For Athletes + Parents

College Eligibility

What a kid actually has to do to play college ball.

From Coach Fite

I signed with Baylor. It was in the paper. And I never played a single down there — because I came up short in the classroom and nobody had ever walked me through what I needed. I made it anyway, the long way, through junior college. But I think about the kids who don’t get a long way. This is the talk I wish somebody gave me at fifteen. Read it with your parents.

7 lessons · 18 min

    1What “eligible” even means2The 16 core courses3Your GPA and the junior-year deadline4Do you still need the SAT or ACT?5Your timeline, grade by grade6How to register with the Eligibility Center7If you come up short

This is educational information, current as of June 2026, with the sources it’s based on listed below. It is NOT legal or financial advice. Rules — especially NIL — change often and vary by state and by school. Before you act, confirm your own situation with your school counselor, the NCAA Eligibility Center, your state athletic association (in Texas that’s the UIL), and a qualified attorney or advisor.