New Rules of the Games

1. New Rules of the Games College Board Forum *Chicago* February 11, 2008

2. What You Need to Know About Playing College Sports and New Eligibility Rules • Kevin Koehler • Guidance Counselor Hinsdale High School • Frank DuBois Assistant Director of Admission Lewis University • Bobbie CesarekAssociate Athletics Director-ComplianceNorthern Illinois University

3. What is the NCAA Eligibility Center? • Established in 1995 - as NCAA Clearinghouse - to ensure equity in determining initial eligibility • colleges/universities had previously established eligibility status of their incoming student-athletes • many inequities existed nationwide • Determines the academic eligibility status of high school seniors to participate in NCAA Division I and Division II intercollegiate athletics as first year college students • Data base for all collegiate athletic departments to access a student-athlete’s eligibility status

4. Recent Addition: NCAA Amateurism Clearinghouse • Required for all freshmen / transfers • Register beginning as a junior in high school • On-line registration • For both domestic and international students • Provides consistent information across country • Growingly more difficult for colleges to establish amateurism status • What’s amateur/professional in foreign countries • Large number of domestic leagues being created

5. NCAA Amateurism Clearinghouse • Student must answer several questions regarding sports participation history, such as: • Contracts with a professional team • Prize money above actual and necessary expenses • Tryouts, practice or competition with a pro team • Final NCAA amateurism certification: end of prospects senior year • Colleges responsible for amateurism issues from June – August

6. NCAA Academic Eligibility Terminology: • Qualifier - • meets test / GPA index minimums • eligible to practice/ compete/ receive athletic aid during initial year of collegiate enrollment • Non-Qualifier – • does not meet minimum test / GPA index requirements • NOT eligible to practice / compete / receive athletic aid during initial year of collegiate enrollment • eligible for only 3 seasons of competition* • *may earn 4th season of competition if earns 80% of degree after 4 years

7. Graduate from High School NCAA Division I competition: Successfully complete 16 HS ‘Core Courses’ NCAA Division II competition: Successfully complete 14HS ‘Core Courses’ for NCAA Meet NCAA Index Requirements Core Course GPA (out of 4.00) ACT sum score SAT total Currently no “writing component” is included in the calculations (SAT) How do students become Qualifiers ? –for NCAA Division I & II only

8. NCAA Division III Initial Eligibility • No additional standards for Initial (Freshman) Academic Eligibility; Needs only to: • Be enrolled at least a minimum full-time enrollment • Be in good academic standing (determined by the institution) • Maintain satisfactory progress toward degree

9. NAIA Initial Eligibility • Must meet two of the three entry level requirements: • have achieved an 18 on ACT or 860 on SAT (SAT’s Reading and Math only) – National Test • High School GPA of 2.00 • Graduate in upper half of student’s high school graduating class • Home-schooled students must meet ACT or SAT requirement and receive certificate granted by the state verifying completion of home schooling requirements

10. Division I: Core GPAACTSAT 3.55+ 37 400 3.25 46 520 3.00 52 620 2.75 59 720 2 .50 68 820 2.25 77 920 2.00 86 1010 Division II: Minimum GPA: 2.00 Minimum combined score on SAT of 820 Minimum sum score on ACT of 68 NCAA Divisions I & IIQualifier Index

11. New NCAA Legislation – Qualifier - January 2008 • Prospects will be certified as a qualifier provided he/she attains: • SAT of 1000 - or - ACT of 85, and • 3.0 core GPA in 13 core courses completed in 6 semesters: • 3 courses - English • 2 courses – Mathematics • 2 courses – natural / physical science • 6 courses – additional core courses in any NCAA core area

12. Prairie State ACT Test . . . • Student CAN utilize the ACT test taken with the Prairie State exams for both: • NCAA Initial Eligibility • NCAA Official Campus Visit • All other tests must be on a national testing date to be valid for eligibility / official visit • Can still also use PLAN / PSAT for NCAA Official Campus Visit but not Initial Eligibility

13. REMINDER: • NCAA Eligibility Center will no longer accept test scores from the High School transcript • Test Score must come directly from the testing agency (ACT or SAT) • Clearinghouse code: 9999

14. What Coursed are Considered ‘Core Courses’? • 4 yrs. - English (D-I); . . .3 yrs. - (D-II) • 3 yrs. - Mathematics (Algebra 1 or higher) • 2 yrs. – Natural / Physical Science – w/ lab • 1 yr. - Additional English/Math/Science (D-I) . . . . . . 2 yrs. - (D-II) • 2 yrs. - Social Science • 4 yrs. - Additional Academic Courses (e.g., foreign language / philosophy / or above courses) • 16 - total core courses

