This blog post is meant to give the basics for achieving qualifier status through the NCAA. There are a few basic requirements and other lesser known requirements to make it to a cleared status through the NCAA Eligibility Center.
First things first, for NCAA Division 1, a student athlete must earn 16 core credits, and earn qualification based on core credit GPA and a sliding scale for the SAT/ACT. The 16 Core Credits are required in this way: 4 English, 3 Math, 2 Science, 2 Social Studies, one additional major core (eng, math, sci, ss), and 4 other cores. The other cores can be made up of anything that is on a school's list of approved core courses (48-h). Usually, this includes foreign languages, and cores that lay in the eng, math, sci, ss categories. If you don't know what is on your school's 48-h, please ask your counselor to show you the list of those approved courses.
You must earn a minimum of a 2.0 on those core courses, and earn a qualifying SAT/ACT score based on the sliding scale. Though the SAT is out of 2400 points now, the sliding scale does not take the writing section into account. All that matters is the math and the reading. Your score will be out of 1600. If you have a 2.0 on your cores, then you need to earn at least a 1010 on your 2 part SAT. Every point higher on your GPA slightly lowers the SAT score you need to get. Ex. 2.0 = 1010 SAT, 2.1= 1000 SAT.... 4.0= 440 SAT. The moral is, if you're not great at taking tests, earn the best grades you can on your core credits. PE/Shop/TA classes don't count, only cores.
To earn qualification, the best idea is to take as many core classes as you can as often as you can. You are allowed to earn more than 16 core credits. If you do, you get to pick and choose which ones make the cut for your GPA and eligibility requirements. For example, lets say you have 16 cores going into your senior year, and you have a 2.0. You got a D in Algebra in 9th grade. If you take algebra again in your senior year, you can replace that D with whatever grade you earn as a senior. Suddenly your 2.0 is up to as much as a 2.3 with As since you get to eliminate the D and fill in the A. You're trading in 1 credit point for 4. It is a little confusing, but the simple version is you get to pick the best 16 cores provided you fulfill the minimum subject requirements listed above. You can also take your highest SAT score if you take the test multiple times.
You also need to make sure you graduate with the class you began high school with. This means you must graduate within 4 years of when you begin high school. Also, in a post graduate year (provided you graduate on time), you are allowed to take one extra core credit to fill in or replace an existing core and raise your test score. This rule is why there are prep schools. If you have a diagnosed learning disability, you are able to take up to 3 full credits in a post graduate year, though you still must graduate on time.
If you end up not meeting requirements after graduation, you still have a few options. Division 2 only requires that you earn 14 core credits as of right now. You must earn a minimum of 820 on your SAT score to qualify. D2 has no sliding scale. D3 works based on the schools requirements, and these schools do not offer athletic scholarships. NAIA asks that you have 2 of the following 3 requirements filled: 2.0gpa, 820 SAT, be in the top half of your graduating HS class. You may take more than 4 years to graduate and still qualify for NAIA. If you do not meet any of the above requirements, you must go to a prep school (within their 1 credit/yr limitations) or to a Junior College to earn your Associates Degree before you can move on to a 4 year university. Some schools also have stricter entrance requirements than others. Individual institutions are allowed to do whatever they want in terms of making stricter requirements. Finally, if you are short multiple credits and think you can do multiple years of prep school to make it up, think again. If you do a second prep year, you will be treated like a transfer student. That second year begins your eligibility clock, and you will have to sit out your first year at a D1 school. Therefore, you will wait an extra year to play 3 straight years.
If you are unsure about whether your school has a 48-h (many alternative and online schools do not), make sure to check with a counselor. If your school does not, all the core credits you are taking will not count. Online classes are not the answer for gaining more credits either. The NCAA is cracking down on online courses, and will soon not be accepting any. Go get your work done in the classroom.
I understand this is a lot of information. I will break it down bit by bit in future posts. However, knowing the rules is extremely important. There are no shortcuts to eligibility.
