Northwestern hasn’t had the on-field success they’ve become accustomed to of late, but, as always, the football program is absolutely ballin’ in the classroom.
Wednesday, the NCAA released its annual Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data. While the vast majority of fan and media attention this time of the year when it comes to this issue is centered around the bonuses various head coaches earned for academic success, one program in particular deserves to be singled out for its educational performance.
According to a release from the university, Northwestern recorded a 98-percent overall GSR, the second consecutive year they’ve led all FBS schools. “Northwestern’s 98% GSR matches the department’s and Big Ten’s all-time record in the 15 years GSR data has been released,” the school stated.
That 98 percent was overall; for this year, Northwestern’s GSR was 100 percent, making them the first-ever FBS school to record a perfect score. They are also one of only five Div. 1 football programs with a perfect score this year.
“Through wins and losses, exams and internships, the ultimate goal for our Wildcats is to graduate with one of the finest degrees in higher education,” athletic director Jim Phillips said in a statement. “Northwestern student-athletes flourish in the classroom, dedicate themselves to giving back in the community that supports them and compete for championships at the highest level of college athletics, all while preparing for lifelong success.”
For a quick tutorial on GSR, courtesy of Northwestern, see below:The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) to more accurately assess the long-term academic success of student-athletes. The rate holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees and is calculated for every sport. Under the calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. The outgoing transfers are included in the receiving institution’s GSR cohort.
The GSR allows student-athletes six years to earn their degree. The 2018-19 rate is based on student-athletes who entered college in the fall of 2012, the most recent data available. The four-year GSR rate also includes the freshman classes of 2009, 2010 and 2011. The rate shows the percentage of those student-athletes who earned a degree by the spring of 2018. This marks the 18th year GSR data has been collected.