The High School Athlete’s Guide to Academic Eligibility & NCAA Clearinghouse Rules

### Academic Eligibility: The Greatest Recruiting Differentiator

Every year, thousands of talented high school football players across Texas miss out on college roster spots not because of their 40-yard dash, but because they failed to meet NCAA Eligibility Center core course requirements.

1. The 16 Core Courses Rule To be eligible to compete in Division I or Division II athletics, you must complete 16 core academic courses: - 4 years of English - 3 years of Math (Algebra I or higher) - 2 years of Natural/Physical Science - 1 additional year of English, Math, or Science - 2 years of Social Science - 4 years of additional courses (foreign language, comparative religion, etc.)

2. Ten Before Seven (The "Lock-In" Rule) For Division I eligibility, you must complete **10 core courses before the start of your seventh semester** (the start of your senior year). Seven of those 10 courses MUST be in English, Math, or Science. These courses are locked in and cannot be retaken for grade improvement during senior year!

3. Why High GPA Opens Doors at D3 and NAIA Division III programs do not offer athletic scholarships, but they offer substantial academic and merit-based grants. A recruit with a 3.7 GPA playing at Trinity University or UMHB often pays less tuition than an athlete on a partial D2 scholarship!