WHAT MAKES COLLEGIATE ATHLETES ELITE?
Less than 5% of individuals participate in NCAA or NAIA athletics.*
NCAA student-athletes (probably not unlike other student-athletes in other National organizations) are required to complete 20% of their degree each year that they participate in intercollegiate athletics to remain in good standing and eligible to compete. The student-athletes have pressure to excel both in and out of the classroom, and far exceed the general population graduation rates. While in college, student-athletes have to juggle a busy schedule between sports and academics, many times putting 30—40 hours a week into their sport and taking anywhere between 12-18 hours in academics. Many would say this is an overloaded schedule, but not for the student-athlete, they embrace this challenge head on. The information below is proof that student-athletes have outperformed the general population.
Division I student-athletes continue to perform well in the classroom, and more of them are graduating from college, according to the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figures.*
The latest GSR figures show that 77 percent of student-athletes who began college from 1997-2000 graduated within six years. That four-year graduation rate is unchanged from last year’s data and up from 76 percent two years ago.*
But a closer examination of year-by-year data shows that the GSR rose from:
- Male student-athletes GSR rose from 67.6 percent to 71.5 percent from 1995 to 2000.*
- Female student-athletes GSR rose from 84.9 percent to 87.3 percent from 1995 to 2000.*
The Graduation Success Rate for student-athletes from 1995-2000:
- Men’s basketball increased from 55.8 percent to 63.6 percent.*
- Football increased from 63.1 percent to 66.6 percent.*
- Baseball increased from 65.3 percent to 67.3 percent.*
- Women’s basketball increased from 79.8 percent to 80.7 percent.*
- Softball increased from 82.3 percent to 86 percent.*
- Women’s volleyball increased from 83.2 percent to 88 percent.*
- Women’s soccer rose from 86.1 percent to 89.6 percent.*
The NCAA created the Graduation Success Rate three years ago to more accurately assess long-term student-athlete academic success. The GSR differs from the federally mandated graduation rate methodology in that it counts transfers into and out of an institution. NCAA figures show the GSR includes 36 percent more student-athletes than the federal graduation rate.*
Resource:Trend Data Shows Graduation Success Rate Improvement, ncca.org
61% of the general student-body population who started college in 1999 graduated within 6 years. 63% of NCAA Division I student-athletes graduated within the same time frame.** (These figures exclude transfers.)
Student-athletes at NCAA Division II schools who started college in 1999 graduated at a rate of 55% within 6 years versus 46% for the general student body.** (These figures exclude transfers)
•- According to statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Education
