Athletes Grades vs. Non-Athletes

I am writing my final class paper in English this semester. It is on the difference of grades between athletes and non-athletes.

I need other people's opinions on this topic.

This is for high school and college grades.

Why or why not does it help or hurt your grades?

Personally, I think many student athletes grades are better because they have to be. You have to make the grade to be allowed to play. I also think that they have to learn time management to be able to get their work done.

The downs are loss of time and sleep. Many student athletes sleep in class because they don't get much sleep at night due to late night games and practices.

 

Interesting topic

As many on this board have stated and firmly believe like I do, they are students first, period! That is why they are called 'student athletes'. There should be no difference in their grades.

We were very clear with our daughters that school and grades came first and if the grades started to slip, sports were the first thing to go. We didn't just say it, we backed it up. Our oldest daughters grade started to slip once so we (not the coach) benched her. We would not let her participate in practice or play in any games (she had to go and watch them as she did homework) until she brought us updated progress reports with 'normal' grades. Of course her coach didn't like this so he benched her for getting benched by us when we allowed her to play again. Needless to say, we did not have this problem again.

I also agree with you that being involved in sports does teach them time management which in invaluable for all students whether they play sports or not.

As for the down sides, if they love the sport or sports, they won't bat an eye at losing time with their friends or sleep.

Good luck with the paper. Let us know what grade you get!

 

Interesting topic for a thread and for a paper.
I think there is a connection and likely it is about drive to excel...

BUT-
This is a chicken or the egg question...

Do student-athletes get better grades because they do sports.

(or)

Does sports attract students who get better grades.



another question:
Do different sports have better overall GPA averages?

 

Teach all your kids to seek to be the total package. Softball or any sport is for fun and just last so long.

 

How sports can worsen grades

An athlete who spends more time on the field and less time studying can increase the risks of failing tests and quizzes that can lower your grades.

Athletes who get overly stressed tend to forget about assignments that are due.

Athletes who are just trying to barely pass classes so they can play.

 

At most schools, athletes are provided tutors to help; Some take advantage of this and some don't.

The one difference between a student and a student athlete are some athletes have no business being in college; either academically or maturity. Whereas the majority of students attending college are there for the education and fully appreciate the opportunity for being there.

and yes, there is a disparity in the GPA's between sports.

Another area to consider when discussing the larger universities are the academic counselors and the ability to pre-register the classes. The counselors are able to direct and ensure that the players get into the classes they need and are able to steer athletes away from non-friendly professors.

The biases some of the less than friendly professors have towards athletes can be difficult to overcome.

 

Agree with Braves

From what I have learned so far this yr. DD is required 6 hrs mandatory study hall a week. She has taken advantage of the tutors, & has helped. Her 1st class is at 8 am, she usually gets to bed around 11 pm. No time for mischief HeHeHe.
The academic advisors help them register for classes before regular students get to. The advisors also know what professors like or dislike atheletes. The softball team dresses like regular students, for the professors who don't care for atheletes.
I have to say DD has a long day, & has been working her tail off, but loves every minute of it. Very proud of her. She didn't know she could run so much, so all you next level bound players better be ready to run alot!
Go Pack !!!!!!!!

 

....I agree with your assessment Micweiser. ....... AND I'm damn proud of your DD too! Uncle Fishman

 

USA Today study results .

Some interesting reading on a cold night.


A brief about clustering stats:

College athletes studies guided toward 'major in eligibility,with a minor in beating the system.

When the NCAA adopted new rules in 2003 intended to improve athletes' graduation rates, it raised questions about whether schools, under pressure to keep athletes progressing toward a degree, might cut academic corners to help the athletes to stay eligible to play. Known as the 40-60-80 Rule, which took effect for athletes entering school after Aug. 1, 2003. To stay eligible to play, athletes must complete 40% of their degree work by the end of their second year of enrollment, 60% by the end of their third year and 80% by the end of their fourth year.

Athletes' graduation rates have improved in recent years. But it's unclear whether that's at least partially because athletes are choosing, or being pushed into, easier majors.

Under NCAA rules, schools are required to make academic counseling and tutoring available to athletes.
These services can be provided and paid for by athletics departments, which have been making them — and the facilities in which they are based — increasingly elaborate in recent years.

There also is a new NCAA rule that threatens penalties for teams with too many players who become academically ineligible or fail to graduate. Based on their annually published Academic Progress Rate (APR), teams can lose scholarships and eventually become ineligible for postseason play, either of which can embarrass a school and affect a team's ability to win.

Some athletes say they have pursued — or have been steered to — degree programs that helped keep them eligible for sports but didn't prepare them for post-sports careers and useless in finding a job after college.


To study the extent to which athletes disproportionately group in particular majors,USA TODAY chose five sports, selected to give a mix along gender, revenue-generating and seasonal lines: football, baseball, softball and men's and women's basketball. USA TODAY reviewed media guides and school websites from 142 schools -- the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) schools and 22 Division I schools with standout basketball teams over the last few years, based on USA TODAY Coaches' Poll rankings. The result: a list of about 9,300 upper-class athletes on team rosters during the 2007-08 school year.

Fifty-five of the 654 teams did not have enough juniors and seniors on the team to be considered.

Eighty-three percent of the schools had at least one cluster. One-third of schools had two or more teams clustering in the same major program.

A cluster isn't necessarily bad, says Walter Harrison, president of the University of Hartford and chairman of the NCAA Division I Committee on Academic Performance. In fact, two clusters were with softball players in rigorous biology programs, especially rare because lab demands can infringe on practice time.

But Div.1 Louisville Softball team had 71.4% or 5 of 7 athletes majored in Exercise Science.

Articles:

College athletes studies guided toward 'major in eligibility


Athletes' academic choices put advisers in tough balancing act


College athletes cluster majors at most schools

 

Good information

Good information, especially the first article. Everyone with a DD entering college next fall needs to read these!