Falling one-tenth of a grade point short of college requirements? Missing the final ACT test date? Forgetting to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center? Whatever you do, don't sacrifice all your hard physical work, two-a-days in the scorching summer heat, early weight room sessions on cold winter mornings, running stadium stairs in the rain, by hitting an academic roadblock.

Here’s a year-by-year glance at what you need to get academically set for college.

Grades 9 and 10
• Take classes that match your school’s list of approved core courses and work hard in the classroom

Grade 11
• At the beginning of your junior year, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org.
• Follow the core-course list to make sure your classes match the school’s list of approved core courses.
• Register to take the ACT, SAT (or both), and request that your scores to be sent to the Eligibility Center by using the code 9999 for one recipient. This is important, because all ACT and SAT scores must be reported directly from the testing agency; if you report them on your high school transcript, they will not be accepted.
• Near the end of your junior year, ask your guidance counselor to send a copy of your transcript to the Eligibility Center. If you have attended more than one high school, contact a counselor at your previous school and make the same request.
• Before registering for senior year classes, consult with your guidance counselor to determine the number of core courses you need to graduate.

Grade 12
• Take the SAT and/or ACT again, if necessary. Your best scores from each section of the tests are used to determine your best cumulative score, so re-testing can only help you.
• Make sure the classes you have taken match your school’s list of approved core courses.
• Complete the Eligibility Center’s Amateurism Questionnaire; review responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 if enrolling in the fall, or Oct. 1 for spring enrollees.
• Work hard in the classroom to graduate on time [in eight academic semesters].
• Have your high school guidance counselor send your final transcript, including proof of graduation, to the Eligibility Center.

High School Course Requirements for:

Division I Colleges/Universities

Complete these 16 core courses:
• 4 years of English
• 3 years of math [Algebra I or higher]
• 2 years of natural/physical science [one year of lab science if offered by high school]
• 1 extra year of English, math or natural/ physical science
• 2 years of social science
• 4 years of extra core courses [from any category above, a foreign language, nondenominational religion or philosophy]

You must also:
• Earn the minimum required GPA in your core courses
• Earn a combined ACT or SAT score that matches your core-course GPA and test score sliding scale

Division II Colleges/Universities

Complete these 14 core courses:
• 3 years of English
• 2 years of math [Algebra I or higher]
• 2 years of natural/physical science [one year of lab science if offered by high school]
• 2 extra years of English, math or natural/ physical science
• 2 years of social science
• 3 years of extra core courses [from any category above, a foreign language, nondenominational religion or philosophy]

You must also:
• Earn a minimum 2.0 GPA in your core courses
• Earn a combined ACT score of 68 or SAT score of 820

Division IIl Colleges/Universities
D-III schools do not refer to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Contact the school or university you’re interested in for information regarding admission policies.


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