NCAA Freshman Eligibility Standards
Students who plan to participate in Division I & II college athletics must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse during spring of junior year. Once all materials have been submitted, the Clearinghouse issues a preliminary certification report to the college. After you graduate, the Clearinghouse reviews your complete transcript to make a final certification decision according to NCAA standards. Students must also complete the amateurism questionnaire through the Eligibility Center website.
NCAA standards are base line in order to participate in collegiate athletics. They are not guidelines for high school graduation. Please note, that all SHS students must meet the standards for graduation from Sandwich High School in order to receive a diploma.
To be certified by the Clearinghouse, students must complete a specific number of approved core classes, attain a minimum score on the SAT or ACT, and achieve a minimum GPA.
Division I: 16 Core-Course Rule
4 years of English
3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab, if offered by high school)
1 year of additional English, mathematics, or natural/physical science
2 years of social science
4 years of additional courses (from any area above or world language)
Division II: 14 Core-Course Rule
3 years of English
2 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab, if offered by high school)
2 years of additional English, mathematics, or natural/physical science
2 years of social science
3 years of additional courses (from any area above or world language)
Division I has a sliding scale for test scores and grade point average (GPA). This scale can be found at the Clearinghouse website.
Division II has a minimum SAT score requirement of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
The SAT scores used for NCAA purposes include only the critical reading and math sections. The writing section of the SAT is not used. The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is a sum of the four sections of ACT: English, mathematics, reading, and science.
All SAT and ACT scores must be reported directly to the NCAA Clearinghouse from the College Board or ACT by the student. Scores on transcripts will not be used. When requesting test scores, use the code 9999 to ensure a score report is sent to the Clearinghouse.
NCAA Eligibility Center Quick Reference Guide
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Only core courses are used in the calculation of GPA for NCAA purposes. Make sure the courses you are taking are approved as core courses on the Clearinghouse website at www.ncaaclearinghouse.org
Division I GPA requirement is a minimum of 2.3.
Division II requires a minimum GPA of 2.2
Students seeking eligibility should frequently check with their school counselor and the Clearinghouse’s website for any updates or changes to the rules and to view the complete approved core course list for Sandwich High School.