NCAA graduation rates slowly rise in D-1
Arkansas lags behind rest of SEC
Bart Pohlman
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Sports
Each spring, graduation and commencement ceremonies are held by colleges and universities throughout the United States.
And each spring, thousands upon thousands of students take "the walk" and receive their diplomas.
Included in that group of graduating students are the student-athletes, who, although graduating in smaller numbers, actually graduate at a higher percentage than most students.
The numbers are a bit deceiving, however.
Yes, student-athletes graduate at a slightly higher percentage than "traditional" students. But there are thousands of students on the campus of a college or university, compared to hundreds of student-athletes.
Although the graduation rates of NCAA student-athletes have been on the rise over the past several years, the number - which varies by race and gender - of those student-athletes who earn their degrees is still fairly low.
Inside the numbers
The most recent data released by the NCAA concerns student-athletes who began college as freshman in 2000.
Of the nearly 18,500 student-athletes to enter as freshman that year, 63 percent graduated within six years.
But more importantly than that number, at least these days, is the graduation success rate (GSR). The GSR combines those first-time freshmen with student-athletes who entered mid-year as well as those who transferred into an institution.
The GSR statistics show that 77 percent of student-athletes earned their degrees within six years, a number 14 points higher than the federal graduation rate.
To further examine the numbers by race and gender, the data indicates that within key subgroups, student-athletes are graduating at a rate higher than the "traditional students."
In general, black student-athletes graduate at a rate seven points higher than other black students (53 percent to 46 percent). Black male student-athletes graduate at a rate 10 points higher than black male students (49 percent to 39 percent).
And each spring, thousands upon thousands of students take "the walk" and receive their diplomas.
Included in that group of graduating students are the student-athletes, who, although graduating in smaller numbers, actually graduate at a higher percentage than most students.
The numbers are a bit deceiving, however.
Yes, student-athletes graduate at a slightly higher percentage than "traditional" students. But there are thousands of students on the campus of a college or university, compared to hundreds of student-athletes.
Although the graduation rates of NCAA student-athletes have been on the rise over the past several years, the number - which varies by race and gender - of those student-athletes who earn their degrees is still fairly low.
Inside the numbers
The most recent data released by the NCAA concerns student-athletes who began college as freshman in 2000.
Of the nearly 18,500 student-athletes to enter as freshman that year, 63 percent graduated within six years.
But more importantly than that number, at least these days, is the graduation success rate (GSR). The GSR combines those first-time freshmen with student-athletes who entered mid-year as well as those who transferred into an institution.
The GSR statistics show that 77 percent of student-athletes earned their degrees within six years, a number 14 points higher than the federal graduation rate.
To further examine the numbers by race and gender, the data indicates that within key subgroups, student-athletes are graduating at a rate higher than the "traditional students."
In general, black student-athletes graduate at a rate seven points higher than other black students (53 percent to 46 percent). Black male student-athletes graduate at a rate 10 points higher than black male students (49 percent to 39 percent).
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