The NCAA research staff plays a crucial role in gathering, organizing, analyzing, and presenting information related to the academic accomplishments of student-athletes across all NCAA divisions. Their work encompasses various aspects, including graduation rates, academic performance, degree attainment, transfer trends, and other relevant topics.
This valuable data is then shared with NCAA policymakers, who use it to shape policies and initiatives aimed at improving the educational journey for student-athletes. By leveraging this information, the NCAA strives to enhance the overall academic experience of those who balance their athletic pursuits with their studies.
The NCAA has been researching student-athlete graduation rates for over two decades. All colleges and universities, as mandated by federal law (the Student Right-to-Know Act from 1990), are required to report student graduation rates. Schools offering athletics aid must also report on their student-athletes. NCAA legislation mandates member schools to report enrollment and student body and student-athlete graduation rates annually. The student-athlete graduation rate is calculated based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Graduation Rates Survey, measuring the proportion of first-year, full-time student-athletes who entered a school on athletics aid and graduated within six years. However, this federal rate does not account for students who transfer and graduate elsewhere. To address modern enrollment patterns, the NCAA introduced the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for Division I and the Academic Success Rate (ASR) for Division II. Unlike the federal calculation, the GSR considers transfers and does not penalize colleges for student-athletes who leave.
The Academic Progress Rate (APR) was implemented in 2003 as part of an ambitious academic reform effort in Division I. It holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that considers eligibility and retention for each student-athlete during each academic term. The APR emerged when Division I leaders sought a more timely assessment of academic success. At the time, the best measure was the graduation rate calculated under the federally mandated methodology, which did not account for transfers. The APR system includes rewards for superior academic performance and penalties for teams that do not meet certain benchmarks. Data is collected annually, and results are announced in the spring. The Division I Committee on Academics oversees the APR as part of its responsibilities within the Academic Performance Program, recommending legislative and policy changes to the Division I Board of Directors .
The Division I and II diploma dashboards provide explorable information about undergraduate degrees earned by students and student-athletes at NCAA Divisions I and II institutions. The data sources used to construct the dashboards are described here. Because the demographics of the student-athlete population are different from those of the general student body, we recommend disaggregating data by race and gender when comparing those two populations.
A 2018 study from the National Student Clearinghouse estimates that 39% of all undergraduates who initially enroll in a four-year institution transfer schools at least once. Given the academic concerns associated with transfer (for example, longer time to graduate and lower probability of earning a degree), the NCAA collects substantial data on this topic with which to inform member discussions and potential NCAA legislation.
