NCAA

[Kate in FL]

Sue in St. Pete asked me to give more information on my dealings with the NCAA.

First, when I read the requirements on their website, I was initially very intimidated. I didn't want anyone scrutinizing our work. But, the kids want to participate in sports, so I had to do it. I posted some questions on College Confidential's hs board where there are many experienced parents who assured me the NCAA was not out to stop high achieving kids from participating in sports. I think the main thing is make sure you meet the requirements and put things in their terms, ie, English 9.

During the summer, the NCAA changed its website and information was no longer available online, and I had to call them to make sure they had received the paperwork needed to get my rising senior cleared so he could go on trips this fall. I was on hold for a LONG time, but when I finally got through, they put me through to someone who worked with the hsers files. She was able to quickly put her hands on our file and assure me everything was there and in order and he was set to go on trips. She went and checked with someone else because she said she did not want to give me "bad information". It was not until I hung up that I realized I had not gotten her name. Oops.

My plan is to have him all done with coursework we designed at home by early to mid-spring so if the NCAA has questions or issues we have plenty of time to clear it up. Since FLVS classes are NCAA approved, he can finish the year with those classes.

I want to encourage you all to make the effort if your children are interested in sports. My son will not get athletic scholarship money, but his sport has opened up many opportunities to him. He has gone on 2 fully paid trips, one to a top LAC and one to an Ivy. He will likely go on the 5 trips allowed by the NCAA and is having a blast traveling and meeting people.

Kate

[Sue in St Pete]

Thanks, Kate. :o

Did you keep a separate transcript solely for NCAA (using English 9, ...) or do you use the same one for college applications?

Although I mainly plan on using textbooks and/or outsourced classes and/or community college, there may be a few courses that will not have a textbook. Our current history program (outsourced) does not use a textbook. I am *terrified* that they won't like that. Did you have any problems with your mom-designed without textbook courses? Were all your (16) "core" courses through FLVS?

Finally, I am looking for ideas for sports related electives, ex. sports medicine, sports nutrition, athletic training. Did your athlete do anything like that?

Thanks again! Looks like I am going to have to figure out college confidential eventually. Right now, I'm overwhelmed with the 2 hs2coll yahoo groups. :tongue_smilie:

[Kate in FL]

I am using the same, very simple transcript for everyone. I decided I would rather supplement the transcript with book lists, course descriptions, etc. for those who wanted them. My son has not officially applied anywhere yet, just pre-reads before official visits.

If you are worried, I would call the NCAA and talk to them about specific courses. Most of his core courses are mom designed. I did do science through FLVS as the NCAA approves those as lab sciences. We do not get final approval until he graduates but I am not anticipating any problems. If they have questions, I will answer them, but I know the work we have done is at least as rigorous as the local high school. ;)

The only sports related elective we have done is sports nutrition. We originally were working with NARS and half a health credit was required. When it became apparent that kids could possibly go DI, we left NARS due to the expense.

[Sue in St Pete]

Thanks, Kate. I appreciate the details.

[DianeJM]

We had to do the NCAA Clearinghouse for our son who is now running track and xc for a D2 school. I found it to be a LOT of work! Lots of info wanted from home schoolers, too much, I thought, but we did it anyway, b/c we had to. They wanted a list of every course, title and publisher of textbook, grade, and I forget what else, and if he had an outside course they asked for something from the teacher (we didn't have that situation, thankfully). But we had absolutely no problems with them at all. I did most of it online, but the homeschool paperwork was actual paper that had to be sent in. Any time I called with a question we got a person to talk to to help us out. Our son was approved quickly after they got all the info; we just checked his status online and saw the approval there. His coach at the college was also keeping an eye on the status progress (our son did get a scholarship, and the coach wanted to make sure there were no glitches so that ds could run when he arrived on campus in August -- I guess athletes are not even allowed to train until they are approved/cleared). The whole thing is a rather complicated way of assuring that an athlete is truly an amateur. That would be most important, I guess, in the big D1 schools.