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Playing Sports in College: NCAA Eligibility & Requirements

  • What student-athletes & families should know!

Presented by: Athletic Director, Kadeem Batts

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Why This Matters

  • Meeting eligibility is required to compete and receive athletic scholarships.

  • Failure to meet standards = inability to participate, even if talent and opportunity exist.

  • Early planning is key, decisions now will determine future opportunities.

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NCAA Core Course Requirements

  • For Division I & II: 16 NCAA-approved core courses required� • For Division I: 10 of those 16 must be completed by the start of the 7th semester (i.e., before senior year begins) • Among those 10, 7 must be in English, math, or natural/physical science. (i.e., 3 years of English, 2 years of Math, and 2 years of Science, plus 3 other courses from those same subjects)�
  • Not all high school classes count, they must be on the NCAA-approved core course list.
  • Dual enrollment or college courses may count if approved and transcripted properly.

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Core Course Breakdown (by Subject)

  • Division I Core Courses: • English: 4 years� • Math (Algebra I or higher): 3 years� • Natural / Physical Science: 2 years (one must be lab if offered)� • Social Science: 2 years� • Additional core courses (English, math, science, foreign language, philosophy, etc.): 4 years
  • Note: Division II has slightly different requirements (e.g. lower math requirement): 2 years

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Grade Point Average (Core GPA) & Locked Courses

  • NCAA calculates GPA only on those core courses
  • Minimum core GPA requirements:� • Division I: 2.3 • Division II: 2.2
  • After the 10 core courses are completed by the 7th semester, those 10 courses become “locked”. Which means you cannot retake them to improve grade or GPA for NCAA purposes.

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Registration & Eligibility Center

  • All student-athletes must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly “clearinghouse”) ideally at start of junior year.
  • They will submit: transcripts, course history, core GPA, and amateurism questionnaire.
  • Use NCAA sliding scale to match GPA and test score (for D1) when required.

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Division I vs Division II vs Division III

  • Division I: 16 core courses, 10 by 7th semester, minimum 2.3 core GPA.

  • Division II: 16 core courses, minimum core GPA 2.2.

  • Division III: No NCAA core course requirement or test requirement; eligibility is set by the institution itself. Registration is optional but recommended for transparency.

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Tests, National Letter of Intent, & Timeline

  • SAT / ACT: NCAA eliminated SAT/ACT test score requirements. Note: COVID-era waivers changed things, so always check current rule.
  • National Letter of Intent (NLI):� • NLI historically bound students to a school, but be aware: NLI for Division I & II was eliminated in fall 2024 and is now called “Aid Agreements”.�

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Best Practices & Tips

  • Students should take more than the minimum 16 core courses (e.g., honors, AP).�
  • Consult your guidance counselor to ensure courses are NCAA-approved.�
  • Monitor your core GPA regularly.�
  • Beware of credit recovery / nontraditional courses, not all count toward NCAA core credit.
  • Aim to finish those 10 required core courses early to avoid “locked” risk.�
  • Keep records (transcripts, course approvals) and communicate with your NCAA profile.�

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Sample Timeline by Grade

  • 9th Grade: Start with core prep courses, register NCAA profile.�
  • 10th Grade: Continue core courses, track eligibility.�
  • Junior Year: Register with Eligibility Center, 6th semester = checkpoint.�
  • Senior Year: Complete courses, manage transcripts, sign “Aid Agreement”.�

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Questions & Next Steps

  • Families to talk with counselors about NCAA core course list!�
  • NCAA website https://www.ncaa.com

  • NCAA Eligibility Center http://eligibilitycenter.org

  • Additional questions for student-athletes and parents - Please contact my email address shortbka@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us