2009-10 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete WHERE ACADEMIC AND ATHLETICS SUCCESS IS YOUR GOAL Contents The NCAA and NCAA Eligibility Center 2 Contact Information 2 Welcome from President Myles Brand 3 Your Eligibility and You 4 Division I 4 Division II 5 Division III 5 Core Courses, GPA, Tests, Special Conditions 6 Your Amateurism and You 9 Division I Worksheet 12 Division II Worksheet 13 Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility 14 Eligibility Center Registration 15 Fee-Waiver Eligibility 16 Athletically Related Financial Aid 17 Recruiting Regulations 18 List of NCAA-Sponsored Sports 21 NCAA, NCAA logo and NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION are registered marks of the Association and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the Association. The NCAA does not discriminate against any person regardless of race, color, national origin, education-impacting disability, gender, religion, creed, sexual orientation or age with respect to its governance policies, educational programs, activities and employment policies. NOTICE The information contained in this publication is provided as a service to prospective student-athletes and does not constitute binding advice on compliance with NCAA rules and bylaws. We try to provide quality information, but because this document is provided in an updated electronic form online that is subject to change as needed, we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in this publication. For more information, see NCAA.org. The NCAA and NCAA Eligibility Center How to Use this Guide… In addition, if you are sending transcripts or additional information The Guide addresses issues for three important groups of readers: to the Eligibility Center or have questions, please use the following • High school students who hope to participate in college contact information. athletics at an NCAA college or university; • Parents and legal guardians; and Eligibility Center Contact Information • High school counselors and athletics administrators. NCAA Eligibility Center: What is the NCAA? Certification Processing The NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association, was P.O. Box 7136 established in 1906 and serves as the athletics governing body Indianapolis, IN 46207-7136 for more than 1,300 colleges, universities, conferences and Package or overnight delivery: organizations. The national office is in Indianapolis, but the Certification Processing member colleges and universities develop the rules and guidelines 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive for athletics eligibility and athletics competition for each of the Indianapolis, IN 46202 three NCAA divisions. The NCAA is committed to the student- Web address: athlete and to governing competition in a fair, safe, inclusive and www.eligibilitycenter.org sportsmanlike manner. Eligibility Center customer service The NCAA membership includes: Representatives are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., • 331 active Division I members; Eastern time, Monday through Friday. • 291 active Division II members; and U.S. callers (toll free): 877/262-1492 429 active Division III members. • International callers: 317/223-0700 One of the differences among the three divisions is that colleges Fax: 317/968-5100 and universities in Divisions I and II may offer athletics scholarships, while Division III colleges and universities may not. What is the NCAA Eligibility Center? When to call the NCAA The NCAA Eligibility Center will certify the academic and Please contact the NCAA when you have questions such as these: amateur credentials of all college-bound student-athletes • What are the rules and regulations related to initial eligibility? who wish to compete in NCAA Division I or II athletics. • What are the rules and regulations related to amateurism? • What are the regulations about transferring from one college to To assist with this process, the Eligibility Center staff is eager to another? foster a cooperative environment of education and partnership • What are the rules about athletics scholarships and how can they with high schools, high school coaches and college-bound be reduced or canceled? student-athletes. Ultimately, the individual student-athlete is • I have an education-impacting disability. Are there any other responsible for achieving and protecting his or her eligibility status. requirements for me? NCAA How to find answers to your questions P.O. Box 6222 The answers to most questions can be found in this guide or by: Indianapolis, IN 46206-6222 317/917-6222 (customer service hours: Monday – Friday, noon – • Accessing the Eligibility Center's resource page on our Web site 4 p.m. Eastern time) at www.eligibilitycenter.org, clicking on “Resources” and then selecting the type of student you are. You can then navigate through the resources to find helpful information. • Contacting