Student-athlete graduation rate is second nationally

Author: Dennis Brown and Bernadette Cafarelli

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The graduation rate for University of Notre Dame student-athletes ranks second among Division I-A colleges and universities, according to statistics released last week by the NCAA.p. The federally mandated 2004 NCAA Graduation Rates Report, the 14th such survey issued by the association, covers students who enrolled between 1994 and 1997 at all 328 Division I institutions, including 117 in Division I-A. The NCAA bases graduation rates on the raw percentage of student-athletes who entered an institution and graduated within six years. Students who leave or transfer, regardless of academic standing, are considered non-graduates.p. Using the NCAA formula, Notre Dame graduated a four-year average of 87 percent of its student-athletes, second only to Duke University at 90 percent, and tied with Northwestern and Stanford Universities. The national average for Division I-A schools is 61 percent.p. Among student-athletes who completed all four years of athletic eligibility at Notre Dame, 99 percent earned their degrees. The national average is 84 percent.p. Notre Dame graduated 94 percent of all women competing in varsity athletics, to rank third among peer institutions behind Northwestern at 96 percent and Duke at 95 percent. Among men, Notre Dame’s 82 percent rate was third only to Duke and Stanford at 88 and 84 percent, respectively.p. Notre Dame graduated 71 percent of its African-American student-athletes, ranking ninth nationally, and Irish football players graduated at a 77 percent rate, to rank eighth.

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