Our partner Matt Hunt from College Hunt helps students successfully navigate the college selection process. In his latest blog post he explains the new NCAA academic requirements for Division 1, 2, and 3.

Planning on, or dreaming to one day participate in NCAA Athletics? Before you step onto the field or court you must first complete the required academics to be eligible for participation. Beginning in August 2016 the NCAA is increasing the minimum academic requirements student-athletes must meet to participate in Division 1 and 2 athletics. While these changes may seem minor, it’s important to remember all students planning on playing Division 1 or 2 athletics must meet these requirements or they will be academically ineligible.

Before we dive into the specific academic requirements we should first understand the purpose of the NCAA Eligibility Center. Think of them as the checks and balances for coaches as well as colleges/universities on whether or not the student has met the established requirements. Keep in mind, they are separate from admissions; a student still applies to individual schools during senior year. A common misconception from students is they believe if they’ve met the NCAA Eligibility requirements they are good to go, but in reality, they have only met the standard to play.

What is a Core Course? The NCAA Eligibility Center requires students earn a specific number of Core Courses by a certain point in high school as part of meeting eligibility. Now, there are some differences in the amount and timeline per level (D1, 2, & 3), but the definition of a Core Course remains the same. A Core Course is one that counts towards graduation in the core curriculum: English, Math, Natural or Physical Science, Social Science and World Language or Comparative Religion. Students must earn at least a D or higher in these courses. I know what you’re thinking, the NCAA allows D’s? Correct, but remember four-year colleges and universities do not.

The NCAA Eligibility Center has clearly defined specific academic requirements for Division 1, 2, and 3. Here is a breakdown of those requirements for each Division….

Division 1: minimum 2.3 GPA, increase on the SAT & ACT sliding scale, 10 of the 16 core courses must be met before the start of senior year.

Division 2: minimum 2.0 GPA, combined 820 on SAT or sum 68 on ACT, & 16 core courses completed.

Division 3: the college or university, not NCAA Eligibility Center, determines eligibility for admission, financial aid, practice and competition.

What happens if a student fails to meet the academic eligibility requirements? It will first depend on which division they’re being recruited by and how they’ve missed the requirement. The results may range from delayed opportunity to play, having to sit for an extended time or worse- being ruled academically ineligible.

Remember, the number one focus should be earning successful grades throughout high school to meet the requirements to play and more importantly too give yourself the opportunity to earn admissions into the college or university you’re desiring to attend.

For more information about the college selection process check out his blog!

1. Why did you decide to sign with Bethany College?

I selected Bethany College because of their history program as well as their football program. Their history program helps you increase your intellect and they elaborate on modern history and ancient history. Their football program last year earned a record of 8-3. Their coaches were very supportive in my process of helping me decide what educational institution to attend. Their program has won numerous league championships and has the ideal potential to win a national championship.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m extremely excited about becoming a college student-athlete. It’s an honor and privilege to play the game of football at such a high level. It’s been a dream to play college football and my ultimate goal is to make it to the NFL. I was ecstatic and jumping for joy when I finally made the decision to play college football and attend Bethany College. I realize the blessings of God because without him I wouldn’t have the opportunity to participate in college football. I will never forget the excitement level; it was comparable to someone winning the lottery.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

The advice I would give to other athletes is to work hard in their respective sport, and to never give up. They should realize that they are a student- athlete and that academics are a priority. Without a successful academic career colleges won’t pursue you. It’s a great idea to fill out a questionnaire to a college you are interested in and send film to college coaches so they can discover you just in case you’re not on the ESPN top 150 high school athletes. When you are competing for your respective high school team, always have a respective attitude and compete on a level that you thought wasn’t even imaginable; always compete to win and never to lose.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

The biggest influence has been Jerry Rice, because he is the greatest wide receiver to play in the NFL. Coincidently, I play the same position as Jerry Rice. He never gave up and two weeks after the season ended he would start his off-season workout. His reason was chasing a championship because that was his ultimate goal. He also inspired me to be a respectful, hard-working young man and to dress well. He never had any attitude problems and displayed great respect for his fans. To this day he inspires me to be great because if he can do it I can do it. And I will do it with desire, dedication, and determination.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

I would like to become a league champion, national champion, and an All-American.

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

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