NCAA Guidelines for WBHS Seniors

Are You Interested in College Athletics? All Division I and Division II athletes must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse/Eligibility Center. Student athletes must be declared eligible to participate in college athletics. Most Division I students receive athletic scholarships, and many Division II students receive athletic scholarships. Division III athletes are not required to register with the NCAA, and do not receive athletic scholarships.

Michigan Athletic Divisions Division I Michigan, Michigan State University, Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University Division II Grand Valley State University, Wayne State University, Saginaw Valley State University Division III Albion College, Hope College, Calvin College

NCAA Requirements Graduate from high school. Earn a minimum ACT or SAT score. Earn minimum grades in required classes. Students must have a 2.0 or higher as seniors. Requirements differ slightly from Division I and Division II. New requirements will be enforced for students graduating in 2016 and beyond. These requirements do not apply to seniors graduating in 2014. The current NCAA requirements apply to this class.

Senior Year Timeline All students should be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Students must complete two sections: the academic information and the amateurism questionnaire. These forms can be completed at the beginning of senior year, or at the end of junior year. Students must register before taking official college visits.

Registration Information Visit www.eligibilitycenter.org Select “NCAA College-Bound Student Athlete” Select “Create New Account” Students will need a valid email address and basic personal information Students will register all high schools attended, not just WBHS Students will select their sport(s)

Registration Fees All student athletes must pay the $70 registration fee to process their account. Students may pay online with a credit card, debit card, or e-check. Fee waivers are available. If the student qualified for an ACT/SAT fee waiver, the student is eligible for an NCAA waiver as well.

Senior Year Timeline: Courses All seniors should be registered in academic, core classes approved by the NCAA Eligibility Center. Senior year course registration is in February of the new year for existing students. Please meet with your school counselor with any schedule questions. You may check your schedule by visiting the NCAA website. Access a list of approved courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org and click on “resources” at the top of the screen.

Academic Requirements Division I Division II 16 core courses 4 years of English 3 years of English 3 years of math (algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of math (algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered) 1 extra year of English, science, or math 2 years of social science 4 years of additional core courses from any category above, or foreign language

GPA and Test Scores The NCAA uses a sliding scale to compare high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores. The combinations allow students to compete in Division I and Division II athletics. The NCAA does not use + or – when evaluating grades. The NCAA will recalculate student GPAs considering only the NCAA required classes.

NCAA Sliding Scale Each student can check their ACT/SAT scores against their high school GPA to determine eligibility. To see the complete sliding scale, visit www.ncaa.org.

Senior Seminar All WBHS seniors are required to attend a Senior Seminar, where application FAQs, financial aid, selecting the right college, and other senior issues are discussed. Although the NCAA recruitment process differs from regular college applications, WBHS athletes are still required to attend a seminar, and are encouraged to apply to colleges should athletic recruitment fail.

Senior Year Timeline: Testing Students can continue to take ACT and SAT tests if needed. The NCAA Eligibility Center will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score. When taking the ACT or SAT, remember to use code 9999 to send official score reports to the Eligibility Center. School transcripts and student reports are not considered official. All test scores must be sent from ACT.org or the Collegeboard.com.

ACT Test Dates 2013-2014

SAT Test Dates 2013-2014

Test Score Reporting The NCAA only considers official score reports directly from the testing centers. Scores reported by the student or high school are not considered official. Remember, to report scores directly to the NCAA, enter code 9999 on each ACT or SAT test taken. This will ensure that your scores are sent directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Students can send scores later, but for a fee.

Test Taking Resources The West Bloomfield Township Library has free test taking programs and manuals for checkout. There are many local companies that provide practice test materials. Please check with the Career Center or WBHS Counseling Office.

Senior Year Timeline: Transcripts At the end of the student’s junior year, also called sixth semester, the school counselor typically sends the student’s transcript to the Eligibility Center. If you have attended more than one school, remember to request transcripts from each high school attended. WBHS uses Parchment.com to ship transcripts. It is the responsibility of the student to manage transcript and check that they have been received.

Parchment.com WBHS students use Parchment.com to report official transcripts. Parchment training is conducted in the spring of junior year, and a refresher is provided at the WBHS Senior Seminars.

Senior Year Timeline: April On or after April 1 of the senior year, the student goes back into their Eligibility Center account to update their academic and amateurism information and request final amateurism certification.

Upon Graduation After graduation, the student (via Parchment.com) or with the help of the school counselor, will send final transcripts to the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is the final step for collegiate eligibility.

Social Media and the High School Athlete Remember that colleges and coaches often check social media during the recruitment process. Inappropriate use of social media has resulted in NCAA suspensions. Think before posting!!

Grades Matter for Seniors The WBHS National Honor Society maintains a database of tutors in our building. Please visit the Counseling Office for specific tutoring assistance. WBHS also offers lunchtime AND after school tutoring in math, science, English, and social studies. Check with your core teacher for days and locations!

Grades Determine Status Full Qualifier: A college-bound student-athlete may receive athletics aid (scholarship), practice and compete in the first year of enrollment at the Division I college or university. Academic Redshirt: A college-bound student-athlete may receive athletics aid (scholarship) in the first year of enrollment and may practice in the first regular academic term (semester or quarter) but may NOT compete in the first year of enrollment. After the first term is complete, the college-bound student-athlete must be academically successful at his/her college or university to continue to practice for the rest of the year. Nonqualifier: A college-bound student-athlete cannot receive athletics aid (scholarship), cannot practice and cannot compete in the first year of enrollment.

Questions? NCAA Eligibility Center Contact Information NCAA Eligibility Center: Certification Processing P.O. Box 7136 Indianapolis, IN 46207-7136 Package or overnight delivery: 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive Indianapolis, IN 46202 Web address: www.eligibilitycenter.org www.2point3.org NCAA Eligibility Center customer service: U.S. callers (toll free): 877/262-1492 International callers: 317/223-0700 Fax: 317/968-5100

Additional Resources Please visit the NCAA Eligibility Center for additional handouts and information.