the Eligibility Center at the phone number on this page. 2 COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETE Dear College-Bound Student-Athlete, We designed this guide to help you and your family understand the National Collegiate Athletic Association rules for progressing from being a high school athlete to a student-athlete in college. As you engage in college sports, you’ll be inspired to develop an attitude of determination, teamwork, persistence and self-discipline. You will increase your appreciation of life-long education. Work closely with your high school counselors, recruiters and college admissions officers to prepare for your next important step as a collegiate student-athlete. It’s never too early to begin evaluating your wide range of college choices. Get all the information you need on how to choose a college wisely. NCAA institutions range from small schools to large universities, with varying commitments to financial aid and to athletics. The Association’s members total more than 1,000 schools, and they are divided into three divisions. You may qualify – by both your interest and your athletics performance – to become one of more than 400,000 students, out of 15 million enrolled nationally in America’s colleges and universities, who combine education and athletics. Your likelihood of ultimate recruitment into professional leagues is small so, for almost all of you, your years as a student-athlete in college will be preparation for life. As our public service announcements say, “Almost all student-athletes are going pro in something other than sports.” Remember, good athletics is about winning at competition in games. Good academics combined with athletics is about winning in life. So, keep education as your top priority. This new phase of your life can be a wonderful experience that will result in a lifetime of friendships, memories and happiness. Without question, obtaining your college degree is absolutely crucial – to you especially, but also to your family and to us. We wish you every success, on the field of play and in the classroom. Student- athletes are at the center of our Association. MYLES BRAND NCAA President COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETE 3 Division I Core GPA and Test Score Sliding Scale Core GPA SAT ACT 3.550 & above 400 37 Your Eligibility and You 3.525 410 38 3.500 420 39 3.475 430 40 3.450 440 41 Academic-Eligibility Requirements 3.425 450 41 3.400 460 42 3.375 470 42 3.350 480 43 Division I 3.325 490 44 3.300 500 44 3.275 510 45 If you want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics 3.250 520 46 scholarship during your first year, you must: 3.225 530 46 • Graduate from high school; 3.200 540 47 Complete these 16 core courses: 3.175 550 47 • 3.150 560 48 - 4 years of English 3.125 570 49 - 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 3.100 580 49 - 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab 3.075 590 50 science if offered by your high school) 3.050 600 50 - 1 extra year of English, math, or natural or physical science 3.025 610 51 3.000 620 52 - 2 years of social science 2.975 630 52 - 4 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or 2.950 640 53 foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy); 2.925 650 53 • Earn a minimum required grade-point average in your core 2.900 660 54 courses; and 2.875 670 55 2.850 680 56 • Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches your 2.825 690 56 core-course grade-point average and test score sliding scale (for 2.800 700 57 example, a 2.400 core-course grade-point average needs an 860 2.775 710 58 SAT). 2.750 720 59 2.725 730 59 2.700 730 60 Requirement to graduate with your high school class 2.675 740-750 61 You must complete the 16 core-course requirement in eight 2.650 760 62 semesters, which begins when you initially started high school 2.625 770 63 with your ninth-grade class. If you graduate from high school 2.600 780 64 in eight semesters with your class, you may use one core course 2.575 790 65 2.550 800 66 completed in the year after graduation (summer or academic year) 2.525 810 67 to meet NCAA Division I eligibility requirements. 2.500 820 68 2.475 830 69 You may complete the core course at a location other than the 2.450 840-850 70 2.425 860 70 high school from which you graduated and may initially enroll full 2.400 860 71 time at a collegiate institution at any time after completion of the 2.375 870 72 core course. 2.350 880 73 2.325 890 74 2.300 900 75 Division I Qualifier 2.275 910 76 2.250 920 77 Being a qualifier entitles you to: 2.225 930 78 Practice or compete for your college or university during your 2.200 940 79 • 2.175 950 80 first year of college; 2.150 960 80 • Receive an athletics scholarship during your first year of college; 2.125 960 81 and 2.100 970 82 • Play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility 2.075 980 83 from year to year.