NCAA Guidelines for Juniors

Are You Interested in College Athletics?

• All Division I and Division II athletes must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse/Eligibility Center. Student athletes must be declared eligible to participate in college athletics.

• Most Division I students receive athletic scholarships, and many Division II students receive athletic scholarships.

• Division III athletes are not required to register with the NCAA, and do not receive athletic scholarships.

Michigan Athletic Divisions

Division IMichigan, Michigan State University, Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University

Division IIGrand Valley State University, Wayne State University, Saginaw Valley State University

Division IIIAlbion College, Hope College, Calvin College

NCAA Requirements

• Graduate from high school.• Earn a minimum ACT or SAT score.• Earn minimum grades in required classes.

Currently, students must have a 2.0 or higher.• Requirements differ slightly from Division I

and Division II.• New requirements will be enforced for

students graduating in 2016 and beyond.

Junior Year Timeline

• At the beginning of junior year, register at www.eligibilitycenter.org

• There are online tutorials and videos with directions on how to register. There are also many handouts on your next steps as a student athlete.

NCAA Registration

• It is important to register with the NCAA before you take your first official visit.

• Visits must be conducted after the opening day of classes your senior year.

• The NCAA recommends that your registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center be completed the summer after junior year.

• There is a $60 fee to process the registration. Vouchers for this fee can be obtained from your counselor.

Selecting High School Courses

• WBHS juniors will register for senior courses in February of junior year.

• More often than not, athletes are not turned away from Division I or Division II scholarships because of ACT scores-but because of incomplete transcripts or a shortage of required high school courses.

• Selecting high school courses is extremely important in becoming and maintaining NCAA eligibility. Discuss your NCAA aspirations with your counselor.

Course Selection

• Access a list of approved courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org and click on “resources” at the top of the screen.

• Division I and Division II requirements differ slightly; please see the following chart for specifics.

• For Division I competition, 10 of the 16 requirements must be completed before senior year.

• Always check with your school counselor.

Academic RequirementsDivision I Division II

16 core courses 16 core courses

4 years of English 3 years of English

3 years of math (algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of math (algebra 1 or higher)

2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered)

2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered)

1 extra year of English, science, or math 1 extra year of English, science, or math

2 years of social science 2 years of social science

4 years of additional core courses from any category above, or foreign language

4 years of additional core courses from any category above, or foreign language

GPA Requirements

Minimum Grades

• Beginning August 1, 2016, you must earn at least a 2.300 GPA in NCAA core courses to be eligible to compete in your first year of college. Currently, it is a 2.0 minimum.

• Only courses that appear on your high school’s list of NCAA courses will be used to calculate your GPA for NCAA eligibility purposes.

• Once ten core courses are “locked in” prior to the start of your seventh semester, you can’t take those classes over again to improve your GPA.

• Questions? Visit www.grades2.3.org

GPA and Test Scores

• The NCAA uses a sliding scale to compare high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores. The combinations allow students to compete in Division I and Division II athletics.

• The NCAA does not use + or – when evaluating grades.

• The NCAA will recalculate student GPAs considering only the NCAA required classes.

NCAA Sliding Scale

Each student can check their ACT/SAT scores against their high school GPA to determine eligibility. To see the complete sliding scale, visit www.ncaa.org.

Academic Help at WBHS

• The WBHS National Honor Society maintains a database of tutors in our building. Please visit the Counseling Office for specific tutoring assistance.

• WBHS also offers lunchtime AND after school tutoring in math, science, English, and social studies. Check with your core teacher for days and locations!

Power School

• WBHS utilizes Power School to access grades and attendance.

• Remember to maintain your Power School account and check grades frequently.

Testing and Scores

• Refer to the NCAA sliding scale to match test score requirements to high school GPA.

• The ACT is a sum of the English, mathematics, science, and reading sections of the test.

• The SAT includes only critical reading and math sections.

• Test scores MUST be reported directly from the test. Use code 9999 each time students test to send scores directly.

When to Test?

• All WBHS junior students will take the ACT test in March each year.

• Students are welcome to take additional tests throughout their junior and senior years.

• Fee waivers are available for students who receive free or reduced lunch vouchers. Students should speak to their school counselor regarding vouchers.

ACT Test Dates 2013-2014

SAT Test Dates 2013-2014

Test Taking Resources

• The West Bloomfield Township Library has free test taking programs and manuals for checkout.

• There are many local companies that provide practice test materials. Please check with the Career Center or WBHS Counseling Office.

• The NCAA only considers official score reports directly from the testing centers. Scores reported by the student or high school are not considered official.

• To report scores directly to the NCAA, enter code 9999 on each ACT or SAT test taken. This will ensure that your scores are sent directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Test Score Reporting

Transcripts

• All seniors will be required to send transcripts to the NCAA twice during senior year.

• At WBHS, students send transcripts via Parchment.com.

• Students will create a parchment.com account during course registration junior year.

Summer School

• If a student needs to retake a course, it must be completed before senior year. Register for summer school courses before the end of senior year.

Additional Resources

• Please visit the NCAA Eligibility Center for additional handouts and information.

Helpful Websites

• www.ACT.org for test dates, registration, study tips, and sample ACT test questions

• www.collegeboard.com for SAT test information

• www.NCAA.org for college athletics updates• www.eligibilitycenter.org for NCAA eligibility

NCAA Eligibility Center Contact Information

NCAA Resources for High School Students

• http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/CBSA.pdf

• The link above will take students to the 2013-2014 NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete.