Home Schooled Student-Athletes are an often overlooked entity, yet they continue to produce highly skilled athletes who may possess the ability to compete at major universities in colleges throughout the nation. Athletics Consultants on Education and Sports (A.C.E.S.) provides consulting services to Home Schooled student-athletes in their pursuit of potential athletic scholarship opportunities.
In recent years there has be continual growth in programs and activities for home-schooled athletes. The National Christian Homeschool Athletic Association continues to sponsor national tournaments in the Midwest that features a high level of competition in basketball and other competitive sports. A.C.E.S. is ready to provide the exposure necessary to position homeschool students for potental scholarship opportunities.
Student-Athlete Eligibility
Frequently Asked Questions on Home Schooling
I attended one year of public schooling in grade nine, before I started being home schooled in grades 10-12. Do I do anything different?
YES. You must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Also, you will need to have your grade nine high school submit your grade nine transcript to the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse for review. Additionally, you need to send the clearinghouse a copy of your ACT/SAT test score(s). The clearinghouse will determine the number of core courses and your grade-point average for grade nine and return to you an Initial-Eligibility Final Certification Report. The NCAA institution you attend will need a copy of this report to submit with your initial-eligibility waiver application.
I did not keep good records from my home-schooled years, so I do not have copies of papers I wrote or exams I took. Can I still obtain a waiver?
YES. The process is made easier if you have samples of your home-school course work for grades nine through 12. Do the best that you can to accumulate information that will assist the committee in determining the validity of your home-school work as core courses. The committee will make its best judgment based on the available information.
Is there any way I can get approved as a qualifier myself before I graduate from high school?
NO. High-school graduation is one of the NCAA's initial-eligibility requirements. Therefore, no student-athlete is certified prior to graduation.
Some coaches who are recruiting me are afraid that I won't get approved as a qualifier. What can I do to assure them I am taking all the right courses?
You will want to work with your parents or home-school instructor to ensure that you are indeed taking the required number of core courses in the appropriate subject matters. You may want to consider providing the coach a copy of your home-school transcript and ACT/SAT test score. Ultimately, there is not a way for you as a home-schooled student-athlete to receive a "preliminary" certification of your high-school credentials.
Some of the materials the NCAA asks for, like evidence of outside assessment, I do not have. I did not have any outside assessment during my home schooling. Will this hurt my chances of obtaining a waiver?
NO. The committee recognizes that each home-school experience is unique and would not expect a student-athlete to produce supporting documentation that was not part of your home-school program. You should provide the materials that are applicable to your home-school experience.
What are some of the key elements the NCAA will look at to make my certification decision?
The primary factors that will be considered in determining whether you are a qualifier are: the required number of core courses successfully completed; ACT/SAT test score results; evidence of following state laws governing home schooling; and outside assessment results (if available).
What courses may be used to meet the core-course requirements?
In Division I, generally only courses completed in grades nine through 12 may be considered core courses. Courses taken in summer school after the eighth semester of high school may not be used to meet the core-course requirements. In Division II, a student may use all core courses completed prior to initial, full-time collegiate enrollment to meet the core-curriculum requirements (including a core course completed during summer school after grade 12). A college course taken during high school by a home-schooled student may be used to meet the core-course requirements, provided the course is placed on the home-school transcript, would be accepted for any other student and meets all requirements to be considered a core course. In order for any course to be considered a core course, the course must include individualized, teacher-led instruction. [Note: Courses completed during eighth grade, correspondence courses, internet courses, independent study courses and credits awarded through credit-by-exam may not be used to meet the core-course requirements.]
More Information:
More information is available in the Academic Eligibility Section of the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
September 27, 1999 JGM:sgm
Telephone: (316) 371-4691 or (316) 708-3246
