In January, the NCAA created the NCAA Eligibility Center to replace the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse. It will commence operation on October 29.

The NCAA’s current contract with the entity that manages the Clearinghouse, ACT, expires October 31. ACT has managed the Clearinghouse since its inception in 1994. The NCAA decided to create the Eligibility Center to replace the Clearinghouse to consolidate and manage the academic and amateurism aspects of the initial-eligibility process. Its objective is to provide prospective student-athletes with greater resources and tools to manage his or her eligibility status in high school. Its responsibilities include the review of Division I and II prospective student-athletes’ academic and amateurism records, the review of core-courses submitted by high schools and the review of non-traditional secondary schools with questionable academic profiles. It also will process all initial eligibility waivers.

During the transition, prospective student-athletes who graduated in 2007 should continue to submit transcripts and official test scores to the Clearinghouse (see page 3). Prospective student-athletes who will graduate in 2008 also should submit transcripts and official test scores to the Clearinghouse until October when the transition takes place. Finally, if prospective student-athletes know that specific colleges are interested in them or if they are interested in specific colleges, they should ask the college coach or recruiting coordinator to place their names on those colleges’ respective Institution Request List (IRL). Academic records of prospective student-athletes who are on a college’s IRL are reviewed prior to the academic records of prospective student-athletes who are not listed on any college’s IRL.

The NCAA will make available the new mailing address for the Eligibility Center in September or October.

During the 2006-07 academic year, the NCAA changed its policy on receiving official test scores. It is now necessary for all official SAT and ACT test scores to be reported to the Clearinghouse (and after October 29, to the Eligibility Center) directly from the respective testing agency.

Some prospective student-athletes and guidance counselors were unaware of the change and have been reporting the test scores on the high school transcript. Inasmuch as test scores will not be accepted if reported on a high school transcript, many prospective student-athletes who have registered with the Clearinghouse do not have official test scores on file with the Clearinghouse. For prospective student-athletes who have taken either the SAT or ACT, it will be necessary for them go to the SAT website (www.collegeboard.com) or the ACT website (www.actstudent.org) and request that the test scores be submitted to the Clearinghouse. The code for the Clearinghouse is “9999”. There may be a fee for this request. For prospective student-athletes who plan to take the SAT or ACT this fall, upon registering for the test, when asked if the scores are to be reported, enter the code of “9999” to make certain the scores are reported directly to the Clearinghouse. There should be no additional fee for the reporting of test scores if submitted at the time of registration.

In April, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors adopted a proposal that requires prospective student-athletes to complete his or her core-curriculum requirements within four years after initial enrollment in the ninth grade. Further, if the prospective student-athlete graduates within this required time frame, he or she may use one core-course completed within the year after graduation to count toward academic eligibility. This proposal becomes effective on August 1, 2007 and affects those who were expected to graduate in 2007.

This legislation which is applicable to prospective student-athletes who want to participate in Division I intercollegiate athletics, was adopted because NCAA Division I administrators believed that earlier legislation permitted students to purposely delay high school graduation to meet NCAA requirements which they felt was not an appropriate academic practice.

This legislation adversely affects prospective student-athletes who after four year in high school, don’t graduate with their classes, prospective student-athletes who after four years in high school don't graduate and plan to attend a prep school for a “13th year” and prospective student-athletes who repeat a year of high school for medical or academic reasons. Prospective student-athletes with these circumstances may not use core-courses completed after the high school graduation date of their respective classes.

It should be noted that prospective student-athletes with a documented learning disability and whose documentation is on file with NCAA Disability Services are not impacted by this legislation and as such will be able to use all core-courses taken prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment.

Effective August 1, in order for seniors to go on an official visit or receive a scholarship offer from an NCAA Division I or II school, they must be registered with the Clearinghouse (or Eligibility Center). Prospective student-athletes may register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.