College Athletics
Announcements
Beginning with the graduating class of 2023, students are not required to submit standardized testing scores for eligibility.
NCAA Eligibility for the College Bound Student Athlete Presentation
Student athletes who are juniors and seniors should make an appointment to see Mrs. Thomson in the Counseling Office (908-431-6600 x 3484). She can assist you with questions you may have regarding eligibility requirements for Division I and II colleges/universities (core courses, GPA, etc.) and registering for the NCAA Eligibility Center.
What are the levels of sports in college?
College athletics are offered at three levels:
Intramural Sports - for students within a school, who want to stay active, and play against other members of their school. Competitiveness varies, and time commitment is generally low.
Club Sports - Typically more competitive than intramural, and may be as competitive as DIII sports teams. Club sports teams play against other schools, who may or may not be in the same geographic area. Club sports teams typically have tryouts, and there is a time commitment involved. Club sports are great for a student who still wants to be active in their sport, and play as part of a team that competes against others. Many schools offer ice hockey, gymnastics, tennis, fencing, and equestrian clubs, but do not also offer those sports on an intercollegiate level.
Intercollegiate Sports - Teams play other schools, and are part of a league or conference. Most schools, about 1200, are in the NCAA (Division I, II and III), and a smaller number are part of the NAIA.
Division I NCAA schools are typically the most competitive, most selective, and most time-consuming. Note that only NCAA Division I and II sports offer athletic scholarships; Division III sports do not offer athletic scholarships. Some schools offer both the intercollegiate and club level for a sport, which allows more students at the school to play at the appropriate level.
What does eligibility mean?
In order to play NCAA Division I or II sports in college, student-athletes must meet the eligibility standards of the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Two of the main factors that determine eligibility are your core-course GPA.
NCAA Initial Eligibility for the College Bound Student Athlete Presentation
NCAA Division I Eligibility
Division I academic eligibility
To be eligible to compete in NCAA sports during your first year at a Division I school, you must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements (click here to view the courses currently approved for HHS - CEEB code 310073)
Complete 16 NCAA-approved core courses:
Four years of English
Three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
Two years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it)
One additional year of English, math or natural/physical science
Two years of social science
Four additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
Complete 10 core courses, including seven in English, math or natural/physical science, before your seventh semester (before the start of senior year). Once you begin your seventh semester, you may not repeat or replace any of those 10 courses to improve your core-course GPA.
Earn at least a 2.3 GPA in your core courses.
Click here for more information about D1 eligibility
Click here for a worksheet to determine your own eligibility (Grading scale: 90-100=A=4, 80-89=B=3, 70-79=C=2, 65-69=D=1)
NCAA Division II Eligibility
To be eligible to compete in NCAA sports during your first year at a Division II school, you must meet academic requirements for your core courses, grade-point average (GPA) and test scores.
You must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements (click here to view the courses currently approved for HHS - CEEB code 310073):
Complete 16 NCAA-approved core courses:
Three years of English.
Two years of math (Algebra 1 or higher).
Two years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it).
Three additional years of English, math or natural or physical science
Two years of social science
Four additional years of English, math, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
Earn at least a 2.2 GPA in your core courses.
Click here for more information about D2 eligibility
Click here for a worksheet to determine your own eligibility (Grading scale: 90-100=A=4, 80-89=B=3, 70-79=C=2, 65-69=D=1)
NCAA Eligibility Center
Students who want to play DI or DII sports must register in the NCAA Eligibility Center. Generally, we recommend that you do this by the end of your junior year, though you can do it in your senior year.
How to Register:
STEP 1: Go to www.eligibilitycenter.org
To create a new account, scroll down until you see the section for Division 1 or Division 2, on the left side of the screen. Click the Create an Account button
On the next screen, click Create an Account again.
You will then have to enter your email address and then a verification code will be sent to your email address. You should use a personal email address, not your school email.
Put the verification code in the box.
Now create your account. Fill out all of the information.
Hillsborough HS code: 310073
Registration fee is $90, payable be credit card. If you are eligible for an SAT/ACT fee waiver, you can use a waiver here, too (see Mr. Progin for assistance).