NCAA Athletic Eligibility Rules Mathieu Chapman School Counselor Highland School of Technology

Agenda NCAA Divisions NCAA Eligibility Center Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility Initial Eligibility Requirements Core Course GPA and Test Scores Amateurism (Sports Participation) Other Options CoreCourseGPA.com Resources Questions?

NCAA Divisions NCAA colleges and universities are divided into three divisions; Division I, Division II and Division III. Diversity within the Divisions (big schools, small schools, different sports). DI-351, DII-318, DIII-451 Difference between Divisions Mission/Philosophy - (ie. DIII - academics are primary focus) Rules – Initial Eligibility Requirements (ie. DI vs. DII vs. DIII) National championships (ie. DI Football – FBS vs. FCS subdivisions) Athletic scholarships – (ie. # of scholarships and amount)

NCAA Eligibility Center If you want to participate in NCAA Division I or II athletics, you need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. You need to qualify academically and you will also need to be cleared as an amateur student – athlete. Create a Certification Account to make official visits or to sign National Letter of Intent. NCAA Eligibility Center Website – http://www.eligibilitycenter.org/ (Formerly known as NCAA Clearinghouse) You do not have to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if you plan to play Division III athletics. Create a Profile Page – You will get a NCAA ID and they send important reminders as you complete High School.

Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility Freshmen and Sophomores Start planning now! Visit - http://www.ncaa.org/playcollegesports Download – Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete Work hard to get the best grades possible. Take classes that match your high school’s List of NCAA Courses. The NCAA Eligibility Center will only use approved courses to certify your initial eligibility. Access and print your high school’s List of NCAA Courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org by clicking: Help > Resources > Find your core courses At the beginning of your sophomore year, complete online registration at www.eligibilitycenter.org. $80.00 Fee Waivers available for students with Free/Reduced Lunch

Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility NCAA Eligibility Registration

Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility NCAA Eligibility Registration

Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility NCAA Eligibility Registration Basic Personal Information Basic Education History High School(s) attended Sports Participation History Payment - $80.00 Fee Waivers for Free/Reduced Lunch Transcript Ask School Counselor to submit online at NCAA. View required information about eligibility and banned drugs.

Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility Juniors Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the NCAA Eligibility Center code “9999” as a score recipient. Double check to make sure that you are taking courses that match your high school’s List of NCAA Courses. Request that your high school counselor send an official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center after completing your junior year. (The NCAA Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed transcripts.) Prior to registration for your senior year, check with your counselor and the NCAA Eligibility Center to determine the number of core courses that need to be completed your senior year.

Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility Seniors Continue to take college-preparatory courses. Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible. Take the ACT or SAT as many times as necessary. Check your List of NCAA Courses. Request your final amateurism certification after April 1 Graduate on time (eight semesters). Use summer courses if necessary. After graduation, ask your high school counselor to send your final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center with proof of graduation.

Initial Eligibility Requirements Academic Requirements Graduate from High School. Complete 16 NCAA-approved courses. Earn a minimum required core-course grade-point average (GPA). Earn a required SAT or ACT sum score.

Initial Eligibility Requirements Core Courses 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 or comparative religion or philosophy; Is considered four-year college preparatory; Is taught at or above the high school’s regular academic level; For mathematics courses, is at the level of Algebra I/(Math I) or higher; and Is taught by a qualified instructor as defined by the appropriate academic authority.

Initial Eligibility Requirements Core Courses NCAA Division I and II require 16 core courses. From the time you enter the ninth grade, you have four (4) years or eight (8) semesters to complete your core- course requirement. NCAA Division I will require 10 core courses to be completed prior to the seventh semester (before senior year). Seven of the 10 core courses must be a combination of English, math, or science. These 10 courses become “locked in” at the start of the seventh semester (start of senior year) and cannot be retaken for grade improvement.

Initial Eligibility Requirements Division I (16 Core Courses) Division II (16 Core Courses) 4 years English. 3 years math (Algebra I or higher). 2 years natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school) 1 year additional English, math or natural/physical science. 2 years social science. 4 years additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy). 3 years English. 2 years math (Algebra I or higher). 2 years natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school) 3 year additional English, math or natural/physical science. 2 years social science. 4 years additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy).

Initial Eligibility Requirements Non-Traditional Courses Nontraditional courses are those taught through the Internet (Online or Virtual), distance learning, independent study, individualized instruction, correspondence, computer software programs or other similar means. Must include ongoing access between the instructor and student. Must have a defined time period for completion (i.e., six weeks). Should be clearly identified as nontraditional courses on the high school transcript. Must be four-year college preparatory and need to be comparable in length, content and rigor to courses taught in a traditional classroom setting.

