Initial Eligibility Guidelines

UTK - NCAA

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.  OVERVIEW Page 2

2. UNIVERSITY ADMISSION STANDARDS Page 3

3. NCAA INITIAL ELIGIBILITY AND

QUALIFICATION STATUS DEFINED Page 5

4. NCAA CORE-CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS Page 7

5. NCAA TEST SCORE REQUIREMENTS Page 12

6. NCAA NONQUALIFIER ...... Page 15

7. SEC INITIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Page 16

8. STUDENTS WITH EDUCATION-IMPACTING DISABILITIES Page 23

9. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Page 24

10. PROCEDURES FOR INITIAL

ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION Page 31

11. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION FLOW CHART…………..Page 40

Comments and questions can be directed to Dr. Earl Schliesman

(865) 974-9351

1. OVERVIEW

Prospective student-athletes who wish to participate in intercollegiate athletics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville must meet admission criteria as determined by the University. Additionally, prospective student-athletes must meet initial eligibility standards established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the South Eastern Conference. The Admissions office and the Office of the University Registrar participate in the procedures outlined in this document. The Director of Admissions determines the admissibility of each prospective student-athlete while the University Registrar has the final authority to certify that initial eligibility requirements have been met. In the absence of the Director of Admissions and/or the University Registrar, a designee may sign.

Any initial eligibility problems discovered during the certification process should be reported immediately to the Director of the Thornton Center.

The areas of consideration for initial eligibility certification have been separated into nine major sections which correspond to University of Tennessee, NCAA and SEC regulations. The areas of consideration include:

A. University Admission Standards

B. NCAA Initial Eligibility and Qualification Status Defined

C. NCAA Core-Curriculum Requirements

D. NCAA Test Score Requirements

E. NCAA Non-qualifier

F. SEC Initial Eligibility Requirements

G. Students with Education-Impacting Disabilities

H. Initial Eligibility for International Students

I. Procedures for Initial Eligibility Certification

J. Initial Eligibility Certification Flow Chart

2. UNIVERSITY ADMISSION STANDARDS

Admission Criteria.

Freshmen admission decisions are based on the following elements:

1.  Completion of core academic subjects comprising the 14 units required for college admission:

English / 4 units
Algebra / 2 units
Geometry, trigonometry, advanced math, or calculus / 1 unit
Natural science, including at least 1 unit of biology, chemistry, or physics / 2 units
American history / 1 unit
European history, world history, or world geography / 1 unit
A single foreign language / 2 units
Visual or performing arts / 1 unit

New Requirements Effective for Students Entering Fall 2011

English / 4 units
Algebra / 2 units
Geometry, trigonometry, advanced math, or calculus / 2 unit
Natural science, including at least 1 unit of biology, chemistry, or physics / 3 units
American history / 1 unit
European history, world history, or world geography / 2 unit
A single foreign language / 2 units
Visual or performing arts / 1 unit

2.  GPA in these core academic subjects, weighted by UT to reflect honors and dual-enrollment courses (0.5 quality points added), and Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses (1.0 quality points added). UT will use un-weighted high school course grades as the basis for the core GPA calculation.

3.  Standardized test scores, either ACT or SAT. UT uses “super scoring” and combines the highest sub-scores from all test dates/scores on file for a new composite “super score.”

An example of “super scoring:”

Your 1st ACT / Your 2nd ACT / Your Best Scores / Your “Super Score”
English / 20 / 23 / 23 / 23
Math / 21 / 22 / 22 / 22
Reading / 24 / 21 / 24 / 24
Science / 23 / 26 / 26 / 26
Composite / 22 / 23 / 24 / 24

4.  Other relevant factors, including but not limited to the student’s optional personal statement on the application, extracurricular or leadership activities, special talents or skills, rigor of the applicant’s curriculum, and difficulty of senior-year coursework.

Admission Decisions. Admissions decisions are made holistically, taking into consideration each of the above listed factors as well as many others. There is no threshold criteria which automatically places a prospective student into the admit or deny category, nor is there any criteria which differentiates in-state from out-of-state prospects.

