Calculation_of_the_Core_GPA.pdf
• Present a qualifying test score on either the ACT or SAT (sliding scale score based on core-course GPA); Send a score report directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center (code 9999)
• Request final amateurism certification (beginning April 1 for fall enrollees or beginning October 1 for spring enrollees).
• Graduate from High School

***Students are responsible for understanding and maintaining their eligibility status with the NCAA Eligibility Center and communicating with the respective coaches and recruiters.

Please plan ahead and utilize the available resources on the Eligibility Center website: https://web3.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp

You may also contact the NCAA Eligibility Center customer service:  877-622-2321.

***If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact the NCAA Eligibility Center’s customer service staff at 877-262-1492 or see Ms. Jessica Skinner in the Counseling Center