(NCAA) Frequently Asked Questions

NCAA Recruiting (11)

I AM A 16-YEAR-OLD SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS EMAILS TO COLLEGE COACHES – WHY HAVEN’T ANY OF THEM WRITTEN BACK TO ME?

IS THERE A WAY FOR ME TO SPEAK WITH A COLLEGE COACH PRIOR TO JAN. 1 OF MY GRADE 10 YEAR?

CAN A COLLEGE COACH TALK TO MY COACH OR ADVISOR PRIOR TO JAN. 1 OF MY GRADE 10 YEAR?

WHY CAN’T COACHES CALL ME BACK PRIOR TO JAN. 1 OF MY 10TH GRADE YEAR?

HOW DO I GET NOTICED BY COLLEGE HOCKEY COACHES?

WHERE SHOULD I PLAY TO PREPARE TO PLAY COLLEGE HOCKEY?

CAN I GO STRAIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND PLAY COLLEGE HOCKEY?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OFFICIAL COLLEGE VISIT AND UNOFFICIAL VISIT?

WHAT KIND OF GRADES DO I NEED TO PLAY COLLEGE HOCKEY?

WHAT’S THE 21-YEAR-OLD RULE?

CAN I TRY OUT FOR AN NCAA TEAM EVEN IF I WASN’T RECRUITED?

Major Junior, Amateurism and NCAA Eligibility (7)

I WAS RECENTLY DRAFTED BY A TEAM FROM THE CHL (WHICH INCLUDES THE OHL, WHL, AND QMJHL) AND THEY WANT ME TO SIGN A CONTRACT IMMEDIATELY. IS IT OKAY FOR ME TO SIGN A CONTRACT EVEN THOUGH I WON’T PLAY FOR THEM THIS YEAR?

I HAVE BEEN INVITED BY A CHL TEAM TO THEIR ROOKIE/TRAINING CAMP AND THEY HAVE OFFERED TO PAY FOR ALL MY EXPENSES, WILL THIS AFFECT MY ELIGIBILITY?

CAN I STAY AT A CHL ROOKIE/TRAINING CAMP LONGER THAN 48 HOURS?

I ATTENDED ROOKIE CAMP FOR A PARTICULAR CHL TEAM AND NOW THAT SAME TEAM HAS ASKED ME TO ATTEND THEIR MAIN CAMP AS WELL – WILL THIS AFFECT MY NCAA ELIGIBILITY?

I AM GOING TO A CHL CAMP AND WE ARE SCRIMMAGING ANOTHER TEAM – CAN I PLAY IN THE SCRIMMAGE?

I WAS DRAFTED IN THE IN CHL AND RECEIVED A JERSEY, HAT, AND T-SHIRT IN THE MAIL – AM I ALLOWED TO KEEP THESE ITEMS?

I PLAYED FOR (OR SIGNED WITH) AN OHL, QMJHL OR WHL TEAM. WHAT CAN I DO TO REGAIN NCAA ELIGIBILITY?

Family Advisors (1)

HOW DO I HIRE A FAMILY ADVISOR? AND WHO SHOULD I HIRE?

NHL (2)

CAN I ATTEND A TESTING SESSION WITH AN NHL TEAM AND RETAIN MY COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY?

CAN I ATTEND AN NHL TEAM’S SUMMER DEVELOPMENT CAMP?

Athletic Scholarships (8)

WHAT ARE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS?

WHAT IS A “NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT”?

WHAT IS A VERBAL COMMITMENT?

WHAT IS COVERED BY AN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP?

ARE SCHOLARSHIPS GUARANTEED FOR FOUR YEARS?

CAN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS BE CANCELLED IF I PLAY BADLY OR THE COACH DOESN’T LIKE ME?

WHO DECIDES IF I GET AN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP?

DOES EVERY STUDENT-ATHLETE RECEIVE A 100% OR “FULL” SCHOLARSHIP?

Financial Aid (3)

WHAT IS FINANCIAL AID?

WHAT IS COVERED BY FINANCIAL AID?

HOW DO UNIVERSITIES DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL AID GRANTED?

NCAA Eligibility Center (7)

WHAT IS THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER (OR CLEARINGHOUSE)?

WHEN SHOULD A STUDENT REGISTER WITH THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER?

SHOULD I VISIT THE ELIGIBILITY CENTER PRIOR TO GRADE 11?

WHAT IS THE FEE TO REGISTER?

IS THIS FEE REFUNDABLE?

HOW ARE STUDENTS PRIORITIZED FOR PROCESSING ATTHE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER?

IS THERE ANY WANT TO REACH SOMEONE AT THE ELIGIBILITY CENTER TO HELP WITH ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?

Academic Eligibility (19)

WHAT REQUIREMENTS DO I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE, PLAY AND GET A SCHOLARSHIP AT AN NCAA DIVISION I OR II COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY?

HOW DO I KNOW IF THE COURSES I AM TAKING WILL COUNT AS CORE COURSES?

WHAT DO I DO IF A CORE COURSE I TOOK IS NOT ON THE LIST?

WHAT IS THE LOWEST GRADE THAT WILL BE USED FOR A COURSE TO COUNT AS A CORE COURSE?

WILL CREDIT-BY-EXAM COURSES MEET CORE-COURSE REQUIREMENTS?

ARE VOCATIONAL COURSES ACCEPTABLE?

DO PASS/FAIL GRADES COUNT?

MAY COURSES TAKEN IN THE EIGHTH GRADE THAT ARE HIGH SCHOOL CORE COURSES (E.G., ALGEBRA I, SPANISH 1, FRESHMAN COMPOSITION) BE USED TO MEET THE CORE-COURSE REQUIREMENT?

MAY INDEPENDENT-STUDY, INTERNET AND CORRESPONDENCE COURSES COUNT AS CORE COURSES?

MAY COLLEGE COURSES COUNT AS CORE COURSES?

HOW ARE COURSES TAKEN OVER TWO YEARS COUNTED?

MAY MY STUDY IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY HELP ME MEET CORE-COURSE REQUIREMENTS?

HOW IS MY CORE-COURSE GPA CALCULATED?

CAN WEIGHTED GRADES FOR HONORS OR ADVANCED-PLACEMENT COURSES BE FACTORED INTO THE CALCULATION OF THE STUDENT’S CORE GPA?

HOW IS THE NCAA CORE GPA DIFFERENT FROM A STUDENT’S OVERALL GPA?

WILL COURSES TAKEN AFTER MY SENIOR YEAR MEET CORE-COURSE REQUIREMENTS?

IF I ENROLL IN UNIVERSITY COURSES WHILE PLAYING JUNIOR HOCKEY, WOULD THAT IMPACT MY NCAA ELIGIBILITY?

I NEED TO TAKE THE SATS. WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM?

MAY A NONSTANDARD ACT/SAT EXAM BE USED FOR INITIAL ELIGIBILITY?

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