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The NCAA is comprised of three divisions (Division I, Division II, and Division III), “created in 1973 to align like-minded campuses in areas of philosophy, competition, and opportunity.”

As a prospective NCAA student athlete, you should take time to become acquainted with the differences between each Division, as well as where your time (and how much of it) is spent practicing and competing.

(If the photos below don’t appear clearly enough, please click here to access the pdf: Time Management – NCAA Divisions I, II, and III)

As a reminder, College-bound students who want to compete at a Division I or Division II school must meet standards set by NCAA members. For Division III, athletes must meet the admissions standards set by the school. Eligibility standards can be found at the NCAA Athlete Eligibility Center.

You can also access three other articles Rower Academy has written on NCAA Eligibility:

  1. Registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center
  2. NCAA Eligibility Center “Certification Account” vs “Profile Account”
  3. NCAA DI Academic Eligibility Requirements for High School Students

What a Division I Student-Athlete Should Expect with Regard to Time Management:

 

What a Division II Student-Athlete Should Expect with Regard to Time Management:

What a Division III Student-Athlete Should Expect with Regard to Time Management:

Understanding the average time commitments necessary to compete at a Division I, II, or III level will help guide you towards choosing schools within the division that’s best for your athletic and academic career.  Remember, it’s “Student Athlete,” which means you have to be able to balance your athletic commitment with your academics, so you can get the most out of both experiences.