Behind the Blue Disk: Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR)

What is the APR?
The Academic Progress Rate is an NCAA measure to track the academic achievement of Division I teams during each academic term. Each student-athlete earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible. A team’s total points are divided by points possible and multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team’s APR. Teams that fall below the minimum APR of 930 face possible sanctions ranging from scholarship reductions to more severe penalties.

Why was the APR established?
Leaders within college athletics recognized a need to track how student-athletes are performing academically throughout their college experience. The APR does that by providing a snapshot for each academic term. This measure allows schools to intercede and help academically challenged student-athletes before it is too late.

Do student-athletes who leave school early to go pro hurt their teams’ APR?
If a student-athlete is in good academic standing and leaves school early to pursue a professional career, the team is NOT penalized and loses no APR points. But if a student-athlete leaves early and is in poor academic standing, the team loses two points, making it harder for the team’s APR to recover.

How does the NCAA assist teams with APR challenges?
When a school has APR challenges, it may be encouraged or even required to present an academic improvement plan to the NCAA. In reviewing these plans, the national office staff encourages schools to work with other campus units to achieve a positive outcome. The staff also works with APR-challenged schools to create reasonable timelines for improvement.

Doesn’t the APR favor big schools that can afford extensive academic support programs?
The “improvement-plus” model the NCAA uses provides special consideration for teams that show improvement and succeed in meeting their school’s academic mission. It also takes into account school resource levels when determining APR penalties. This model helps keep the APR fair for a diverse membership and holds all schools accountable for the academic achievement of their student-athletes.

Historically, how have teams responded to the APR?
In 2005, the aggregate APR data showed a need for improvement, especially in baseball, men’s basketball and football. The average Division I rate for all sports at that time was 950. Now, this number has increased to an overall 970 average.