The following is a Q&A published by the NCAA regarding common questions regarding academic requirements:

How do I know which courses are core courses?

You may view your high school’s list of NCAA-approved core courses at www.ncaaclearinghouse.org. (On the General Information page of that Web site, select List of Approved Core Courses on the left-hand side.) Or, you can ask your high school counselor for the list.

May courses taken in eighth grade satisfy core-course requirements?

Maybe. Courses taken in eighth grade will not satisfy core course requirements unless the course appears on the high school transcript with a grade and a credit and the course appears on the high school’s list of approved core courses.

What is the lowest grade that will be used for a course to count as a core course?

The lowest grade is D.

How is my core-course GPA calculated?

Your core-course GPA is the average of your best grades achieved for all required core courses. If you have taken extra core courses, those courses will be used in your GPA, only if they improve your GPA.

Will courses taken after my senior year meet core-course requirements?

For Division I, maybe. Only courses completed in grades nine through 12 will qualify as core courses for Division I. If you graduate from high school on schedule (in eight semesters) with your incoming ninth grade class, you may use one core course completed in the year after graduation (summer or academic year). You may complete the core course at a location other than the high school from which you graduated and may initially enroll full time at a collegiate institution at any time after completion of the core course.

For Division II, yes. All core courses completed before your full-time enrollment at any college may be used by the eligibility center.

For Division I students with diagnosed disabilities, yes. If you have a properly diagnosed and documented disability, as described on page 13 of the NCAA Guide for College-Bound Student-Athletes (found here), you may use one or more core courses completed after high school but before full-time enrollment in college. See page 13 of the guide for more information.

Are vocational courses acceptable?

No. Traditional vocational courses (e.g., typing, auto mechanics, driver’s education and health) are not acceptable.

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