Graduation success of scholarship football players at Virginia Tech, 1981-1983

Abstract

Graduation success of college athletes is becoming as popular a phrase in the world of college sports as is the term Proposition 48. This phrase has derived from the inability of college athletes to obtain a degree after their playing eligibilities have ended. This study focused on several variables that help determine or judge the graduating success of a student athlete. The particular variables used were SAT scores, high school GPA, college GPA, and race. A positive relation of 93% of all students, 77% relationship for black student athletes, and 100% for non-blacks was found between SAT, high school GPA, and college GPA graduating success. It should be noted that other variables may affect the success or lack of success of a student athlete; however, these lie beyond the scope of this study.