Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Attains 97 Percent GSR in Latest NCAA Data
10/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 15, 2008
Northwestern's GSR Breakdown (PDF Format) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- In the most recent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released by the NCAA Tuesday, Northwestern continues to pace the Big Ten and rank among the leaders in the nation in student-athlete academic success with a 97 percent GSR.
Northwestern's GSR of 97 percent is the best in the Big Ten Conference, nine points better than the second-best score of 89 percent. It continues to rank among the best scores nationally as well.
Fifteen of NU's 19 sports have perfect 100 percent GSRs: baseball, women's basketball, cross country, fencing, field hockey, women's lacrosse, men's golf, women's golf, men's soccer, softball, men's swimming, women's swimming, men's tennis, women's tennis and volleyball.
The most recent cohort for the data is for freshmen classes which entered school from 1998-2001.
"Once again, our student-athletes have shown an outstanding commitment to excellence in the classroom," Northwestern Athletic Director Jim Phillips said. "The number one goal for every one of our student-athletes is to earn a prestigious Northwestern degree, and we are exceptionally proud to remain a leader among our peers in graduating student-athletes."
The NCAA developed the GSR to more accurately assess long-term student-athlete academic success. The GSR differs from the federally mandated graduation rate in that it holds institutions accountable for transfer students, accounts for mid-year enrollees and is calculated for every sport. Data show the GSR includes almost 100,000 student-athletes in the most recent four classes, compared to just over 72,000 counted in the federal graduation rate. The NCAA continues to provide the federal rate, though, since there is no comparable rate to the GSR for the general student body.
Nationally, Division I student-athletes are graduating at the highest rates ever, according to the latest NCAA GSR Report. The most recent GSR data show that 79 percent of freshmen student-athletes who entered college in 2001 earned their four-year degrees. The average Graduation Success Rate for the last four graduating classes is 78 percent. Both rates are up one percentage point from last year. The overall Division I graduation success rate for men's basketball was 65 percent, for football (FBS schools) 66 percent and for women's basketball 85 percent.
