Putting the STUDENT in Student Athlete

[knapplc]

The NCAA has released its graduation rate figures for the 1996-1999 school years (the latest figures available). Of 93,000 student athletes in 17 Men's sports and 18 Women's sports, 77% graduated in six years.

Here is the current Top 25, with graduation rates beside each team:

Code: Select all

Rank   School        %
1    Ohio State      55
2    Auburn          63
3    Southern Cal    55
4    West Virginia   63
5    Florida         80
6    Michigan        71
7    Texas           40
8    Louisville      53
9    LSU             49
10   Georgia         41
11   Virginia Tech   74
12   Notre Dame      95
13   Iowa            64
14   Oregon          59
15   Tennessee       58
16   Oklahoma        52
17   Texas Christian 78
18   Clemson         77
19   Florida State   52
20   California      44
21   Nebraska        88
22   Boise State     65
23   Rutgers         58
24   Georgia Tech    55
25   Missouri        53

Here's the same list in order of graduation percentage:

Code: Select all

Rank   School         %
12   Notre Dame       95
21   Nebraska         88
5    Florida          80
17   Texas Christian  78
18   Clemson          77
11   Virginia Tech    74
6    Michigan         71
22   Boise State      65
13   Iowa             64
2    Auburn           63
4    West Virginia    63
14   Oregon           59
15   Tennessee        58
23   Rutgers          58
1    Ohio State       55
3    Southern Cal     55
24   Georgia Tech     55
8    Louisville       53
25   Missouri         53
16   Oklahoma         52
19   Florida State    52
9    LSU              49
20   California       44
10   Georgia          41
7    Texas            40

You may notice that one of my favorite schools is pretty close to the top in graduation percentage.

Here's another fun nugget - guess which NCAA Div. 1-A school leads the nation with 233 Academic All-Americans?? Here's a hint - Notre Dame is 2nd with 176.

[Free Bagel]

I only see one school in the top 5 in rankings and in graduation percentage .

[HskrPwr13]

Huskers have also been high on these lists including Academic All-Americans. I wonder how this is being affected with all of the juco transfers. I really hope the current Husker administration keeps academics as high a priority as the previous ones.

[Sandrock]

Texas.

[VaderFin]

I am embarrased.

[knapplc]

I only see one school in the top 5 in rankings and in graduation percentage .

Yeah. Kudos to Florida for that. When NU and UF faced off for the National Championship in 1995 the game featured two of the top football teams both on the field and in the classroom. Those teams were great representatives of what college football should be about. Your guys are still up there in the rankings, but we at Nebraska are working hard to make sure you guys have some company up there.

We're really proud of our academic accomplishments at Nebraska. We display our Academic All-American tally prominently in Memorial Stadium:

[moonhead]

i wouldn't put too much stock in those numbers...

[ShoelessJoe]

i wouldn't put too much stock in those numbers...

why not?

[moonhead]

i wouldn't put too much stock in those numbers...

why not?

you really think that those numbers are accurate? with all the underhanded stuff that goes on in collegiate atheletics, you don't think there are ways around getting your kids graduated by traditional measures? i just don't really trust stuff like this. you may be saying, yeah well what do they have to gain by doing something like that? well, obviously, some program prestige. that's a huge selling point in the living room. just my $.02.

[knapplc]

i wouldn't put too much stock in those numbers...

why not?

you really think that those numbers are accurate? with all the underhanded shit that goes on in collegiate atheletics, you don't think there are ways around getting your kids graduated by traditional measures? i just don't really trust stuff like this. you may be saying, yeah well what do they have to gain by doing something like that? well, obviously, some program prestige. that's a huge selling point in the living room. just my $.02.

That's a pretty easy accusation to make, but I can tell you from a Husker Fan perspective that WAY less than the average academic shenanigans go on at NU. We really pride ourselves on the scholarship of our Student Athletes.

I'm certain that what you're saying is true of many institutions and I'm also certain that there have been academic shenanigans at NU, but here at least those are the exception, not the norm.