<p>Hi everybody,</p>
<p>I'm an intl. prosper looking to play soccer in the D1.</p>
<p>Now as you know, the NCAA has a minimum GPA & SAT-score requirement and I'm quite nervous because they want so much things that I maybe do not have that's why I've sent my transcript to an evaluation service and I'm still waiting for the answer.</p>
<p>So if I don't meet any the minimum requirement as incoming freshman and they declare me as ineligible or something like that, will I still get any athl. scholarship?</p>
<p>Will I be "Red shirted"?</p>
<p>And if academically ineligible my FR year, could I play the next season?</p>
<p>Thank you for your answers in advance</p>
<p>I would expect you cannot get into a college at all unless you meet the academic requirements. If you do meet the requirements then it will depend on the coach and schools needs on if you will receive any scholarship or not as well as the possibility of a red shirt year. The questions you ask are far to vast to answer simply, there are so many college teams at the D1 level and levels of both academics and soccer will vary greatly.</p>
<p>The minimums for the NCAA are REALLY low. Are your grades that bad? What did you get on the SAT?</p>
<p>Decimus11,</p>
<p>Rather than work through a service, you could do this yourself. Go to the NCAA Eligibilty Center @ [NCAA</a> Eligibility Center](<a href=“http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp]NCAA”>http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp)</p>
<p>Click Resources on the menu bar, and there is a whole section & checklist that deals with International Student requirments. If you have any questions, call the NCAA directly. For Int’l students you can call 317-223-0700.</p>
<p>As momof2010 suggests, you have to be elligible first before all the other questions can be answered. Athletic scholarships and redshirting are part of the athletic recruiting process which is secondary to being able to get into the school academically. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>My grades are above the class average but I don’t know how they would be translate in US Grades on a 4.0 scale since an official chart doens’t exist. The embassy of US in Switzerland told me that I can apply as freshman into an undergrad programm but will not earn any credits. </p>
<p>They main problem is the NCAA wants another diploma in addition with mine that I neither possess nor will obtain. </p>
<p>Funny is that I’ve called some Colleges that I want to apply for. Some told me that my dipl. is HS Dipl. equivalent. Others didn’t really know, that’s why I had to send my transcripts to an evaluation service.</p>
<p>thanks fenwaysouth.</p>
<p>I have to go through a service because there are some schools like USF for example who need translated and evaluated transcripts from such accredited services to consider your application.</p>
<p>I believe Swiss schools use a 6 point scale. The conversion is 6 = A = 4 quality points, 5 = B = 3 quality points, 4 = C = 2 quality points, 3.5 or less equals 0 quality points. I know 6’s are rare. </p>
<p>If I were in your position, I would call the NCAA. I would also call or email the admission department at a school that admits a significant number of international students and ask questions about how they handle foreign grades. </p>
<p>The NCAA has a free download:</p>
<p>“International Standards 2011-12 - Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility - UPDATED DECEMBER 2011”</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/IS10.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/IS10.pdf</a></p>
<p>Huh? That NCAA document is pretty embarrassing. Unless I’m misreading this, it states that a Swiss primary school TEACHER diploma, i.e. the diploma that certifies teaching credentials, does NOT fulfill the US high school diploma requirements? Also, pretty ridiculous that only a 6 on the Matura transcript would be considered a 4 on the US high school diploma (I’m pretty sure that not 25% of Swiss Gymnasium grads have a 6.0).
Decimus, HangnThere has good advice. Contact colleges that are familiar with Swiss applicants and ditch the ones that aren’t because, frankly, you don’t want to waste your time with places that don’t know the difference between Switzerland and Sweden. Then arm yourself with the information and contact the NCAA.
At the same time, contact coaches of the schools you are interested in. Depending on how good you are and to what extent they recruit overseas, they will be able to advise.</p>
<p>Thank you HangnThere for your post, Very helpful.</p>
<p>beenthere2, </p>
<p>I agree. Very few in the whole country have earned a 6 on Matura. </p>
<p>Thank you for your advice, you’re right!</p>
<p>Actually, Decimus, when it’s time for your teachers to write letters of recommendation, ideally find one who is familiar with US letters of recommendation. In any case, go online and give them examples of what a letter of recommendation looks like in the US, so they realize that it must sound EXTREMELY positive. Saying “this is a very good student” won’t be sufficient. It must be the most extraordinary, most excellent, etc. No Swiss understatement here. Depending on the type of school you attend, they also need to put in something that states how selective the school is and the grading system, i.e. so that the colleges realize that it is not comparable to the average US high school.
It’s up to you to educate whoever writes anything on your behalf that a 3.6 grade point average is not considered stellar in the US while I’m sure that a 5.6 would be pretty impressive in Switzerland.</p>
<p>hmm… My english teachers would certainly be good writers but one of them doesn’t really like me. hehe</p>
<p>To be honest, I tough we swiss were complicated…</p>
<p>I wish I could visit some universities to make anything easier…</p>