Admissions Documentation. Admissions documentation, i.e., application, application fee, official high school transcript(s), official test scores, and student scholarship status may be submitted either directly to the Office of Admissions or to the Athletic Academic Counselor in the Thornton Center. Official high school transcripts that are sent to the Academic Counselor must be delivered, unopened, to the admissions office.

Entering Term Spring 2010 Summer 2010 Fall 2010

Application Submitted November 1, 2009 April 1, 2010 June 1, 2010

All documents received November 1, 2009 December 1, 2009 December 1, 2009

3. NCAA INITIAL ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION STATUS DEFINED

Regulation

Eligibility for Financial Aid, Practice and Competition. A student-athlete who enrolls in a member institution as an entering freshman with no previous full-time college attendance shall meet the following academic requirements, as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center, as approved by the Executive Committee, and any applicable institutional and conference regulations, to be considered a qualifier and thus be eligible for financial aid, practice and competition during the first academic year in residence. 14.3.1

Application of Initial Eligibility and Qualification Status

Participation Prior to Certification 14.3.5.1

Recruited Student-Athlete. If a recruited student-athlete reports for athletics participation before his or her qualification status has been certified, the student may practice, but not compete, during a 14-day period, provided the student meets all other requirements to be eligible to practice. An institution shall not provide athletically related financial aid to the student during this period. After the 14-day period, the student shall have established minimum requirements as a qualifier (as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center) to continue practicing or to compete and receive athletically related financial aid. 14.3.5.1.1

Nonrecruited Student-Athlete. If a non-recruited student-athlete reports for athletics participation before his or her qualification status has been certified, the student may practice, but not compete, during a 45-day period, provided the student meets all other requirements to be eligible to practice. An institution shall not provide athletically related financial aid to the student during this period. After the 45-day period, the student shall have established minimum requirements as a qualifier (as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center) to continue practicing or to compete and receive athletically related financial aid. 14.3.5.1.2

Exception-Women’s Rowing. A non-recruited student in women’s rowing may practice, but not compete, during the nonchampionship season in that sport. Thereafter, the student shall have established minimum-eligibility requirements as a qualifier (as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center) to continue practicing or compete. 14.3.5.1.2.1

Validity of Academic Credentials. As a condition and obligation of membership, it is the responsibility of a member institution to determine the validity of the information on which the eligibility of a student-athlete is based. Therefore, it is the responsibility of a member institution to determine whether a transcript is valid for purposes of applying appropriate NCAA legislation to the eligibility of a student-athlete when the institution receives notification, or otherwise has cause to believe, that a student-athlete’s high-school, preparatory school or two-year college transcript is not valid. 14.1.2

Advanced Placement. If the student-athlete is admitted with a minimum of 24 semester hours or a minimum of 36 quarter hours of advanced placement from a College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) examination (or from a similar proficiency examination) and/or concurrent high-school/college credit without previous enrollment at a collegiate institution, the student-athlete shall be immediately eligible. Credits earned from extension or summer-session courses may not be counted in satisfaction of this requirement. 14.3.5.4

Verifying Qualification Status. The NCAA Compliance Specialists obtain verification of the student’s qualifier status via the Eligibility Center website. In cases where turn-around time is limited, and in lieu of Eligibility Center website verification, the Eligibility Center Hot Line is consulted. Upon verification of the qualifier status, the NCAA Compliance Specialists make the appropriate status code adjustments on the squad list.

Early Admissions Program Waiver. A waiver may be granted by the Academics Cabinet for a student who left high school after completion of the junior year or during the senior year to enter a member institution under an early admissions program (open to students solely on the basis of outstanding academic performance and promise), provided the following conditions are met:

For the last four semesters completed in high school, the student maintained a cumulative, minimum grade point average of 3.500 (based on a maximum of 4.000) and ranked in the top 20 percent of the student's class;

The student has not met the requirements for graduation from high school; and

Any remaining deficiency must be in the corecourse area of English (i.e., the student is lacking only the fourth year of English). 14.3.1.4

Qualifier. A qualifier is defined as one who is a high school graduate and who presented the following academic qualifications (see 14.3.1.1):

A minimum cumulative grade-point average as specified by Bylaw 14.3.1.1.2 (based on a maximum 4.00) in a successfully completed core curriculum of at least 16 academic courses per Bylaw 14.3.1.2.

