Back to School

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

September is back to school month here in MD. The start of a new academic year is a chance for each student to recommit himself in the classroom. It is also a chance to set some academic goals and strive for strong performance.

As parents, it is a really good time to sit down and develop an academic game-plan with your son. List your child’s classes on a piece of paper and have him write down the grade he thinks he can get if he gives it a 100% effort. At the end of the semester/marking period, pull out the goals and see how he performed. Try to hold him to this high standard of excellence he has set for himself.

Here are a few key points to consider as you are building an academic game-plan and considering NCAA eligibility rules:

1. Core Courses – NCAA Division I requires 16 core courses as of Aug 1, 2008. NCAA Division II requires 14 core courses as of Aug 1, 2008. Division II will require 16 core courses as of Aug 1, 2013.

For Division I you will need 4 years of English, 3 years of math (Algebra I or higher), 2 years of natural science/physical science (one must be a lab science), 1 year of additional English, Math, or Science, 2 years of social studies, 4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

For Division II you will need 3 years of English, 2 years of math (Algebra I or higher), 2 years of natural science/physical science (one must be a lab science), 2 year of additional English, Math, or Science, 2 years of social studies, 3 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

Please note that electives do not count towards your NCAA GPA eligibility!

2. Test Scores:

Division I has a sliding scale for test score and grade-point average. The higher the SAT/ACT score, the lower the GPA can be.

Division II has a minimum SAT score requirement of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

The SAT score used for NCAA purposes includes only the critical reading and math sections. The writing section of the SAT is not used.

The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is a sum of the four sections on the ACT: English, mathematics, reading and science.

All SAT and ACT scores must be reported directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center by the testing agency. Test scores that appear on transcripts will not be used. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the Eligibility Center code of 9999 to make sure the score is reported to the Eligibility Center.

3. Grade-Point Average:
As stated above, only core courses are used in the calculation of the grade-point average.

Be sure to look at your high school’s list of NCAA-approved core courses on the Eligibility Center's Web site to make certain that courses being taken have been approved as core courses. The Web site is http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/.

Division I grade-point-average requirements start as low as 2.0 but require SAT scores as high as 1010 (Math/Critical Reading).

The Division II grade-point-average requirement is a minimum of 2.000.

For more info on these topics, visit http://www.ncaa.org/

Good luck to all the students starting a fresh academic year. Remember, college coaches are recruiting Students First and Athletes Second. It is never too late for students to commit themselves in the classroom!

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.