The NCAA tracks multiple graduation and academic rates, each designed to measure student-athlete success in a slightly different way:

• Federal Graduation Rate (FGR): A federally required measure for schools that offer athletics scholarships. It tracks first-time, full-time students and measures how many earn a degree from the same school within six years. Transfers are counted as non-graduates in this model.
• Graduation Success Rate (GSR): Used in Division I, this measure provides a more complete view of student-athlete outcomes by accounting for transfers. Student-athletes who leave in good academic standing are not counted against a school, while those who leave academically ineligible are counted as non-graduates. Like the federal rate, it tracks outcomes within six years.
• Academic Success Rate (ASR): Used in Divisions II and III, this rate is similar to the GSR but includes all student-athletes, including those who do not receive athletics scholarships. This creates a broader and more inclusive measure of academic success across these divisions.

Across all measures, student-athletes are tracked over a six-year period from when they first enroll in college. These rates aim to better reflect real student pathways, including transfers and changes along the way, to provide a more accurate understanding of academic achievement.