National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News Features

December 23, 1996

Study compares eligibility rates demographically

The NCAA is preparing to release two new research reports that examine the eligibility status of different demographic groups within the 1994 and 1995 cohorts of high-school seniors.

The reports are based on data acquired by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and focus on the groups of student-athletes in each year who were listed by at least one Division I institution on an Institutional Request List.

Researchers selected that group because it was viewed as being composed of potential Division I student-athletes who had not yet been censored by initial-eligibility decisions. The studies are intended to provide basic information on current high-school academic performances of student-athletes, as well as on the impact of selection effects within and between the 1994 and 1995 cohorts.

The first of the studies focused on differences between gender and sports groups. Specifically, the data were analyzed comparing the following three categories of student-athletes: 1) all female student-athletes, 2) male "Olympic sport" student-athletes, and 3) male "revenue-sport" student-athletes (men competing in football and basketball). The following general findings came from that study:

  • Female prospective student-athletes showed relatively high levels of academic performance, especially on high-school grades and number of core courses taken. A relatively small proportion of the females was declared ineligible (2.0 percent in 1994, and 3.8 percent in 1995).

  • Males in Olympic sports also showed relatively high levels of academic performance, especially on SAT and ACT test scores. A somewhat larger proportion of this group was declared ineligible (2.7 percent in 1994, and 5.6 percent in 1995).

  • Males in revenue sports showed the lowest academic performances of the groups studied. While its academic performance was not low by national standards, this subgroup had the largest number and percentage of ineligible potential recruits (5.6 percent in 1994, and 10.0 percent in 1995).

  • In all groups, the number and percentage of ineligible Division I prospects increased from 1994 to 1995. No single factor was determined to be responsible.

    The second study provided similar data for different demographic groups. Specifically, it broke down the data by ethnicity and by family income of the student-athlete. The data for ethnicity and family income were self-reported and have some limitations, including a large number of non-respondents (10 to 15 percent), many of whom are in the lower ranges of high-school academic performance.

    However, the data nevertheless contain interesting information:

  • The largest number of prospective student-athletes declared ineligible were found in the self-reported white (non-Hispanic) and African-American groups.

  • Because of their smaller numbers in the overall student-athlete population, the largest percentage of prospective student-athletes declared ineligible was found in the self-reported African-American group.

  • The self-reported family income variable showed a trend for lower income levels to be associated with larger ineligibility frequencies and percentages.

  • For the 1995 cohort, most impacts listed above were about twice as large as for the 1994 group.

    As was the case in the first report, no single factor was determined to be responsible for the trends. More detailed research is planned that will attempt to assess reasons behind the descriptive findings presented in these and previous reports.

    Those interested in more information on the research may contact Todd A. Petr, NCAA assistant director of research, at the national office.