What is Initial Eligibility?

By Kelly O'Brien, NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport, Springfield College

Would you like to attend a Division I or II college or university? Would you like to participate in sport at the varsity level? Then you must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse, an organization that determines your "initial eligibility" to practice and compete at the collegiate level. The information that follows will give you a better understanding of the requirements for Division I sport participation.

The first step in determining your initial eligibility is registration. If you want to participate in Division I or II athletics during your first year of college, you should begin the registration process at the completion of your junior year. You can complete a registration form either online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net or you can submit the Student Release form included in the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete*. A $30 registration fee must accompany your form.

At the completion of your registration, you must be classified as a "qualifier" according to the following standards in order to practice and compete at the Division I level. These standards include a core course grade point average (GPA) in conjunction with your score on either the SAT or ACT exam.

A "core course" must be recognized as an academic course used for high school graduation and must be considered a college prep course. The standard is currently transitioning from 13 core courses to 14. This new standard will not be in complete effect until 2005. Therefore, if you plan to enter college during 2004, then you must successfully complete either the 13 or the 14 required core courses. Your transcript will first be evaluated using the 14 core course standard. If you are not eligible, then the 13 core course standard will be used. If you plan to enter college in 2005 or later, then ONLY the 14 core-course standard will be used. For a list of the core courses in your high school, speak with your guidance counselor or visit www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

The new requirements for the 14 core course standard are distributed across the following categories:

(If you plan to enter a college or university after Aug. 1, 2005, computer science will no longer be used as a core course)

You must have a core course grade point average (GPA) based on the 4.000 scale. In order to calculate your core course GPA, your best grades are used from the courses in the above distribution list. For example, if you have taken Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Pre-calculus and received a B+, A- and C+ respectively, then the two highest grades would be used to fulfill the math requirement.

This core course GPA is then used in combination with your score on either the SAT or the ACT. Your 13 or 14 core course GPA will determine the minimum combined score on the SAT or the minimum sum score on the ACT that you need to have in order to be considered a "qualifier". Therefore, if you have a high core course GPA, then you can have a lower SAT or ACT score and vice versa. For example, if your 14 core course GPA is a 3.5, then you must score at least a 420 on your SAT or a 39 on the ACT exam. If your 14 core course GPA is a 2.1, then you must score at least a 970 on your SAT or an 82 on the ACT exam. You cannot mix and match standards. If your transcript is evaluated using the 14 core course standard, then you cannot use the sliding scale for the 13 core course standard.

This article has provided you with a basic introduction on how to determine your "initial eligibility." If you wish to continue your sport at a Division I or II level, you must complete this important process in addition to your college applications. For a more detailed explanation of the rules and regulations, it is best to speak with a guidance counselor, athletic director, or to visit the NCAA Clearinghouse at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

* This information in this article has been adapted from the 2003-04 NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete. To obtain an official copy of the guide, call 877-262-1492.