Graduation Rates Fall for Most Players

The graduation rate for Division I-A football players who entered school in 1993-94 was lower than for any entering class since 1985, but the news was better at USC and UCLA, according to a report released by the NCAA.

At USC, 80% of the football players who entered school in 1993-94 graduated within six years, an all-time high for the Trojans and 10% higher than the graduation rate for the school’s overall student body.

At UCLA, the figure was 71%, compared with the graduation rate of 79% for all students.

Nationally, 48% of Division I-A football players received their diplomas, down from the 51% of the previous entering class.

The rate for men’s basketball was 42%, up a percentage point but still the lowest of any sport.

The report, which tracks scholarship athletes, showed that student-athletes graduated at a 58% rate, which was 2% higher than the overall student body.

The NCAA counts only those athletes entering as freshmen; transfers are counted among those not graduating from their original four-year school.

At UCLA, 68% of the athletes graduated, including 80% of the women and 60% of the men.

At USC, 59% of the athletes graduated, including 62% of the men and 56% of the women.

The graduation rates at the Southland’s other Division I-A schools:

Long Beach State--45% of athletes, including 18% of men and 83% of women, compared with 31% of overall student body.

UC Irvine--86% of athletes, including 82% of men and 88% of women, compared with 74% of student body.

Cal State Fullerton--47% of athletes, including 44% of men and 50% of women, compared with 44% of student body.

Loyola Marymount--63% of athletes, including 55% of men and 74% of women, compared with 73% of student body.

Pepperdine--75% of athletes, including 73% of men and 76% of women, compared with 72% of student body.

Cal State Northridge--26% of athletes graduated, including 28% of men and 20% of women. Data for the overall student body were not available.

In many individual categories, the study showed, athletes graduate at rates higher than their student-body counterparts of the same racial and gender group.

The largest difference in rates between athletes and the general student body was among black female athletes, who graduated at a 15% higher rate than black females in the general student population.

Their graduation rate was 57%, a 4% increase.