Student-Athlete Initial Eligibility Requirements
Division I Institutions - Freshman Academic Requirements:
An entering freshman with no previous full-time college attendance must meet the following academic requirements, as certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse, in order to be considered a QUALIFIER and thus be eligible for financial aid, practice and competition during the first academic year in residence.
I. A high school graduate and...
II. A minimum cumulative grade-point average in a successfully completed core curriculum of at least 13 academic courses including the following:
• English -- 4 years
• Mathematics [one year of algebra and one year of geometry (or one year of a higher-level mathematics course for which geometry is a prerequisite)] -- 2 years
• Natural or Physical Science (including at least one laboratory course, if offered)--2 years
• Additional courses 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, computer science, philosophy, or nondoctrinal religion (e.g., comparative religion)]--2 years
III. A required score on the ACT or SAT tests along with an appropriate Core GPA. The Initial-Eligibility Index for qualifiers and partial-qualifiers is available in the academic portion of the NCAA Guide for College Bound Students.
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NCAA Eligibility Regulations
For more information about the various NCAA Eligibility Regulations, visit the NCAA at
http://www.NCAA.org/eligibility/ . Information is available on the following topics:
• Initial Eligibility Facts
• Home Schooling
• Learning Disabilities
• Foriegn Students
• General Information
• SA Reinstatement
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Southern Methodist University - Freshman Academic Requirements:
In addition,
it is important to note that Southern Methodist University may have more stringent admission standards than the guidelines provided by the NCAA. For more information on the specifics of the SMU's Admission Standards, browse the following sites:
First-Year Admission Criteria.
Selection of applicants is based on several criteria: high school curriculum, classroom performance, grade pattern, rank in class (if applicable), SAT I and/or ACT scores, counselor recommendation, essay, and extracurricular activities. Although no specific cutoff is applied to any single measure, a student who has accomplished both a strong academic record and exhibited a variety of academic and personal interests gains the most from the SMU experience. Matriculation to the University is contingent upon completion of the high school diploma. As an independent institution, SMU has no limits on enrollment based solely on geography, and no distinctions in tuition, fees, or other costs based on the home state of the student.