NCAA Guide for
the College-Bound Student-Athlete
click below
NCAA Eligibility Center Home
NCAA Guide for Transfer Students
NCAA Student.org
NAIA Guide for the College-Bound
Student-Athlete
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NJCAA Eligibility Information and Forms
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TIPS FROM CAMPUS
Finding the path to the college of your choice is an exciting journey, an experience that will begin to set the foundation for the rest of your life. Remember, college is not a four-year decision; it's a life decision. So, how can you be certain to make the best decision possible when you only have one shot at the process? Preparation is the key.
Following are some words of wisdom from those who see the successes and struggles of student-athletes on a daily basis, the campus compliance officers. These professionals welcome your questions and encourage you to contact them along the way. Links to various Michigan colleges and universities can be found by clicking the link on the upper right of this page.
IT'S UNANIMOUS
The two most dominant, consistent messages from college campuses to prospective student-athletes are these:
- Accept responsibility for all steps of the process to guarantee requirements are met. Check, double-check, and triple-check details of each step.
- Challenge yourself academically as a senior. Do not use senior year as a vacation. Bad habits formed as a senior will be detrimental to your freshman year of college, and you may in fact wind up short of the core course requirement for collegiate eligibility.
ACADEMICS
- Plan now for collegiate athletic participation if you are even entertaining the slightest thoughts of playing after high school.
- Take as many approved core courses as possible. For NCAA eligibility, your GPA is based only on these courses.
- Take as many core courses as possible so you can use your best grades toward initial eligibility.
- Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
- Make sure your school's core course listing is updated with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Ask your athletic director who in your school is responsible for keeping this list updated.
- Take the ACT or SAT or both. While most colleges accept scores from either test, check to see which is preferred by the college/university of your choice.
- Contact admissions offices. Meeting NCAA eligibility requirements does not guarantee admittance to an institution, and vice versa. Students need to apply to each institution of interest.
- If a student knows they are going to start at a junior college, contact four-year schools to make sure which credits will transfer. Consult the NCAA Guide for Transfer Students for further details.
- Students transferring schools during high school need transcripts from each school, not just the final school.
COLLEGE CHOICE
- Research and explore all opportunities, all levels.
- If recruited, don't commit to the first offer. Be honest and forthcoming with your expectations and goals.
- Does the school meet both your academic and athletic aspirations?
- Division III Opportunities
- "Athletics in Perspective" - Quality, championship athletic programs with a foundation built on students' academic needs.
- Prioritize minimizing missed class time.
- Expense can be misleading; good students can receive financial assistance and academic scholarships.
- Take ACT more than once to increase financial aid opportunities.
- Junior/Community College Opportunities
- Athletic opportunities while continuing education
- Affordable and close to home
- Sharpen academic habits and bolster eligibility requirements to continue at a four-year institution.
COMMON ROADBLOCKS TO INITIAL ELIGIBILITY
AND
FRESHMAN-YEAR SUCCESS
- Eligibility information is not disseminated to students early enough in their high school careers.
- Transcripts do not match exactly the names of approved core courses with the NCAA eligibility center.
- High school course listing is not updated with the
- Students have not completed enough core courses.
- Bad habits developed as a high school senior negatively impacts freshman academic performance.
- Smaller high schools with producing infrequent number of college athletes need to pay special attention to core course requirements, and designate an administrator to be the liaison with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Because it's not an annual occurrence, approved core course listings sometimes are not updated.
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Michigan University and College Compliance and Admissions Links
click below
2008 PowerPoint Presentation by the Michigan State University Compliance Office
"Making the Grade" is an excellent preparatory guide for student-athletes and athletic administrators
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