NCAA Eligibility Center and Institutional Request List (IRL)

I don't think that is the case.   What they seem to be telling you is the certification process really doesn't start until there is a NCAA school looking for certification for a player.

I don't remember this when my son went through the process.  My son played JuCO (NJCAA) for two years so the NCAA certification was not required.  When he did get an offer from a NCAA D2 university, it was then the coach told us to start the process and we had to forward his id# to him.

FoxDad is correct.  The Eligibility Center sends out their task list items for recruits to submit transcripts and test scores, but won't actually "pull the file" and review it until a recruit's name is submitted by a university on their IRL.

@FoxDad posted:

When he did get an offer from a NCAA D2 university, it was then the coach told us to start the process and we had to forward his id# to him.

Related, when does a school ask for the ID? When they make the verbal offer or when they send the NLI? It would seem to make sense that they ask for it before the NLI. But, when? Summer after junior year?

I think sons coach asked for it early on, when we started the process (he committed the summer between So and Jr year of HS).  Maybe Rick will pipe back in, but I think we had to update the Eligibility Center with grades/classes/transcripts several times....possibly when we started the process and again after all classes and grades were completed.

Every coach is probably different in when they ask, however.

The advise given to us was to get the eligibility process started early, so you have the info you need.

Thanks. You had to update the grades, etc.? I thought that the coach requested it and then the school guidance counselor updated it? (As you can see, I'm clueless on the process.) My son got his verbal offer the COVID summer after sophomore year. He verbally accepted the fall of his junior year. I know that the coach has seen his transcript but I think that's about it. (Are we behind on all this?)

@Francis7 posted:

Related, when does a school ask for the ID? When they make the verbal offer or when they send the NLI? It would seem to make sense that they ask for it before the NLI. But, when? Summer after junior year?

In my son's case it was when the coach made the verbal offer.   Foxson had just finished his sophomore year at a JuCo.   We met with the coach the week after son arrived home from JuCo.   Within a few days after meeting with the coach (this was in late May) he made the verbal offer and at that time requested the ID#.  Things moved rather fast after that.   It didn't take long to get an ID#, but it took me another two weeks or so to get everything squared away with the NCAA certification center (transcipts, etc).

My standard recommendation is that a recruit should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center during or shortly after their junior year of HS.  There are a couple of reasons for this. 

1. If the recruit is a strong academic student and has been taking a lot of college prep courses (which are basically what the NCAA defines as a "core course"), it's possible to receive Early Academic Certification before they even start their senior year. 

2. The Eligibility Center will not only send out task lists to the recruit, but will send out NCAA educational information as well.  Some examples are information about NCAA-banned drugs and rules regarding gambling.  I expect that will also include information regarding the proposed rules that will allow athletes to be compensated for their Name, Image, and Likeness when it is approved.  That legislation will be voted on this month and will take effect on August 1 of this year. 

Also, even if a recruit is planning to start off at the junior college level, I still recommend that they register with the Eligibility Center when they're in HS.  Even though their file won't be pulled and reviewed until they are being recruited by an NCAA program (as I shared earlier in this thread back in 2018), they will still be sent the educational info that I mentioned above. 

Another reason I believe it's important to register while in HS even if a recruit is planning to start college at the JUCO level, is because a recruit needs to know whether or not they are a Qualifier based on their HS academic record.  Their status as a Qualifier, Partial Qualifier, or Non-Qualifier will impact what they must achieve academically while attending the JUCO in order to be eligible when they move on to an NCAA program. 

@FoxDad posted:

In my son's case it was when the coach made the verbal offer.   Foxson had just finished his sophomore year at a JuCo.   We met with the coach the week after son arrived home from JuCo.   Within a few days after meeting with the coach (this was in late May) he made the verbal offer and at that time requested the ID#.  Things moved rather fast after that.   It didn't take long to get an ID#, but it took me another two weeks or so to get everything squared away with the NCAA certification center (transcipts, etc).

Thanks. He registered a while ago. Maybe like 12 months ago? And, he has an ID. No idea if he shared it with the coach at any time? I will have to ask him. He does all the communication with the coach.

@Rick at Informed Athlete posted:

My standard recommendation is that a recruit should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center during or shortly after their junior year of HS.  There are a couple of reasons for this.

