core courses: Fourteen required courses in which a prospect
must earn a C average. Generally, the courses include: 4
years of English, 3 years of math, 2 years of science, 2 years
of social science, and an additional 4 courses drawn from
any of the other categories.division: The NCAA has three divisions: I, II, and III. The NAIA
has two divisions: 1 and 3. Recruiting rules vary by division
and association.early signing period: A one-week period in November dur-
ing which prospects other than football players may sign
a National Letter of Intent that commits an athlete to a
specific school.financial aid: Discounts of tuition, fees, and other associated
costs that are not based on athletic ability. Athletic ability is
likely to be an important factor in the granting of financial aid.
Conference and association rules vary, but many schools who
claim that they don’t offer athletic scholarships still provide
substantial financial aid to students who are athletes too.gender equity: Colleges are required to provide athletic
opportunities for women in proportion to the school’s
population.graduation rate: The number and percentage of student athletes
who have graduated from a college within a six-year period.
JUCO: An acronym for the term “junior college.” It identifies
two-year junior and community colleges.
Letter of Intent: A document that binds a prospect to a particular
institution when signed by the student athlete. The college is
bound to provide an agreed-upon athletic scholarship.NAIA: The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an
association of close to 400 small to medium colleges. They
sponsor 26 sports for men and women.172 The Sports Scholarships Insider’s Guide