15. Acceptable home-schooling* learning disability* internet/independent study course* College courses pass/fail courses non-standard test procedures* * if meets NCAA standards &with proper documentation NOT Acceptable: Preparatory classes credit-by-exam courses vocational courses any courses taken in 8th grade(even foreign language courses) courses taken after graduation to meet core course requirements – except for learning disabled CoreCourse Provisions:

16. Post HS Graduation Core Course • If student graduates when anticipated (with their ‘class’) • May take ONE core course during the summer prior to initial collegiate enrollment • May be used to obtain 16 core courses • May be used to meet GPA requirement • Course may be taken at a location other than high school from which student graduated • May not receive institutional financial aid while enrolled in the course

17. How Can You Help Student -Athletes with Core Courses? • Ensure that your coaches know about the NCAA Eligibility Center and its requirements regarding collegiate freshman athletics eligibility • Ensure that your student-athletes – and your counselors - know which classes are identified as your school’s core courses • Provide your counselors with athletics team rosters so from freshmen year on student-athletes can be counseled toward the school’s documented core courses • Core courses posted: https//web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter

18. HS Core Course Changes • Changes during the school year (*best): • Forms and directions on website • Changes when a student-athlete has graduated and final transcript has been submitted to NCAA Clearinghouse: • Indicate making changes for a particular student • Again, forms and directions on website • Clearinghouse needs to ensure no academic fraud • Please make changes to your core course listings a part of the school’s curricular change process!

19. https/web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter select: Perspective student-athlete Follow instructions Register: $50.00 – credit card (also access: List of high school core courses) Recommended Reading: Guide to the College Bound Student-Athlete Must forward official HS transcript* *EACH high school you attended with test score OR test score directly from ACT or SAT centers (code 9999) HS will need to forward FINAL official transcript w/ graduation date posted for final certification How do Students Apply to the NCAA Eligibility Center?

20. When Should Student-Athletes Register? • Can register as a Senior or a Junior • Optimal: Immediately after completion of their Junior Year • have enough core courses to begin processing • most likely taken at least one ACT/SAT • collegiate coaches can access your information after/around July 1st

21. How the High School Can be of Assistance: • Identify your High School’s student-athletes • Juniors: Ensure that transcripts are submitted to Clearinghouse before summer break • Seniors: Ensure final high school transcripts - with graduation date – are submitted to Clearinghouse before summer break • Example: One High School form, completed by student-athlete, requests transcript be initially sent at end of junior year - also authorizes, and requires payment for, final transcript to be sent after graduation is posted

22. Eligibility Center as a Partner • Every March –Eligibility Center provides graduation list for each High School • Identifies all student-athletes who are registered in the Eligibility Center • Requests final transcript after May/June graduation date • Great double check – make information available to coaches and student-athletes

23. High School Interaction: NCAA Clearinghouse • Everything your High School needs is available on the website . . . • Log on: High School Administration • Identify school code; school pin • (If forget pin – need letter from principal, faxed, with the 5 numbers you wish established as your new pin number – NCAA Eligibility Center will change your school’s pin within 24 hours) • Fax: (319) 337-1556 • Customer Service: (319) 337-1492

24. WHAT I WISH SOMEONE …………. • IMPORTANCE OF GRADES • PREPARING FOR ACT’S & SAT’S • APPLY FOR REGULAR ADMISSION TOO • SET LONG RANGE GOALS (10 YEARS) • CHECK SCHOOL FOR ACADEMIC NEEDS • VISIT MY “A” GROUP SCHOOLS FIRST • WORK ON COMMUNICATION SKILLS

25. STUDENT –ATHLETE CHECKLIST • Pre-season • Coach, Counselor, Tests, Majors, NCAA, Colleges • In- season • Applications, NCAA, Grades, Coach • Post- Season • Coach, Counselor, visits, sports/academics

26. PARENTS OF STUDENT-ATHLETES CHECKLIST Pre-season counselor, calendar, compliance, visits In-Season admissions, compliance, coach, teachers Post-Season Options, recruiters, visits

27. FOUR-YEAR PLAN • FRESHMAN • SOPHOMORE • JUNIOR • SENIOR

28. HOW TO GET YOURSELFRECRUITED You can play your sport after H.S. Talk to coach and counselor Register with NCAA Clearinghouse Identify colleges Visit website, send letter or email Sports Resume Arrange Campus Visit with coach visit

29. SAMPLE COVER LETTERCOACH Do your homework Know coach’s name Keep it short. (One Page) Statistics Academics Interest Intent to follow up

30. SAMPLE RESUME Name, address, phone, email Educational background Extracurricular Athletic Background References including Coach & Contact Info

31. QUESTIONS? ?