NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER

*In January 2023, NCAA Divisions I and II adopted legislation to remove standardized test scores from initial-eligibility requirements for all student-athletes who initially enroll full time on or after August 1, 2023. Check with the NCAA school you plan to attend regarding whether standardized test scores are necessary for admission or scholarship requirements. For more information, click here. 



If students are planning to enroll in college and wish to participate in Division I or Division II sports, they must be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Center. There are several steps in this process. For more detailed information and the application materials, contact the Mrs. McNamara in the Counseling Office or refer to the NCAA Eligibility Center online at this link.

Note: Most flex credit and correspondence courses do not meet NCAA eligibility requirements. Please check with your counselor about specific requirements.

The NCAA Eligibility Center has suggested a four-year timeline to ensure that students are on track to graduate high school and ensure NCAA eligibility as a college athlete. Be sure to check with Mrs. McNamara for more information.

NCAA Initial-Eligibility Registration  

High school student-athletes who plan to participate in future inter-collegiate athletic competition, especially at the Division I and Division II levels, must monitor the continuing development of their academic eligibility credentials as set forth by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and register these credentials with the NCAA Eligibility Center beginning in their junior year of high school. Note: Division III colleges are not monitored by the NCAA’s initial eligibility requirements and do not require registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Contact your Division III college or university regarding its policies on admission, financial aid, practice and competition.


Five Steps toward being cleared academically by the NCAA Eligibility Center for initial Division I and Division II intercollegiate athletic competition as an entering collegiate freshman:

 

Step Zero:

Visit the NCAA website to learn how to register.


Step One:

Throughout your high school years, monitor closely your successful completion of required NCAA academic core courses by comparing your courses of study with those NCAA-approved academic core courses noted in the Whitmer High School Curriculum Guide.


Beginning with the class of 2016, Division I and II participation requires successful completion of 16 core courses in specific curricular areas. A minimum 2.30 NCAA core-course GPA is required for Division I participation and a minimum 2.20 NCAA core-course GPA is required for Division II participation. Your core-course GPA, established by the NCAA Eligibility Center, will differ from your cumulative Whitmer High School unweighted GPA.


Step Two:

During your junior year in high school, student-athletes will need to complete an online registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Go to NCAA Eligibility Center Website and click on Option 1, 2, or 3 to create an account. Student-athletes planning to compete at the Division 1 or II levels should click on Option 3. To create your initial-eligibility account, click on
"Create your Account." You will need to provide a valid email address, one that will be active after you complete high school. You will be completing requested basic information about yourself, your high school(s) of attendance during your high school career, and the sport(s) you plan to participate in at an NCAA Division I or II college/university. The Eligibility Center will also ask about the high school and/or club teams you have been a part of and events you have participated in during your high school career.


As needed in completing the “My Coursework” section, your current high school information is as follows: Whitmer High School, 5601 Clegg Drive, Toledo, OH 43613. Note: If you have attended more than one school (including summer school) during grades 9-12, you will have to have this information for any additional schools ready as well.


Your account can only be processed with payment of an application fee, payable online as you register with a credit card, debit card or e-check. (A fee waiver is available if you have been granted a fee waiver for either the SAT I or ACT exams.)


Step Three* (See Announcement at the top of the page for changes to testing requirement, starting with the Class of 2024):

Plan on taking the SAT I and/or the ACT college entrance exam beginning the second semester of your junior year. The combined sum score of only the Critical Reading and Math portions of the SAT I exam are used to establish your NCAA academic qualification on a sliding scale comparing your minimum SAT sum score requirement with your NCAA core course GPA.


A sum score of the English, Mathematics, Reading and Science portions of the ACT exam is used to establish your NCAA academic qualification on a sliding scale comparing your minimum ACT sum score requirement with your NCAA core course GPA. The minimum score sum requirements for the SAT I and ACT exams differ for Division I and Division II qualification.


When registering for either the SAT I or ACT exams, input the NCAA Eligibility Center’s code of 9999 to make sure that you meet the requirement of having the exam score reported directly to the Eligibility Center from the College Board (SAT) or ACT testing center. Scores listed on and reported through your Whitmer High School grade transcript are not acceptable.


Step Four:

At the conclusion of your junior year of high school, request to have your official Grade 9-11 grade transcript sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center. The Eligibility Center will need official transcripts from all schools attended. Whitmer High School transcripts are released only through a student-athlete’s completion of a Transcript Request Form available online: Whitmer Transcript Request Form.


Note: This filed Transcript Request Form will also serve as a student-athlete’s request to have their final transcript (after graduation) sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center, completing the required submission to the Eligibility Center of all academic core course credits completed in high school.


Step Five:

On or shortly after April 1 of your senior year, you will need to access your personal Eligibility Center account to complete your final Amateurism Certification. This is a required supplement to the questions you had answered when you first registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center. 


NCAA Resources & Informational Contacts

A printable checklist from the NCAA Eligibility Center is also available to help students plan high school to smooth their transitions into Division I or Division II schools. 

NCAA Guide for The College-Bound Student Athlete