What is the primary purpose of the NCAA eligibility center?

The primary purpose of the NCAA Eligibility Center is to determine the eligibility of prospective student-athletes for collegiate competition. This process includes verifying the academic records, test scores, and other criteria necessary to ensure that student-athletes meet the NCAA's eligibility requirements before they can participate in sports at the college level. The NCAA has specific guidelines regarding academic achievement and amateurism that must be met, and the Eligibility Center serves as the governing body that assesses whether these requirements are satisfied.

While academic counseling, scholarship distribution, and recruitment oversight are important aspects of the college athletics landscape, they are not the central mission of the NCAA Eligibility Center. Academic counseling typically falls within the purview of individual schools and their academic support staff. Scholarship distribution is managed by athletic departments within each institution, which decide how to allocate financial aid to student-athletes. Recruitment visits and processes are also handled by the institutions themselves, under NCAA guidelines, rather than by the Eligibility Center.