• ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS

    • NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Associations)
    • Large colleges or universities
    • Division I, II, & III
    • NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
    • Smaller colleges
    • Division I & II (Basketball Only)
    • NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Associations)
    • Junior Colleges and Community Colleges
    • Division I, II, & III 

    HIGH SCHOOL FOUR- YEAR PLAN 

    FRESHMAN YEAR

    • Meet with counselor to discuss core classes
    • Get to know the coaches
    • Work on your grades – Grade 9 Counts!!!
    • Attend sports camps
    • Think realistically about ability
    • Think about academic and career goals
    • Begin sports resume
    • Know NCAA and NAIA rules and regulations 

    SOPHMORE YEAR

    • Keep grades up!!!
    • Take PSAT or PLAN
    • Work with coaches regarding ability and ambitions
    • Check NCAA and NAIA admission and application process AGAIN
    • Research colleges that interest you
    • Update sports resume 

    JUNIOR YEAR

    • Speak with counselor about career goals and course requirements
    • Speak with HS or Club coaches about a “Realistic” assessment of which college level
    • Attend college and career fairs
    • Take PSAT/NMSQT and SAT or ACT
    • Refine list of possible college choices
    • Update sports resume
    • Create skills video
    • Send letter of interest to college coaches with unofficial transcripts
    • Return completed questionnaires to coaches or fill out online questionnaires
    • Obtain letters of recommendation from HS or club coaches, possible phone contact
    • Register with NCAA Eligibility Center
    • Possibly attend sports camp at prospective college 

    SENIOR YEAR

    • Complete graduation/core course requirements
    • Make sure you have registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center and transcript has been sent
    • Review carefully the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete and the NAIA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete
    • Retake SAT/ACT in fall if needed
    • Complete Amateurism Questionnaire
    • Narrow college choices further: size, academics, location, athletics, finances, etc.
    • Apply to schools that you would be happy at if you did not play a sport or were injured
    • Send applications for admission and transcripts, pay attention to individual deadlines for colleges
    • Follow recruiting rules w/ campus visits
    • Send in FAFSA and/or CSS Profile
    • Sit down with parents/coach and weigh pros and cons of each school
    • Send updated letter of interest to coaches with athletic resume and season schedule
    • Be sure of final choice BEFORE signing any papers
    • Let coaches know when their school is no longer in the running, THANK them! 

    Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Getting to Play

    • All students should still fill out FAFSA and/or CSS Profile for financial aid
    • Athletic Scholarships are not for 4 years, they are renewable each academic year
    • Athletic Scholarships may be increased, renewed, reduced, or withdrawn each academic year for a maximum of 5 years.
    • Athletic Scholarships can be awarded in a variety of amounts – full to partial to books
    • A scholarship is not the only factor in determining participation and/or playing time. 

    Student Athlete Resources

  • HOW DO YOU GET RECRUITED?

    • Letter of Interest
    • Sports Resume
    • Skills Video/DVD
    • Phone Calls/Emails
    • Being “Seen”
    • Making the Decision
    • Signing Early vs. Signing Late 

    Recruiting Trip Requirements

    • Before you can make an official visit to an NCAA Division I Institution the must have a copy of your HS Transcript and SAT/ACT test scores.
    • NCAA Division II requires that you only have ACT/SAT test scores
    • Both NCAA Division I and II require that you have registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center
    • You are only allowed 5 expense paid visits to NCAA Division I or II universities (only 1 at a school) 

    THINGS TO KNOW, NCAA

    • Eligibility Center
    • Core Courses and Requirements
    • Calculating Core Course GPA
    • Required SAT/ACT Scores
    • HS must send final transcript and proof of graduation to NCAA Eligibility Center
    • You must graduate “on time” in 8 semesters with your class
    • AMATEURISM
      • Contracts with a professional team (Division I)
      • Salary for participating in athletics (Division I)
      • Prize money (not including necessary expenses (Division I)
      • Playing with a professional team (Division I)
      • Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Division I)
      • Any types of benefits one might receive from an Agent Divisions I and II)
      • Be represented or signing an agreement with an Agent Division I and II)
      • Participating in an Organized-Competition (Division I and II)
    • OFFICIAL CONTACT PERIODS
      • Contact – Any face to face meeting
      • Evaluation Period – games, events, or on ampus contact, no off campus contact
      • Quiet Period – on campus contact only
      • Dead Period – no in-person contact
      • Contact Period – on or off campus contact
    • Signing National Letter of Intent (NLI) 

    Things to Know – Eligibility

    • NCAA Division I Requirements:
      • Graduate from High School
      • Complete 16 core courses in required areas with minimum gpa
      • Earn combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches core course gpa in the NCAA sliding
        scale
    • NCAA Division II Requirements:
      • Graduate from High School
      • Complete 14 core courses in required subjects with 2.0gpa Earn combined SAT of 820 or ACT sum of 68
    • NCAA Division III
      • Does not require registration with NCAA Eligibility Center
    • NAIA Requirements:
      • Graduate from High School
      • Meet 2 of the following 3
      • HS gpa of 2.0
      • ACT – 18 or SAT – 860
      • Graduate in upper half of class 

    NCAA Core Course Requirements

    DIVISION I

    • 16 Core Courses
    • 4 Years of English
    • 3 Years of Math (Algebra 1 or higher)
    • 2 Years of Natural or Physical Science (Including one year of lab science)
    • 1 Extra year of English, Math, or Science
    • 2 Years of Social Science
    • 4 Years of additional core courses

    DIVISION II

    • 14 Core Courses
    • 3 Years of English
    • 2 Years of Math (Algebra 1 or higher)
    • 2 Years of Natural or Physical Science (Including one year of lab science)
    • 2 Extra year of English, Math, or Science (3 yrs. beginning 2013)
    • 2 Years of Social Science
    • 3 Years of additional core courses (4 starting 2013)