1. If the recruit is a strong academic student and has been taking a lot of college prep courses (which are basically what the NCAA defines as a "core course"), it's possible to receive Early Academic Certification before they even start their senior year.

2. The Eligibility Center will not only send out task lists to the recruit, but will send out NCAA educational information as well.  Some examples are information about NCAA-banned drugs and rules regarding gambling.  I expect that will also include information regarding the proposed rules that will allow athletes to be compensated for their Name, Image, and Likeness when it is approved.  That legislation will be voted on this month and will take effect on August 1 of this year.

Also, even if a recruit is planning to start off at the junior college level, I still recommend that they register with the Eligibility Center when they're in HS.  Even though their file won't be pulled and reviewed until they are being recruited by an NCAA program (as I shared earlier in this thread back in 2018), they will still be sent the educational info that I mentioned above.

Another reason I believe it's important to register while in HS even if a recruit is planning to start college at the JUCO level, is because a recruit needs to know whether or not they are a Qualifier based on their HS academic record.  Their status as a Qualifier, Partial Qualifier, or Non-Qualifier will impact what they must achieve academically while attending the JUCO in order to be eligible when they move on to an NCAA program.

Thanks. But, once they are registered, and have a verbal offer that they accepted, what are the next steps with respect to the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Your son should have his HS counselor submit his transcript to the Eligibility Center.  He should also then have an updated transcript submitted after he finishes this academic year. 

@Francis7 posted:

Thanks. But, once they are registered, and have a verbal offer that they accepted, what are the next steps with respect to the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Whatever tasks the NCAA Eligibility Center indicates haven't been completed.   If you haven't already submitted your sons transcripts, do so.   Just have to make sure his complete transcripts are submitted soon after he graduates.

We were just told to do it prior to signing the NLI.  Son had sent transcripts to coaches as they requested them, and we had started the NCAA process. He wasn't asked for it specifically, until the official visit about a month before signing, where all the recruits attended and were told.  Son committed summer after sophomore year.

@baseballhs posted:

We were just told to do it prior to signing the NLI.  Son had sent transcripts to coaches as they requested them, and we had started the NCAA process. He wasn't asked for it specifically, until the official visit about a month before signing, where all the recruits attended and were told.  Son committed summer after sophomore year.

Thanks!!

@Rick at Informed Athlete posted:

Your son should have his HS counselor submit his transcript to the Eligibility Center.  He should also then have an updated transcript submitted after he finishes this academic year.

Thanks!!

You cannot request final eligibility until April 1st of senior year. Transcripts sent prior to then will only get you preliminary eligibility.

@keewart posted:

I think sons coach asked for it early on, when we started the process (he committed the summer between So and Jr year of HS).  Maybe Rick will pipe back in, but I think we had to update the Eligibility Center with grades/classes/transcripts several times....possibly when we started the process and again after all classes and grades were completed.

Every coach is probably different in when they ask, however.

The advise given to us was to get the eligibility process started early, so you have the info you need.

If I remember correctly your son attended a high academic mid major D1. Do you believe the nature of academics at the school had them more on top of updating grades than other schools?

@ABSORBER posted:

You cannot request final eligibility until April 1st of senior year. Transcripts sent prior to then will only get you preliminary eligibility.

The April 1st date of senior year only applies to a recruit's Amateurism status.  As I mentioned in my earlier post, it's possible to have Academic status certified after the junior year for high academic achievers who have taken lots of college prep courses in the first 3 years of HS. 

Submitting transcripts early will net you an "Early Academic Qualifier" status but you cannot request final certification until April 1st of senior year. And even after you request final certification, it will not be granted until you receive (and submit to the eligibility center) your final transcript from HS. Which, for most students, is at least a month or two after April 1st. And even then it seems to take a while!

Here's an example:

@Rick at Informed Athlete posted:

The April 1st date of senior year only applies to a recruit's Amateurism status.  As I mentioned in my earlier post, it's possible to have Academic status certified after the junior year for high academic achievers who have taken lots of college prep courses in the first 3 years of HS.

While "Early Academic Qualifier" may give coaches and schools warm fuzzies, a final transcript is still required to receive the final certification. I'm sure this is needed to establish GPA/minimum test score eligibility and requirements.