Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Shine in Latest Graduation Success Rate Report
12/2/2021 4:52:00 PM | Academic Services & Student Development
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern student-athletes continue to set a national standard in the classroom, according to new Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released Thursday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Northwestern's overall 98% GSR ranks second among all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions and leads the Big Ten Conference for the 17th consecutive year.
GSR Database
Northwestern's overall 98% GSR matches the department's and Big Ten's all-time record and the tally is the top mark in the Conference this year by two percentage points.
Northwestern has also finished in the top-four among FBS athletics departments all 17 years, scoring 96%-or-higher annually. Twelve Wildcats programs posted perfect scores for the current cohort. The list includes baseball, cross country, field hockey, men's soccer, men's tennis, fencing, softball, women's basketball, women's golf, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, and women's volleyball.
For the fifth consecutive year, Northwestern football earned the highest Graduation Success Rate among all FBS programs, posting a 97% mark for the current cohort. The Wildcats have ranked first or second in the country for GSR among FBS football programs for 11 straight years.
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 2020-21 rate is based on student-athletes who entered college in 2014, the most recent data available. The four-year GSR rate also includes the freshman classes of 2011, 2012 and 2013. The rate shows the percentage of those student-athletes who earned a degree by the spring of 2019. This marks the 19th year GSR data has been collected.
GSR Database
Northwestern's overall 98% GSR matches the department's and Big Ten's all-time record and the tally is the top mark in the Conference this year by two percentage points.
Northwestern has also finished in the top-four among FBS athletics departments all 17 years, scoring 96%-or-higher annually. Twelve Wildcats programs posted perfect scores for the current cohort. The list includes baseball, cross country, field hockey, men's soccer, men's tennis, fencing, softball, women's basketball, women's golf, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, and women's volleyball.
For the fifth consecutive year, Northwestern football earned the highest Graduation Success Rate among all FBS programs, posting a 97% mark for the current cohort. The Wildcats have ranked first or second in the country for GSR among FBS football programs for 11 straight years.
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 2020-21 rate is based on student-athletes who entered college in 2014, the most recent data available. The four-year GSR rate also includes the freshman classes of 2011, 2012 and 2013. The rate shows the percentage of those student-athletes who earned a degree by the spring of 2019. This marks the 19th year GSR data has been collected.
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