NCAA clearinghouse registration requirements for college scholarships?

I'm hoping to play college sports and I heard there's something called the NCAA clearinghouse. What are the registration requirements for this and how does it affect eligibility for college scholarships?

As an athlete hoping to play at the college level, registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center (also known as the NCAA Clearinghouse) is indeed very important. This organization is responsible for confirming the academic and amateur status of all students who want to play sports at an NCAA Division I or Division II school.

For eligibility, the NCAA has specific academic criteria that student-athletes must meet. These include:

1. Graduation from high school or equivalent.

2. Completion of a certain number of core courses with a minimum GPA. For Division I athletes, they must complete 16 core courses, At least 10 of these must be completed before the seventh semester of high school, and at least seven of these 10 must be in English, Math, or Natural/Physical Science. For Division II, you must complete, at least 16 core courses, regardless of when they're taken.

3. Certain GPA/test score sliding scale requirements. You must achieve the corresponding ACT or SAT score that matches your core-course GPA on the sliding scale used by the NCAA. For instance, if you have a 3.0 GPA you must have an SAT score of 900 (for Division I) or 820 (for Division II). If your GPA is 2.5, your SAT score should be 1000 or 900, respectively. Since this varies based on your GPA, consider checking out the NCAA's sliding scale on their official site.

Remember that this only ensures your eligibility to play; it doesn't guarantee you admission to the college or a scholarship.

As for the timeline, it's recommended that you register at the start of your junior year in high school, but you may do so anytime before participating in college sports.

Make sure to have your high school transcripts and standardized test scores available, as you'll need them for the registration and certification process. If you have attended multiple high schools, you need transcripts from all of them. Also, have your amateur sports participation history on hand to verify your amateur status.

However, keep in mind that while meeting the NCAA's requirements makes you eligible to participate in sports, you still have to be academically admitted to the college and make the team. Being eligible doesn't necessarily mean you'll be offered a sports scholarship.

It's also important to note that the clearinghouse does not apply to Division III schools or institutions outside the NCAA, like those within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) or junior/community colleges. These organizations have their eligibility requirements to be mindful of. Good luck on your journey!