While the NCAA champions itself is “dedicated to equipping [student athletes] with the skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout life,” research on the academic success and experience of student-athletes suggests that the NCAA -- and colleges -- are not doing enough to ensure that their student-athletes achieve success as students.
In a four-year study that followed student-athletes' academic involvement, researchers found that most athletes actually entered college with optimistic, even idealistic, goals for their academic future. Their athletic, social, and classroom experiences, however, pushed them to make reasonable adjustments to their ambitious goals. They then became increasingly disentangled from their previous academic aspirations, ultimately resulting in poorer classroom performance. This study, and others like it, therefore, suggest a structural problem with the way in which college athletics often undermine the goals of the actual institution.
College is arduous for just about every student, but the added component of playing a competitive sport presents an even bigger challenge. Student-athletes, particularly football and basketball players, “spend more time on their sports in season than they do on their classes.” College athletes dedicate 20+ hours per week to improving their athletic ability in the gym, weight room, and training room, before spending more time on the road to away games. All of this effort is exerted in the name of becoming a better athlete. Too often, though, it is at the expense of these student-athletes' academic growth.
With so many time restrictions, student-athletes, especially those in big-time programs, tend to "cluster" into certain areas of study. "Clustering" is a term used to describe 25 percent or more members of a team declaring the same major. Whether it happens because athletes simply want to choose an "easy" major or because they are steered toward the major by athletic advisors, the biggest problem with clustering is that students study a field that does not directly relate to their professional interests. This disconnect in the area of study and genuine interest further separates student-athletes from their once-optimistic career goals.
The NCAA has instituted policies in the past decade to penalize colleges who fail to help athletes stay on track to graduate. Under these rules, a student-athlete must have 80 percent of their degree completed by their 8th semester -- four years, full-time. But while these laws are a good step to ensuring student-athletes are afforded the best possible education, the clustering phenomenon shows their negative result. Student-athletes veer toward certain majors, anxious to graduate on time.
One potential NCAA reform is to allow student-athletes six years to graduate, instead of the five years currently allowed. While this would not alter the four years athletic eligibility, having an extra year to complete courses would offer athletes more freedom to choose (and even change their minds on) a field of study. Having a year to focus solely on academics could also be beneficial.
The NCAA does a lot to support the success of student-athletes, but better prioritizing the academic part of student-athlete life is instrumental for truly successful graduates. After all, college is a primarily academic institution. The goal of a collegiate athlete should not be simply to graduate. It should be to receive a meaningful education that will endure long after their playing days are over.
