A new Web application from a TechTown entrepreneur is geared at getting student athletes to college - and keeping them there.
GradeCheck, a TechTown-incubated technology start-up, launched last week, says Howard Bell, TechTown's former Executive Director who has joined the company.
The nation's 7 million student athletes must satisfy sometimes-complex National Collegiate Athletic Association requirements in order to become - and stay - eligible for school and play, and navigating those waters can be tricky, Bell says.
"The requirements the NCAA puts out change every year, and they're complicated," he says. "Parents and students don't have time to keep up with that. GradeCheck allows student to sign up, put their transcript into a secure page, put in test scores, and our system will come back and tell you whether you are currently meeting the requirements," he says.
In urban school districts, Bell says, the average guidance counselor to student ratio is 400 to 1. Students will also receive a monthly newsletter with academic tips, health tips and features on academically successful student athletes. The subscription service's annual cost is $24.95.
Launched last week, GradeCheck already has 350 subscribers, Bell says. The company currently employs six people.
The company held a informational kick-off on November 1st. Read about it here.
Source: Howard Bell, GradeCheck
Writer: Nancy Kaffer
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