A minimum combined score on the SAT critical reading and math sections or a minimum sum score on the ACT as specified in Bylaw 14.3.1.1.2. The required SAT or ACT score must be achieved under national testing conditions on a national testing date [no residual (campus) testing or regional testing dates] except that a state administered ACT may be used to meet the test-score requirement. 14.3.1.1

Nonqualifier. A nonqualifier is a student who has not graduated from high school or who, at the time specified in the regulation (see 14.3), did not present the core curriculum grade point average and/or SAT/ACT score required for a qualifier. 14.3.2.1

4. NCAA CORE-CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

Regulation

A qualifier is defined as one who is a high-school graduate and who presented the following academic qualifications:

(a) A minimum cumulative grade-point average as specified by Bylaw 14.3.1.1.2 (based on a maximum 4.00) in a successfully completed core curriculum of at least 16 academic courses per Bylaw 14.3.1.2, including the following:

English / ---- / 4 years
Mathematics / Mathematics courses at the level of Algebra I or higher / 3 years
Natural or physical science / Including at least one laboratory course, if offered by the high school. Computer science courses containing significant programming elements that meet graduation requirements in the area of natural or physical science also may be accepted. / 2 years
Additional course / In English, mathematics, or natural or physical science / 1 year
Social science / ---- / 2 years
Additional academic courses / In any of the above areas or foreign language, philosophy or non-doctrinal religion(e.g., comparative religion) courses / 4 years

14.3.1.1

Application of Core-Curriculum Requirements

Certification of Core-Curriculum. The record of the above courses and course grades must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center using either an official high school transcript forwarded directly from the high school or a high school transcript forwarded by an institution’s admissions office. 14.3.1.1(a)

Core-Curriculum Requirements. For purposes of meeting the core-curriculum requirement to establish eligibility at a member institution, a “core course” must meet all of the following criteria:

A course must be a recognized academic course and qualify for high school graduation credit in one or a combination of the following areas: English, mathematics, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language or non-doctrinal religion/philosophy;

A course must be considered college preparatory by the high school. College preparatory is defined for these purposes as any course that prepares a student academically to enter a four-year collegiate institution upon graduation from high school;

A mathematics course must be at the level of Algebra I or a higher level mathematics course;

A course must be taught by a qualified instructor as defined by the appropriate academic authority (e.g., high school, school district or state agency with authority of such matters); and

A course must be taught at or above the high school’s regular academic level (i.e., remedial, special education or compensatory courses shall not be considered core courses). However, the prohibition against the use of remedial or compensatory courses is not applicable to courses designed for students with education-impacting disabilities (see Bylaw 14.3.1.2.1.2). 14.3.1.2

CoreCurriculum Time Limitation. A prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of the prospective student-athlete’s class [as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade) or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility]. Graduation from high school or secondary school shall be based on the prospective student-athlete’s prescribed educational path in his or her country. 14.3.1.2.1

Courses after Graduation--Students with Education-Impacting Disabilities. The Eligibility Center, pursuant to policies and procedures prescribed by the Academics Cabinet, may approve the use of all core courses completed by a student diagnosed with an education-impacting disability prior to initial full-time enrollment at a collegiate institution. 14.3.1.2.1.2

Courses after Graduation--Students with Education-Impacting Disabilities Effective August 1, 2010

If a prospective student-athlete with a diagnosed education-impacting disability graduates from high school within the core-curriculum time limitation, he or she may use up to three core courses completed after high school graduation to satisfy the core-curriculum or minimum grade-point average requirements or both. The prospective student-athlete may complete the core courses at a location other than the high school from which he or she graduated and may initially enroll full time at a collegiate institution at anytime after completion of the core courses. A prospective student-athlete may not use a core course completed after graduation if he or she receives institutional financial aid while enrolled in a course during the summer after the high school graduation date of his or her class (see Bylaw 15.2.8.1.4).14.3.1.2.1.2

Nontraditional Courses. Courses taught via the Internet, distance learning, independent study, individualized instruction, correspondence, and courses taught by similar means may be used to satisfy NCAA core-course requirements if all of the following conditions are satisfied: