Transcript Helping your Student

NCAA Clearinghouse:
Eligibility & Recruiting for Aspiring
Student Athletes
The term “FULL RIDE”
technically does not
exist.
What is the NCAA Clearinghouse?
• Determines student eligibility to play sports in college
• Establishes minimum academic standards for studentathletes
• For students who plan to play one or more Division I or
Division II college sport(s)
• Athletes may not receive athletic scholarships, practice,
or compete until certified by NCAA Clearinghouse
What’s the process?
Freshman Year
• STUDY! Get good grades!
• Start planning
• Talk to your counselor
• Talk to your coaches
• Talk to your parents
What’s the process?
Sophomore Year
• KEEP UP YOUR GRADES!
• Take the PSAT
• Start your College Search
– Think academically, financially, socially, athletically
– consider schools at each level of play: D-I, D-II, D-III
– Other criteria: distance from home, total cost, dorm life, size of
school, the weather, etc…
• Contact College Coaches
– Invite them to tournaments, ask about camps
What’s the process?
Junior Year
• Keep taking college prep courses and STUDY!
• Register to take the PSAT & the S.A.T. and/or A.C.T.
– Have test agencies send scores to the Clearinghouse (code = 9999)
• Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at
www.eligibilitycenter.org (Includes a $70 fee) – transcript will
be sent at the end of your junior year
• Talk to your counselor about…
– Your college plans
– Your senior year classes
• Contact college coaches (emails, letters, game DVD’s,
resume, online student athlete questionnaires)
• Go on college visits (i.e. “Unofficial” visits)
– Send “thank you” notes to coaches if you meet with them
What’s the process?
Senior Year
• MAINTAIN THOSE GOOD GRADES!
• Avoid senioritis
• Take the S.A.T. and/or A.C.T. one last time in the fall
• Apply to colleges
• Apply for Financial Aid and other Scholarships
• Continue to contact the coaches from schools your are
interested (thank the other coaches for their time and
interest)
• Set up “official” visits (1 per college; max of 5 for DI)
• Request final amateurism certification (beginning April 1)
• At the end of the year, ask your counselor to submit your
final transcript to the Clearinghouse
So, Am I Eligible?
• To Play Div. I…
– Complete 16 core courses
• Approved courses are available on-line and in your packet
– For GPA and SAT/ACT minimums, see the sliding scale chart
• The GPA is based on your core courses only
• To Play Div. II…
–
–
–
–
Complete 16 core courses
A minimum 2.0 GPA in your core courses
A minimum SAT score of 820 (critical reading + math) or
A minimum ACT score of 68 (sum of all sections)
• To Play Div. III…
– Each D-III school sets their own minimum academic and
eligibility requirements
REMEMBER...
The NCAA academic rules DO
NOT guarantee your admission
to a College!!!
Check for the specific requirements
for each college you wish to
consider.
Recruiting Basics
• Recruiting rules and calendars are not the
same for each sport or Division of play
– Example:
• A H.S. senior is allowed up to five official visits to
D-I schools and unlimited visits to D-II schools
• D1 men’s basketball may send recruiting material
on June 15 after your sophomore year. D1
women’s basketball may send it on Sept. 1 of your
junior year
Recruiting Basics
Official visit
vs.
Unofficial visit
• paid for in whole, or in
part, by the college
• Paid for by the student
or parents
• Allowed 1 visit per
college
• Allowed up to 3
complimentary game
tickets
• First visit can be no
sooner than the first day
of your senior year
• No limits
• Cannot talk to the coach
if during a “dead period”
Recruiting Basics
National Letter of Intent
• A binding agreement between the athlete and
an institution
• The institution agrees to provide athletic
financial aid for one academic year
• The student athlete agrees to attend the
institution for one academic year
• Penalties exist for breaking this agreement!!!
• Once signed, no other institution may make
recruiting contacts/calls to the student
Questions to Ask Yourself:
• Are you informed about the college & know why you
want to attend there?
• What level of play are you looking to attain? Are your
goals realistic? Talk to your coach.
• What role do you expect to play? Big fish in a small
pond? Play for four years or redshirt? What about postseason play?
• How important are your academics?
• Where do you see yourself after college graduation?
What does your life look like?
Resources for help
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www.eligibilitycenter.org
www.ncaa.org
www.princetonreview.com
www.finaid.org
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.collegeboard.org
www.mpssaa.org – Free Recruiting
Webinar for parents/students
Questions?
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