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Universities range from those cpoaat the top like Harvard, Stanford and M.I.T., to open-enrolment junior colleges that will accept students with no qualifications.

Choosing a course is very different in the States. You do not get accepted to study a particular course. Once accepted you can study any subject that the college offers. The courses contain core elements (a foundation year, a major field and a subsidiary field). There is considerable flexibility and it is possible to change subjects and even universities without having to start again.

cpoaAmerican degree courses take 4 years but this can be shortened with A levels, highers or certain BTEC National or Higher national diplomas.

Minimum British Qualifications for the Three Sports Governing Bodies

For the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA):

The NCAA requires all British students to obtain a MINIMUM of five academic GCSE's or or Standard Grade passes with an overall average of ‘D’. These must include English, maths, any science and any social studies such as history, geography, modern studies, sociology or psychology. Foreign languages, philosophy and non-doctrinal RE will be accepted as one of the five so long as the other four core areas are achieved. Subjects such as PE, media studies, ICT, D&T, music and art will not satisfy core requirements. However, in limited cases, a student who lacks a core subject MAY be able to use passing work in Year 9 to satisfy core. A minimum of two AS levels (or Highers or an International Baccalaureate) in any subjects, followed by two A2’s, will be required to extend a student’s graduation date.

In 2009, the NCAA decided that the BTEC National Diploma or the NVQ would NOT extend a student’s graduation date, but because of huge pressure from colleges, parents and placement services such as CPOA, the NCAA has reversed its policy with immediate effect, and the BTEC or the NVQ will now be accepted as proof of continuing education.

AASE qualifications will NOT satisfy this requirement. Students will now be allowed to take/retake one core subject in the academic year immediately AFTER year 13, so long as they take this subject during their allowed gap year (probably won’t work for tennis players who only get one gap semester – see below).

Home schooling and/or distance learning is acceptable so long as the students take their exams and achieve minimum passing grades. Students who get ‘U’s’ will have their graduation backdated to their last year with passing grades..

From August 2011, all students will be allowed one gap year to play their sport competitively before enrolling at university (tennis players will only be allowed one gap semester). For Division I colleges (but not Division II), students with a minimum of 5 GCSE’s will be allowed to take their gap year between GCSE’s and AS levels, so long as they enroll in the autumn after completing A2’s. Div. III schools do not have age limits and may offer academic or other financial aid (but not sports scholarships) and are allowed to set their own requirements.

For the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA):

An average "C" overall in GCSE/Standard Grade subjects, or an alternative qualification such as BTEC or GNVQ, if the student can show that he/she was in the top half of his/her class.

NAIA colleges will not be affected by these rules. However, they have instituted their own NAIA Eligibility Center (they say that they will be using NCAA academic guidelines as above) AND there may be some eligibility issues for gap year students who play for teams or in tournaments where wages/prize monies are paid.

For the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA):

Youngsters who do not qualify for either of the above, but who play their sport at a high level, can sometimes get on the higher education ladder by starting at a junior (or community) college and then transferring to a four year college for the final two years of the degree course.

The NJCAA has brought in a rule (effective in August 2012) which will limit the number of foreign players on any squad to 25% of the total roster, eg., 2 for tennis and golf, 4 for soccer, 5 for athletics, etc. At the moment, only 25% can be on scholarship but there is NO limit on the number of students who can pay their own way and be on the squad (JC’s are usually very inexpensive). They have also brought in a rule which limits the number of money tournaments that a tennis player can enter to 10 (main draws only, but singles and doubles each count as separate events).

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

All NCAA Div. I and II colleges, most NAIA colleges and most NCAA Div. III and NJCAA colleges require this test. The test includes a written essay and alternating sections of English and mathematics, mostly multiple choice at GCSE level. Information about this test is available at www.collegeboard.com.

There are 2400 possible points, but the only two sections that count for NCAA eligibility are mathematics and critical reading (1600 total). The test is offered six times a year between October and June at designated centres in Britain and most other countries.

American College Test (ACT)

The ACT is also an acceptable entrance exam and is becoming more readily available in the UK. This test is all multiple choice and tests English, Mathematics and Science. Information about this test is available at www.atstudent.org.

There is a sliding scale for Div I eligibility for students who satisfy core requirements:

Core
SAT
ACT
B+(3.55)
400 37
B (3.0)
620 52
C+(2.5)
820 68
C (2.0)
1010 86

(Note: there are actually 59 DIFFERENT scores between 400 and 1010 at .025 intervals, so contact CPOA for more information). A minimum score of 820 is required to compete at Division II level.

If you are interested in a sports scholarship there are three things you need to think about:

  1. What kind of University are you looking for?
  2. The Minimum British Qualifications for the Three Sports Governing Bodies
  3. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

cpoa

CPOA (UK) is a branch of College Prospects of America, Inc., the world’s biggest and most successful sports scholarship placement service. Their expertise has helped thousands of students from all over the world to make the right choices - academically, athletically and financially - to enable them to get good degrees and to reach their full sporting potential.

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