Do you believe you have the potential to play a Division I or II sport? If so, you need to become familiar with the NCAA. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a non-profit association that regulates athletes of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations, and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In August 1973, the current three-division setup of Division I, Division II, and Division III was adopted by the NCAA membership in a special convention. Under NCAA rules, Division I and Division II schools can offer scholarships to athletes for playing a sport. Division III schools may not offer any athletic scholarships. Generally, larger schools compete in Division I and smaller schools in II and III. If you think you are going to play college sports, there are some things in high school that you need to be aware of. The NCAA has specific guidelines and requirements regarding eligibility to play. Additionally, St. Louis Park High School has specific steps regarding sending transcripts to NCAA. Please read the following information and notify your counselor if you are interested in playing Division I or II sports (Division III sports do not have the same NCAA academic eligibility requirements). MAKE SURE YOU ARE TAKING NCAA APPROVED COURSES AT ST. LOUIS PARK HIGH SCHOOL NCAA has specific Core Course requirements to be eligible to play. NCAA approves high school courses and requires you to take a certain amount of these courses before you graduate. Check NCAA’s website for specific academic guidelines for Division I and II – SLPHS NCAA CORE COURSES Prior to finalizing course selection and placements, it is the student and parents’ responsibility to verify with their counselor that you have or are planning on taking the proper amount of NCAA approved courses based on the division level you are seeking to participate in (Division I or Division II). Check with your St. Louis Park High School counselor to assure you are taking “NCAA APPROVED” courses. CREATE AN OFFICIAL NCAA CERTIFICATION ACCOUNT THROUGH THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER In order to be evaluated for Division I or Division II academic eligibility through NCAA, students must create an account with the NCAA Eligibility Center This is an extensive application and does require a registration fee. SEND OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS AND ACT SCORES TO NCAA Work with your school counselor and have your transcripts sent directly to NCAA. ACT scores must be official and sent through ACT – www.actstudent.org. You will need to log into your account and send them directly to NCAA. There will be a fee. NCAA General Information about the NCAA NCAA Academic Clearinghouse |