If you are interesting in participating in intercollegiate athletics, there are some things you need to do long before you ever get to the college campus. First, every prospective student-athlete must complete the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse Form. This can be done anytime during a student's high school career, but should be done by the beginning of the student's senior year in high school. While paper forms are available, it is best to complete the form online at http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/. You will also need to request that a transcript of your grades be sent to the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse then recalculates your GPA based on your transcript, your ACT scores, and information about your high school's curriculum provided by your school. If you are academically eligible to play college sports, then college coaches may contact you. Even as a freshman, it is important to keep track of your grades and the courses you are taking. To be eligible to play college sports, you must take fourteen (14) "NCAA approved" courses in high school AND you must earn an ACT or SAT AND grade point average combination that qualifies you for eligibility. To see what courses at your high school are approved, visit the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse website (above). Click on "List of Approved Core Course" in the left column.

There are many rules and regulations regarding when a coach may contact a prospective student-athlete. We encourage all prospective student-athletes to review the guidelines on the NCAA Clearinghouse web site or to stop by our office to look over a "Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete". This free booklet is available to you by calling NCAA Publications at 1-800-638-3731. Also check the NCAA website at http://www.ncaa.org/.

Once you have completed the Clearinghouse Form and are eligible for play, it is important that you maintain close contact with you high school or personal coaches and you school counselors. Often, the college coach will call a counselor's office to request an unofficial transcript.