1. College-Bound Student Athletes
An Overview for
College-Bound Student Athletes
Kristen Miller
College Bound & READY

2. AGENDA Eligibility (NCAA vs. NAIA) Differences between NCAA Divisions
College Athletics Timeline for High School Students
Things to Think About
Resources
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3. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR NAIA COLLEGE ATHLETICS?
Graduate from high school plus 2 out of 3 of the following:
1) Achieve a minimum of 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT (Critical Reading and Math only).
2) Achieve a minimum overall high school GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3) Graduate in the top half of your high school class.
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4. NAIA EARLY DECISION
U.S. students who have completed their junior year of high school may obtain an eligibility determination from the NAIA Eligibility Center before graduating from high school if they meet all the following requirements:
•  will enroll at an NAIA institution immediately after high school graduation
•  have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or a 2.5 GPA mid-way through Senior Year)
•  have met minimum test score requirement (18 ACT or 860 SAT Critical Reading and Math) 
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5. WHAT ARE THE ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR NCAA ATHLETICS?
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6. Division I (16 Core Courses) Division II (16 Core Courses)
Subject Area
Division I (16 Core Courses)
Division II (16 Core Courses)
English
4 years
3 years
Math
3 years (Algebra 1 or higher)
2 years (Algebra 1 or higher)
Natural/Physical Science
2 years (1 year of lab if offered)
Additional Years of English, Math, or Natural/Physical Science
1 year
Social Science
2 years
Years of additional courses (from any subject above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy).
GPA & Test Scores
2.3 GPA or higher in core courses
2.0 GPA or higher in core courses
Other requirements
Students enrolling on or after August 16th, 2016 must complete 10 of the 16 core courses prior to start of senior year, and these courses will be “locked in” for the purpose of Core Course GPA calculation.
Students enrolling on or after August 1st, 2018 must earn a Core Course GPA of 2.2 and must earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score that matches your Core Course GPA on the D2 Sliding Scale.
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7. NCAA: DIVISION I HAS A SLIDING SCALE FOR MINIMUM TEST SCORES
DIVISION II REQUIRES A MINIMUM SAT OF 820
OR ACT SUM SCORE OF 68

8. WHAT DIVISION IS MY SPORT? ARE SCHOOLS AFFILIATED WITH NCAA OR NAIA?
To determine what division your sport is at a particular university you can:
-Check out the NCAA and/or NAIA website. They will list schools that compete in your sport by Division, as well as the sports they oversee.
-Visit the Athletics page of the school you are interested in, and they will specify what Division (I,II,III), what Region, (i.e. Pac 12), and what affiliation they have (NCAA, NAIA, club level, etc.)
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9. REGISTRATION PROCESS NAIA: www.playnaia.org
NCAA:
NAIA:
Register Junior Year
Online (at click link to enter as a NCAA College-Bound Student Athlete.
Create an account by clicking “New Account” button at top of right side of the screen or the cell phone on the left side.
You will need to provide a valid address that will remain active after high school, and submit a payment of $70.
You are eligible for a fee waiver ONLY if you have already received a waiver for the SAT or ACT fee.
Register Senior year
Online (at click “Register Now” button on left hand side.
Set up account and create a profile with facts about your academic history and sports experience.
There is a registration fee of $60 for U.S. students.
You are eligible for a fee waiver ONLY if you have already received a waiver for the SAT or ACT fee.
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10. CHECKLIST FOR NAIA ATHLETES
Register with NAIA at start of Senior year
Submit official SAT and/or ACT scores to code “9876” from respective testing agencies.
Early Decision for High School Seniors: Students who have completed their junior year of high school with an overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, plus the minimum test scores required (18 ACT or 860 SAT), may receive an eligibility decision early in their senior year. To receive an early decision, register with the NAIA Eligibility Center, have your high school send official transcripts to the Eligibility Center and contact ACT or SAT to have your test scores sent directly via code “9876”.
For students whose cumulative GPA does not meet the early decision requirement, send final transcript immediately after high school graduation.
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11. CHECKLIST FOR NCAA ATHLETES
Beginning of Junior year, check in with your counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and that you have the required core courses for college and NCAA eligibility requirements (repeat this step beginning of Senior year).
Register during Junior year at
End of Junior year, request an official transcript with 2nd semester grades from the registrar to be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center: NCAA, P.O. Box 6222, Indianapolis, IN
Take the ACT and/or SAT and use the code “9999” to have your official scores sent directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center
Request final amateurism certification during your Senior year (beginning April 1).
Request a final transcript from the registrar with proof of graduation to be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
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12. BE Honest ABOUT YOUR LEVEL OF PLAY
Talk with your coach(es) about your ability. Ask them for an honest and realistic assessment of your prospects in collegiate athletics. At which level (Division I, II, III, or NAIA) does he or she believe you can compete?
If you play in a Timed Sport, use websites and other tools to determine in which conference you would be most competitive, which is generally what coaches want in order to provide you with athletic scholarship funding.
If you do not play in a Timed Sport, it’s even more important to seek advice of coaches on your playing ability.
Create a preliminary list of schools that balance your academic interests and abilities, social needs, and athletic ability.
Consider the affordability of the college with and without potential athletic funding.
Do the “Broken Leg Test”: If you broke your leg and couldn’t play your sport in college, would you still be happy at that school?
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13. GENERAL PLANNING TIPS
Put together a sports resume and/or sports Facebook page and video of your athletic achievements starting in 9th grade.
Go to the “Athletics” website for each college/university you are interested in. Fill out the “Prospective Athlete Form” or Questionnaire.
Contact college coaches to express interest in their school and athletic program. Note, as a junior due to NCAA rules, college coaches are not allowed to call you back (but they can return your ). Include an athletic resume and any other pertinent information including your address, phone number and address.
Be sure to check your regularly and respond to coaches and colleges promptly (make sure you have an appropriate address and “clean-up” your social media).
Attend sports camps you are interested in and alert college coaches that you will be attending. Camps can help to increase exposure and help college coaches evaluate your current skills.
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14. TIMELINE: 9TH AND 10TH GRADE
Begin building athletic resume by participating on a high school and/or sports club team. Keep track of athletic accomplishments by creating an athletic resume.
Let your coaches know you are interested in playing college sports and ask for their feedback.
Seek out summer programs and camps to gain additional experience and exposure to coaches.
Download and read through the latest version of the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete from the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Meet yearly with your counselor to make sure your coursework is appropriate for meeting both college and NCAA requirements.
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15. TIMELINE: 11TH GRADE
Read the most updated version of the Eligibility Guide and note any changes/updates
Update your Athletic Resume (video and social media, if applicable)
Continue to do well in your classes. Meet with your counselor to review athletic academic eligibility.
Take the SAT/ACT and have test scores sent to NCAA or NAIA.
Talk with school coaches and outside coaches for feedback on skill level (Division I, II, or III?)
Sign up with recruiting websites such as: and
Submit Interest forms on the Athletics page of universities of interest. Follow up with /phone call. If ing, attach a copy of athletic resume (and links to video/facebook)
Attend summer camps hosted at schools of interest or where those coaches will be present. Contact them ahead of time to let them know you are attending.
Unofficially visit colleges you are interested in. Meet with coaches and possibly team members. Make sure it’s a good fit academically and socially, as well as athletically.
NCAA specific: Register with NCAA Clearinghouse: submit SAT/ACT scores to NCAA using code “9999”, request official transcripts from the registrar to be sent to NCAA once 2nd semester grades are posted
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16. Continue contacting coaches/schools of interest
TIMELINE: 12TH GRADE
Continue contacting coaches/schools of interest
Coaches can begin contacting you July 1st after Junior Year (rules vary by sport and division. Check out and NCAA Guide for the Student-Bound Athlete for more information).
Keep a log of all phone conversations, noting any important information.
Make an file and physical file for each school. Save all s and written communications from colleges here.
You are allowed 5 “official” college visits, so choose wisely. Ask questions first, and make sure you are one of the coach’s top picks.
IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY: Register with NCAA Clearinghouse or NAIA , send ACT/SAT test scores with NCAA code“9999” or NAIA code “9876”. Submit 2nd semester junior grades to NCAA, or to NAIA if qualified for early decision.
At the end of senior year, request to have your final transcripts sent to NCAA Clearinghouse, or to NAIA if applicable.