Initial Eligibility Requirements Division III Unlike Divisions I and II, there is no uniform set of eligibility requirements for Division III schools. Eligibility for admission, financial aid, practice and competition is determined by the college or university. No Athletic Scholarship Money for DIII. 75% of DIII student-athletes receive some form of merit or need based financial aid.

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Division I – Requirements Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches your core-course GPA and test-score (sliding scale) Minimum GPA = 2.30 (16 core courses) Weighted honors or advanced courses may be used. There are now three possible academic outcomes Full Qualifier Academic Redshirt Nonqualifer

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Division I – Requirements Full Qualifier = competition, athletics aid (scholarship), and practice the first year. 2.3 GPA and minimum SAT/ACT score that matches GPA. Academic Redshirt = athletics aid the first year, practice in first regular academic term (semester or quarter). 2.0- 2.299 GPA and minimum SAT/ACT score that matches GPA After the first term is complete, the student-athlete must be academically successful (completing nine semester hours or eight quarter hours in each applicable term) at his/her college to continue to practice for the remainder of the year Nonqualifer = no athletics aid, practice or competition the first year. Fails to meet the standard for Qualifier or Academic Redshirt

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Abbreviated Version of DI Sliding Scale Core GPA SAT Score Sum ACT Score Status 3.550 & above 400 37 Full Qualifier 3.250 520 46 3.000 620 52 2.750 720 59 2.500 820 68 2.300 900 75 2.299 910 76 Academic Redshirt 2.250 920 77 2.150 960 81 2.100 980 83 2.000 1020 86 Link to full version of sliding scale

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Current Seniors – Class of 2017 (Before Fall 2018) Division II - No Sliding Scale Qualifier = competition, athletics aid (scholarship), and practice the first year. Earn a 2.000 GPA or better in your 16 core courses AND Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT score of 68. Partial Qualifier = athletics aid the first year and practice at home facility during first year. Earn a 2.000 GPA or better in your 16 core courses OR Non Qualifier = no athletics aid, practice or competition the first year. Fails to meet the standard for Qualifier or Partial Qualifier

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Current Fresh., Soph., Jr. – (Fall 2018 and beyond) Division II – Sliding Scale (New Requirement) Qualifier = competition, athletics aid (scholarship), and practice the first year. Earn a 2.200 GPA or better in your 16 core courses AND minimum SAT/ACT score that matches GPA (sliding scale) Partial Qualifier = athletics aid the first year and practice at home facility during first year. Earn a 2.000 GPA or better in your 16 core courses AND Non Qualifier = no athletics aid, practice or competition the first year. Fails to meet the standard for Qualifier or Partial Qualifier

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Current Fresh. & Soph. – (Fall 2018 and beyond) (NEW) Abbreviated Version of DII Sliding Scale Core GPA SAT Score Sum ACT Score Status 3.300 & above 400 37 Full Qualifier 3.250 420 39 3.100 480 43 3.050 500 44 3.050 & above Partial Qualifier 2.500 720 59 620 52 2.200 840 & above 70 & above 740 61 2.100 780 64 2.000 820 & above 68 & above Link to full version of sliding scale

Core Course GPA and Test Scores Taking the SAT and/or ACT Be sure to enter the “9999” code when registering for the SAT or ACT. This requests for your official test scores to be sent directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is FREE for students. Sending scores later cost money. ($12) Test scores on high school transcripts will not be used. Your Best Scores Will Be Used ACT Test #1 Test #2 Scores Used English 18 20 Math 17 16 Reading 15 19 Science Total 68 71 74 SAT Test #1 Test #2 Scores Used Critical Reading 470 440 Math 350 420 Total 820 860 890

Amateurism (Sports Participation) If you want to participate in NCAA Division I or II athletics, you must also be certified as an amateur student-athlete. When you register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, you will be asked questions about your athletics participation. The information you will provide will be reviewed and a determination will be made as to whether your amateurism status should be certified or if a penalty should be assessed before certification. Additional information may be requested. Update your sports participation information often especially if you participate in events outside of the normal high school season.

Amateurism (Sports Participation) The following pre-NCAA enrollment activities may be reviewed. Contracts with a professional team. Salary for participating in athletics. Prize money. Play with professionals. Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team. Benefits from an agent or prospective agent. Agreement to be represented by an agent. Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition. Any financial assistance based on athletics skills or participation.

