In a recent post, we discussed the Importance of NCAA Qualifier Status for High School Athletes. If a high school athlete doesn’t meet the initial NCAA academic eligibility requirements, they are classified as a Non-Qualifier. They then have several hurdles to jump before they can be eligible at an NCAA DI or DII school.
When I worked on campus, the hardest thing I had to do was tell an athlete they were not academically eligible to play the sport they loved. The sad thing is that it is a preventable situation.
We created Informed Athlete’s Freshman Eligibility & Transcript Review service so we can help high school athletes and parents be better informed and prepared without unpleasant or costly mistakes.
If you are interested in this service, you can schedule a Freshman Transcript Review online, call us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.
Not being classified as an NCAA Qualifier out of high school can cause all kinds of problems for student-athletes throughout their college career. Many high school athletes fall through the cracks and don’t meet the academic requirements to be classified as an NCAA Qualifier because they:
The following 3 common scenarios show how important it is for high school athletes and their families to know and understand NCAA Qualifier Status.
If an athlete doesn’t meet the NCAA Division I or DII requirements for freshman eligibility because they didn’t take the required core courses, or don’t have the necessary GPA, SAT or ACT test score, the athlete:
Qualifier Status is a factor if your high school athlete goes to an NCAA DIII school and then decides to transfer to a DI or DII school before they complete a full year of school.
The answer is YES, if an athlete goes to a JUCO their freshman year as a non-qualifier, they:
If you’d like a confidential phone consult to discuss your athlete’s specific situation, schedule an eligibility consult online or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.
In the past week, we’ve heard about wealthy families who used illegal “side-door” tactics for their son or daughter to be admitted to prestigious universities. In some cases, they were led by William “Rick” Singer to falsely represent their kids as highly talented or elite athletes.
Most university athletic departments have a limited number of “exemption slots.” These slots are typically used for talented high school athletes who fall short of the university’s standard academic requirements for admission. Coaches are often allowed to use a few of these “exemptions” for athletes they recruit.
Some of the federally indicted wealthy parents created fake athlete credentials and “bought” exemption slots. Their kids bumped legitimate student-athletes who then lost the opportunity to be admitted.
There are many stories of legitimate student-athletes who were initially admitted through an exemption slot and then went on to excel in the classroom. I’ve seen first-hand and talked to many of these former student-athletes whose lives were changed because of academic support systems that are available to student-athletes.
The missed opportunities is what has caused such outrage among families and those of us in the industry who do things ethically.
When high school athletes excel academically, they are at an advantage and stand a much better chance of satisfying the standard admission requirements. A strong academic athlete doesn’t have to worry as much about exemption slots and being bumped out of an admission opportunity.
So my advice to parents is that their high school athletes should focus on their academics as much or more than they do on their sport!
Going forward, I believe we all should assume that ACT and SAT administrators are going to be looking much more closely at “unusual” circumstances such as those reported in this scandal.
If your athlete takes the ACT or SAT test at a location far from their home, there will be more scrutiny. In those cases, students will need to explain why and perhaps show “proof” of that reason.
As potential fall-out continues, I’ll be posting updates both on our website and through our weekly eblast. If you have questions or concerns, give us a call at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.
I’ve been asked many times if any NCAA rules were violated in the college admissions scandal. And If so, what penalties and how severe do I think the NCAA will impose on the universities involved.
I don’t believe that there will be significant sanctions against the university athletic programs as a whole. The students involved aren’t actually college athletes. That designation was used ONLY to get them admitted to their university. As a result, the teams and athletic programs didn’t actually gain any recruiting or competitive advantage over other universities.
Also, because these students aren’t actual athletes, there shouldn’t be any issues of academic misconduct or impermissible benefits – at least as those situations pertain to NCAA rules.
As we know, some coaches and athletic staff members have already been fired as a result of their involvement. An NCAA “ethical conduct” violation occurs if an athletic department employee provides false or misleading information and/or they refuse to cooperate in a continuing investigation.
I understand that these universities may not have exerted sufficient “institutional control” over their staff members perhaps as closely as they should have. However, none of these students actually joined an athletic team. As I see it, the athletic programs didn’t gain any kind of unfair advantage over other schools.
It’s being reported that this might just be the “tip of the iceberg.” As more information comes out and we learn more evidence and details, my opinion might change. If so, I’ll post updated articles on our website and in our weekly newsletter.
In the meantime, our website has more information on NCAA Eligibility Issues and Recruiting Rules, and in our Blog articles. If you have any questions regarding this article, please call our office at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.
Last Fall, NCAA Division I changed their transfer procedures. A DI student-athlete previously had to ask for “permission to transfer” before they were allowed to contact other colleges.
Now, student-athletes can file a written “Intent to Transfer” request. After an “Intent to Transfer” request is submitted, the school is required to enter their name and contact info in the NCAA Transfer Portal within 2 business days. Other DI schools can then review and contact the student-athlete.
Many student-athletes are eager to voice their plans to transfer earlier than they otherwise would have in the past. However, some athletes are experiencing difficulties once they file an intent to transfer notification. In many cases, they are barred from the locker room and can no longer use the athletic facilities.
Most transfers are stressful and made even worse if not navigated properly. If you or your athlete is considering a transfer to another school, we can advise, guide, and support you through the process. Schedule a confidential transfer consult online, by calling us at 913-766-1235 or sending an email to rick@informedathlete.com.
The NJCAA recently changed the medical hardship waiver requirements. The limitation on the maximum number of games or events is now 30% of a student-athlete’s season rather than 20%.
In addition, this rule change can be applied retroactively. This is great news for current and past junior college athletes who may have just exceeded the limit by one or two games!
The Junior College must apply to the NJCAA on the athlete’s behalf. However, the athlete will need to provide appropriate documentation to support the application.
During a confidential consultation, Rick Allen can determine if you have potential to qualify for this medical hardship waiver. If so, we can guide and support you through the process. Call us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com for more information.