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17. What about NCAA Division III?
Division III does not offer scholarships, but is the NCAA’s largest division (approximately 40% of total membership).
Division III 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.
Division III playing season and eligibility standards minimize conflicts between athletics and academics, allowing student-athletes to focus on their academic programs and the achievement of a degree.
Division III student-athletes are subject to the same admission standards, academic standards, housing, and support services as the general student body.
You do not need to register with the NCAA for Division III sports. Develop contact with the coaching staff early and often to determine likelihood of playing for that school’s team.
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18. Estimated Probability of Competing in NCAA Athletics
Beyond High school
Student -Athletes
All sports
Men’s
Basketball
Women’s Basketball
Football
Baseball
Women’s
Soccer
High School Student-Athletes
7,400,000
538,700
433,000
1,100,000
474,800
374,564
NCAA
Student-Athletes
460,000
18,000
16,200
70,100
32,500
26,323
Percent moving from H.S. to NCAA 6% 3% 4% 7%
Percent Moving from NCAA to Professional 2% 1% 9%
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19. Things to Consider
Time commitment: Even though there is a 20-hour/week limit for NCAA Division I and II athletics, many athletes report spending closer to full-time (40 hours per week) on practice, training, conditioning, travel and competition.
Athletics, depending upon the sport, the school and the classification (D1, 2, 3, NAIA) can interfere with which classes and how many credits can be taken. At the Division 3 level, a full academic load of credits can be managed during season. At the Division 1 level and depending upon the team, credits is normal. The difference can mean adding a fifth year of college to graduate.
The Good News: The academic success rate is the number of athletes who come in as freshmen and graduate within five years. In Division 1, 81% graduate, 71% of Division 2 graduate, and 87% of Division 3 graduate. These are high percentages compared to the general student population.
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20. Full Ride Myths 1. The odds are remote. 2. The money isn't that great.
There are roughly 138,000 athletic scholarships available for Division I and Division II sports.
Sound like a lot? Consider more than 1 million boys play high school football, but there are only about 19,500 football scholarships.
2. The money isn't that great.
The average athletic scholarship is about $10,400. If you exclude football and men's basketball, the average scholarship drops to around $8,700. College costs typically range from $20,000-$60,000.
3. Only four sports offer full rides to all athletes who receive scholarships: football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball.
4. Most scholarships are sliced and diced.  
The NCAA dictates how many athletic scholarships each sport can offer in Division I and Division II. To squeeze out the maximum benefit, coaches routinely split up these awards. For instance, a Division I soccer coach is allowed up to 10 scholarships, but he or she can dole out this money into tinier scholarships to lure more athletes to their campuses. This practice can lead to pretty small scholarships.
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21. Start Early and Be Prepared
1. Don't wait to be discovered.
Unless your child is a superstar, college coaches probably won't know he or she exists. Students should introduce themselves to coaches at schools that they think they'd like to attend. They should include such info as their positions, sport statistics, and coach contacts.
2. Use YouTube.
To attract the attention of coaches, athletes should compile seven or eight minutes of their highlights in an action video and then post it on YouTube. Send the coaches that link.
3. Scholarships aren't guaranteed.
If your teen receives a sports scholarship, don't assume that it's going to be for four years. Athletic scholarships must be renewed each year and that's at the coach's discretion. The pressure to maintain athletic scholarships can distract stressed students from what should be their main goal—earning a college degree.
4. The best places for money can be in Division III.
Often the best way for many bright athletes to win a scholarship is to apply to colleges that don't award athletic scholarships.
Division III schools, which are typically smaller private colleges, routinely give merit awards for academics and other student accomplishments. The average merit award that private colleges are awarding often cut tuition by percent.
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22. Resources NCAA Resources:
NCAA Eligibility Website:
NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete
NCAA Eligibility Quick Reference Guide
General Resources:
beRecruited.com – free recruiting website
AthleticScholarships.net - free scholarship and recruiting website
Rivals ( – latest news on college and rankings for college sports
NCSAsports.org – recruiting website with tips on how to get recruited
AthleticAid.com -
Scholarshipstats.com/ncaalimits.html – Stats on scholarship limits by sport
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23. READY & COLLEGE BOUND For more information, contact: