NCAA Clearing House

I want to play sports in college. Are there any requirements necessary, and how do I go about getting a scholarship?

In order to practice and play as a freshman at an NCAA Division I or Division II college/university, the high school student-athlete must:

1. Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. If a student-athlete would like a paper registration form, they are available by calling 1-888-388-9748. The best time for a student-athlete to register with the Clearinghouse is following his or her junior year of high school. Student athletes must complete a ?Student Release Form? and submit it, with payment of $30.00 to the NCAA Clearinghouse. The NCAA Clearinghouse is established to review your high school transcript and core courses to make sure you are in line with the academic requirements.
2. Graduate from high school.
3. Earn a grade-point average of at least 2.00 (based on a 4.0 scale) in a core curriculum of at least 13 or 14 academic courses during grades 9-12. It is best for the student to make an appointment with their guidance counselor to make sure they have completed and passed the required core courses.

Selecting a college and making career plans are two of the most important decisions to be made by high school student-athletes. These choices are not easy, and costs of a college education continue to rise. College, though, is an investment in the future. Student-athletes and their parents must make the initial effort in the selection process, follow through, assert themselves, and work primarily on their own behalf. Guidance counselors, coaches and other school officials can help. They can serve as resources as well as references. A total team effort will produce the best results.

It is important that student athletes and parents be realistic. Only a very small percentage of high school athletes receive athletic scholarships to college, and even fewer go on to play professional sports. The choice of a particular college or university should be based on the total needs of the student athlete, and how well an institution can meet those needs. Plan so that when your competitive sports days are over, you can lead a happy and productive life.

There is an excellent source of information available on the NCAA website called the ?NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.? It will give you a step-by-step strategy of what your responsibilities are for each year of high school as well as information regarding college recruiting, campus visits and sample letters. You can order a booklet or view it online by clicking on this address below: