DescriptionThis is the continuation of a series of research reports about prospective student-athletes (PSAs) who applied to the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse (IEC). Specifically, this report is an extension of NCAA Research Reports 96-02 and 97-02 and focuses on IEC data from the most recent high-school classes for which complete data are available—the 1997 and 1998 high-school graduates. The goal of this and other reports in this series is to provide descriptive information for further research. The focus of this report is on the following academic characteristics for those PSAs who applied to the IEC for initial-eligibility certification: · High-school core courses; · High-school core-course grades; · Nationally standardized SAT and ACT Assessment scores; and · The final initial-eligibility certification under the existing Division I rules (see Bylaw 14.3 of the NCAA Division I Manual).