NCAA
NCAA Eligibility
NCAA Updates and Quick Links:
The NCAA requires that all student athletes who plan on playing sports at either a Division I or Division II level in college register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
The Eligibility Center will review your academics and amateurism status in order to verify that you are eligible to participate in athletics at Division I and Division II institutions. Division III colleges do not use the NCAA Eligibility Center. Each individual DIII institution has their own policies on admission, financial aid, practice and competition.
Click below for an overview of the three NCAA Divisions:
It's never too early to start planning. All freshmen student-athletes interested in continuing athletics at the collegiate level should review the "Resources" links located at the bottom of this page.
Registration
Students in 9th grade can sign up for a free profile page to receive reminders about the NCAA's academic and amateurism requirements. Freshman should also review Northwestern's list of approved core courses and plan their high school courses accordingly. See the "Approved Courses" section of this page for information on how to access the list of approved courses.
Create your Certification account during your Sophomore year if you plan on playing at a Division I or a Division II school. Complete registration by clicking on the following link: NCAA Eligibility Center. There is a one-time non-refundable fee to register. You can only register on-line. There are no paper registration forms available.
When registration is complete, print a copy of your registration for your files. Students will need to submit a request for their transcript to be sent to the NCAA Eligibility center the Transcript Request Google Form. Students should submit requests for transcripts after their sixth semester (end of their Junior year). Requests should also be submitted for a final transcript toward the end of a student's Senior year. It is the student's responsibility to request copies of their transcript.
Students with a documented disability may wish to inform the NCAA Eligibility Center about the disability. A copy of the professional diagnosis and a copy of the IEP, ITP, or 504 plan must be submitted with the accommodations noted. One of the documents should be dated within the last 3 years. For more information about this please click on the following link http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/education-impacting-disabilities
Finally, in order for the NCAA to review any materials students must submit official copies of transcript(s) (students attending more than one high school must submit transcripts from all schools attended) and have paid the NCAA registration fee.
For more information and/or questions please visit: http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future
Academic Eligibility Requirements
Northwestern Lehigh High School NCAA Approved Core Courses
Each high school has a list of NCAA approved core courses that can be viewed on the NCAA Eligibility Center website. To access this information please click on the link below and then enter Northwestern Lehigh's school code in the box titled "NCAA High School Code". Northwestern Lehigh's high school code is 393002.
Current NCAA Approved Core Courses
When scheduling classes, make sure that you are meeting the NCAA core course requirements. Only courses that appear on your school's approved List of NCAA Courses will be used in the calculation of the core GPA. Use NWLHS' list as a guide. If you have any questions or concerns regarding selection of courses, please set up an appointment with your School Counselor to review your coursework.
Students who wish to compete at the Division I or II levels in college must be cleared through the NCAA. Please identify yourself to your counselor as a potential college student athlete so we can help you schedule courses that are approved as NCAA Core Courses. Courses that are currently NCAA-eligible are denoted in the Program of Studies booklet with an (*) sign. The program of studies can be found at the following link: Program of Studies). It is the student’s responsibility to follow the NCAA guidelines and submit the necessary paperwork.
Important
Be sure to look at Northwestern Lehigh’s current list of approved NCAA Core Courses on the NCAA Eligibility Center's website (Current NCAA Approved Core Courses). Remember, the NCAA core GPA is calculated using NCAA core courses only and therefore will not necessarily match the GPA listed on your transcript
Recruiting
There are specific recruiting rules for each sport. The rules are divided by the recruiting method and year in high school (Sophomore, Junior or Senior year). Please go to the "Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete" for a listing of these rules.
There are also specific recruiting terms used which outline the rules college coaches must follow. Students are also expected to abide by these rules. Please see the "Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete" (link found at the bottom of this page) for a listing of these terms.
Recruiting Calendars are available to look at for all sports. To view these recruiting calendars, go to http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/resources/recruiting-calendars
Statistics
NCAA conducts research on the percentages of students who go on from high school athletic programs into college varsity sports. The NCAA also tracks the percentages of NCAA athletes who go on to play sports professionally. A breakdown of these percentages by sport is available at the link below:
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/probability-competing-beyond-high-school
Resources
NFHS/NCAA Course on Initial Eligibility Released
In collaboration with the National Federation of State High School Associations, the NCAA Eligibility Center and NFHS have partnered to create a course to educate on NCAA initial-eligibility requirements. Click here to access the course.
NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete:
Registration Checklist:
Initial Eligibility Brochure and planning timeline:
Comparing the three NCAA Divisions: