Behind the Blue Disk: Division I Academic Reform

What is the goal of the NCAA’s academic reform efforts?
The NCAA’s ultimate academic goal is for student-athletes to graduate with meaningful degrees preparing them for life.

What are some of the Division I academic reform highlights?
The reforms start with increased high school academic requirements for prospective student-athletes. After student-athletes are enrolled, they must meet standards that ensure they will graduate in a timely fashion.

What is the Academic Progress Rate and how does the NCAA administer it?
The NCAA developed the Academic Progress Rate to measure how scholarship student-athletes are performing term by term. It is a composite team measurement based upon how individual team members do academically. Teams that don’t make the 930 APR threshold are subject to sanctions. The NCAA works closely with APR-challenged schools to achieve improvement and minimize punishment.

Does the NCAA track graduation rates?
There are two primary measures of graduation. A federally mandated study does not measure transfer students. The NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate measures graduation rates to include transfers, meaning it includes about 37 percent more students. Academic, not athletic, achievement is the most reliable path to success in life.

Are student-athletes doing better?
Yes. For the most recent GSR cohort, 79 percent of Division I student-athletes earned their degrees. For the rolling four-year aggregate, the rate is also 79 percent.