Other Options Playing sports for an NCAA school is not your only option. NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics www.naia.org Usually Smaller Colleges and Universities NJCAA – National Junior College Athletic Association www.njcaa.org Usually Community Colleges

CoreCourseGPA.com Gaston County Schools has teamed up with CoreCourseGPA.com to provide custom online software to all student-athletes to assist in tracking their progress towards meeting NCAA initial eligibility requirements. CoreCourseGPA.com calculates core course GPA for both Division I and II, provides corresponding minimum SAT/ACT scores, and a detailed report of core course credits earned and needed. All student-athletes are encouraged to activate their FREE membership to begin tracking their core course GPA and learn more about important recruiting topics.

CoreCourseGPA.com 1. Go to www.CoreCourseGPA.com 2. Click on “New Free Member Account” in the upper left corner and enter the School ID and School Code: Each High School has their own School ID and School Code. See your Athletic Director or School Counselor for the ID and Code. 3. Click “Continue.” 4. Fill in the appropriate fields in the Create New Student Account form. Remember to write down the new Member Name and Password you have created. 5. Click “Submit.” Congratulations! You have successfully created your CoreCourseGPA.com member account.

Click here to create your account CoreCourseGPA.com Click here to create your account

CoreCourseGPA.com 5 Step Process No Typing Select Course, Credit, Grade, and Year English Math Natural/Physical Science Social Science Additional Core Courses Click “Show Report”

Initial Eligibility Status Report CoreCourseGPA.com Initial Eligibility Status Report Summary Report 4 Detailed Reports DI Actual Core GPA DII Actual Core GPA DI Projected Core GPA DII Projected Core GPA Save/Send Reports as a PDF

CoreCourseGPA.com CoreCourseGPA.com also provides you access to free recruiting webinars through FreeRecruitingWebinar.org, a nonprofit program. Webinar previews as well as full length recruiting webinars may be accessed on the FreeRecruitingWebinar.org website. Viewing a full length webinar is highly recommended to learn about the facts and rules of recruiting. Webinars include information on - NCAA/NAIA Academic Eligibility, Protecting your Amateurism, Scholarship Myths and Facts, Recruiting Services, Social Networking, Saving for College, Plus Much More! IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOUR USE OF CORECOURSEGPA.COM IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR REGISTERING WITH THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER

Resources NCAA.org/playcollegesports (Main information page) Eligibilitycenter.org (Complete registration and check status with the NCAA Eligibility Center) ACTstudent.org (Register for ACT) Collegeboard.org (Register for SAT) National-letter.org (National Letter of Intent) CoreCourseGPA.org ( Calculates your Core GPA) FreeRecruitingWebinar.org (Free recruiting webinars) 2016-17 NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete NCAA Eligibility Center Quick Reference Guide NextStepU.com (Become A Student Athlete - Articles about recruiting and playing collegiate sports)

NCAA Eligibility Center customer service – (877)262-1492 Questions? NCAA Eligibility Center customer service – (877)262-1492 Information used in this presentation was taken from the NCAA website and from CoreCourseGPA.com

Recruiting Tips Talk to your coach or other coaches about your ability and on what level you can compete. DI,DII,DIII Don’t wait on colleges to recruit you…YOU recruit the Colleges. Fill out recruiting questionnaires on the colleges website. Reply promptly to questionnaires or emails sent by colleges. Create a sports resume or activity sheet. - Email to coaches. Create a highlight video of your best plays and/or skills. Use free recruiting sites to explore colleges and increase exposure. Colleges are restricted to the times of the year they can contact you. Know the recruiting rules and timelines for your sport. Look at the schools current roster. How many scholarships or athletes will they be adding to their team? When a college becomes interested in you explore other colleges within that conference and division. Is the college a good fit for you? Would you still go if playing sports were not an option? Watch what you post on Social Media!

Summary of Minimum NCAA DI & DII Initial-Eligibility Standards for Classes 2017-2020 Division I 2017 -2020 Minimum Core Course GPA* 2.30 Total Core Course Credits Required 16 Credits Required Prior to Sr. Year* 10 Eng, Math, Sci Prior to Sr. Year* 7 Minimum SAT 2016+ DI Sliding Scale Minimum ACT Division II 2017 2018 -2020 Minimum Core Course GPA^ 2.00 2.20 Total Credits 16 Minimum SAT 820 2018+ DII Sliding Scale Minimum ACT (sum) 68 *The 2.3 minimum gpa and 10/7 credit requirements are required for Qualifier status. The 10 core credits are “locked in” for the core gpa calculations & may not be retaken once the senior year begins. Students who complete 16 credits, earn a min. 2.0 gpa & the required sliding scale test score may achieve Academic Redshirt status. ^ For the class of 2018 and beyond, the 2.20 min. gpa is required for Qualifier status. Students who complete 16 credits, earn a min. 2.00 gpa and the required sliding scale test score may achieve Partial Qualifier status.