They may be dribblin', but they ain't learnin'.

NCAA president Myles Brand says he sees progress in the latest numbers for graduating athletes.

I think he's putting a dress on a piglet.

and

It reads like graduating more than 50 percent of your student-athletes is a noble goal. If it is, that's a pretty sad statement.

 

So, I guess they're giving the football team a school they can be proud of, huh?

 

50 percent may not be the goal... however.....

According to the following weblink, only 51 percent of students who enroll in college graduate within five years of entry date. I understand that the NCAA is using a six-year calendar, but that's not a huge difference from the regular student body.

http://www.act.org/news/releases/2002/11-15-02.html

Asking student-athletes to be that much better than the general population is asking too much.

 

Indeed a good point, Matt.

But here's something else. The student-athletes are the ones who have academic advisors and supervisors dedicated solely toward getting them on top of their work. The general student body can't say that they are monitored with the same zeal.

The general thought for a non-athlete is, "It's on you. If you want an education, it's there. If you don't, your loss."

 

Found some better data, from the NCAA itself:

• 63 percent of Division I student-athletes who began college as freshmen in 2000 graduated within six years, compared to 62 percent of students at Division I institutions, according to the federal data.

http://www2.ncaa.org/portal/academics_and_athletes/education_and_research/academic_reform/grad_rate/2007/d1_key_findings.html

 

Apples vs. oranges

Federal methodology, I believe, automatically classifies a student who transfers to another school as a nongraduate

 

Apples vs. oranges, but the methodology of reporting isn't making up for the fact that maybe 40% of these kids are walking away with nothing academically to show for it.

 

What? The Big 10 is absolved from scrutiny? The horror! The horror!!

 

True, although for many of them, they have to miss classes to attend games, and need the help. Of course, that doesn't address the issue of scheduling games with long distances on weekends instead of during the week. After all, ESPN needs its programming.

 

How many of the non-grads are millionaires now??

 

True, although for many of them, they have to miss classes to attend games, and need the help. Of course, that doesn't address the issue of scheduling games with long distances on weekends instead of during the week. After all, ESPN needs its programming.
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How about students who are ill and aren't granted the same long-term help, i.e., personal tutors, even though they miss class at comparable rates? Many students need the help---and they're not given free rides to begin with. Please don't make it seem as if student-athletes are victims or aren't given enough help?

 

A very small percentage of them, sir. That's the fallacy; everyone thinks all these guys are signing huge pro contracts.

If you're averaging 9 points a game in the Big East, you aren't getting ready for the NBA. If you're lucky, you're playing two years in Lithuania, and then getting on with your life, such as it is.