The NCAA's "Clearinghouse Rules"
NCAA member schools established the NCAA Initial-Eligibility in January 1993. The role of the Clearinghouse was, and continues to be, to provide consistent interpretation of NCAA initial eligibility requirements for student-athletes. In addition to scoring qualifications, high school seniors wishing to compete in Division I or II colleges/universities in the Fall of 1996 were required to register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Among the requirements student-athletes must attain include the following:
- Graduate high school
- Meet the minimum SAT score of 820 (verbal and math sections only) and the minimum ACT sum score is 68.
- Meet the 16 Core Course Requirements for Division I—
- 4 years of English
- 3 years of Mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
- 2 years of Natural/Physical Science; one must be a lab science
- 1 year of additional English, Mathematics, or Science
- 2 years of Social Studies
- 4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or Philosophy)
The NCAA Clearinghouse (Eligibility Center) is the final arbiter of eligibility. It is critical for every student-athlete, parent, coach, Athletic Director, school administrator, and counselor to be aware of these requirements; those failing to know, apply, and enforce these requirements within their programs run the risk of adversely impacting a student-athletes's college career, not unlike the real-life scenario below.
