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
•
Academic Certification
•
Amateurism status
• 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
• set up a 4-year Educational/Career plan that meets the “Core
Class” requirements
• 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 Clearinghouse at
www.eligibilitycenter.org
– Includes a fee; fee waivers may be granted
– Transcript will be sent at the end of your junior year
• Talk to your counselor about…
– Your college plans, senior year classes
What’s the process?
Junior Year (continued)
• 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
• 10 credits must be completed before the 12th grade (7 of
which must be English, Math, Science)
– For GPA and SAT/ACT minimums, see the sliding scale chart
• The GPA is based on your core courses only (unweighted 2.3
GPA required)
• To Play Div. II…
– Complete 16 core courses
– Before Aug. 2018:
• 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)
– New sliding scale starting Aug. 2018
• 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 College!!!
Check for the specific admission
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
Unofficial visit
vs
Official visit
• Paid for by the
student or parents
• Paid for in whole, or in
part, by the college
• Unlimited visits
• Allowed 1 visit per
college
• Allowed up to 3
complimentary game
tickets
• Usually involves
overnight stay and game
tickets
• Cannot talk to the
coach if during a
“dead period”
• First visit can be no
sooner than the first day
of your senior year
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
Recruiting Basics
Qualifier
– can compete, practice, and receive
athletic aid/scholarship
Redshirt
– can practice during the 1st semester
and receive athletic aid/scholarship
– If high school GPA = 2.0 – 2.299
Non-qualifier
– cannot compete, practice, or receive
aid in the freshman year
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? Redshirt? What about post-season play?
• How important are your academics?
• Where do you see yourself after college graduation? What does
your life look like?
• Would you be happy at that school if athletics were not a factor?
Resources for help
• www.eligibilitycenter.org
– 877-262-1492
• www.2point3.org
• www.ncaa.org/playcollegesports
• 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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