Please contact me with any questions at adamdesautels@gmail.com
For more information, follow me on twitter @coachdesautels
First things first, for NCAA Division 1, a student athlete must earn 16 core credits, and earn qualification based on core credit GPA and a sliding scale for the SAT/ACT. The 16 Core Credits are required in this way: 4 English, 3 Math, 2 Science, 2 Social Studies, one additional major core (eng, math, sci, ss), and 4 other cores. The other cores can be made up of anything that is on a school's list of approved core courses (48-h). Usually, this includes foreign languages, and cores that lay in the eng, math, sci, ss categories. If you don't know what is on your school's 48-h, please ask your counselor to show you the list of those approved courses.
You must earn a minimum of a 2.0 on those core courses, and earn a qualifying SAT/ACT score based on the sliding scale. Though the SAT is out of 2400 points now, the sliding scale does not take the writing section into account. All that matters is the math and the reading. Your score will be out of 1600. If you have a 2.0 on your cores, then you need to earn at least a 1010 on your 2 part SAT. Every point higher on your GPA slightly lowers the SAT score you need to get. Ex. 2.0 = 1010 SAT, 2.1= 1000 SAT.... 4.0= 440 SAT. The moral is, if you're not great at taking tests, earn the best grades you can on your core credits. PE/Shop/TA classes don't count, only cores.
To earn qualification, the best idea is to take as many core classes as you can as often as you can. You are allowed to earn more than 16 core credits. If you do, you get to pick and choose which ones make the cut for your GPA and eligibility requirements. For example, lets say you have 16 cores going into your senior year, and you have a 2.0. You got a D in Algebra in 9th grade. If you take algebra again in your senior year, you can replace that D with whatever grade you earn as a senior. Suddenly your 2.0 is up to as much as a 2.3 with As since you get to eliminate the D and fill in the A. You're trading in 1 credit point for 4. It is a little confusing, but the simple version is you get to pick the best 16 cores provided you fulfill the minimum subject requirements listed above. You can also take your highest SAT score if you take the test multiple times.
You also need to make sure you graduate with the class you began high school with. This means you must graduate within 4 years of when you begin high school. Also, in a post graduate year (provided you graduate on time), you are allowed to take one extra core credit to fill in or replace an existing core and raise your test score. This rule is why there are prep schools. If you have a diagnosed learning disability, you are able to take up to 3 full credits in a post graduate year, though you still must graduate on time.
If you end up not meeting requirements after graduation, you still have a few options. Division 2 only requires that you earn 14 core credits as of right now. You must earn a minimum of 820 on your SAT score to qualify. D2 has no sliding scale. D3 works based on the schools requirements, and these schools do not offer athletic scholarships. NAIA asks that you have 2 of the following 3 requirements filled: 2.0gpa, 820 SAT, be in the top half of your graduating HS class. You may take more than 4 years to graduate and still qualify for NAIA. If you do not meet any of the above requirements, you must go to a prep school (within their 1 credit/yr limitations) or to a Junior College to earn your Associates Degree before you can move on to a 4 year university. Some schools also have stricter entrance requirements than others. Individual institutions are allowed to do whatever they want in terms of making stricter requirements. Finally, if you are short multiple credits and think you can do multiple years of prep school to make it up, think again. If you do a second prep year, you will be treated like a transfer student. That second year begins your eligibility clock, and you will have to sit out your first year at a D1 school. Therefore, you will wait an extra year to play 3 straight years.
If you are unsure about whether your school has a 48-h (many alternative and online schools do not), make sure to check with a counselor. If your school does not, all the core credits you are taking will not count. Online classes are not the answer for gaining more credits either. The NCAA is cracking down on online courses, and will soon not be accepting any. Go get your work done in the classroom.
I understand this is a lot of information. I will break it down bit by bit in future posts. However, knowing the rules is extremely important. There are no shortcuts to eligibility.
Please contact me with any questions at adamdesautels@gmail.com
For more information, follow me on twitter @coachdesautels
