ATLANTA – Once again, Georgia State athletic programs saw its Graduation Success Rate (GSR) higher than that of the national rate, as announced by the NCAA on Tuesday.
In the most recent cohort released for 2019, Georgia State programs combined for an 81 percent graduation rate within the allotted six-year period. All but one of Georgia State's athletic programs received a Graduation Success Rate higher than that of the Federal Rate. GSU's score of 81 percent continues a trend above 80 percent and is just shy of the program's all-time high of 88 percent established four years ago.
The Graduation Rates Report provides information about two groups of students at the college or university identified at the top of the form: (1) all undergraduate students who were enrolled in a full-time program of studies working towards earning a baccalaureate degree; and (2) student-athletes who received athletics aid from the college or university for any period of time during their initial year.
Of note, the football, men's basketball, men's soccer, women's cross country and track and field, and women's golf programs all saw an increase in their GSR year over year.
Georgia State's student-athlete graduate success rate was 11 percent higher than that of the general student body.
Two Panther squads, softball and volleyball, recorded perfect scores of 100.
The NCAA's Graduation Success Rate is based on the four entering freshman classes in Division I from 2009-10 through 2013-14. Rates are based on the number of student-athletes who graduate and those who transferred from Georgia State prior to graduating, but who would have been academically eligible to compete.
The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate. The federal rate counts any student who leaves a school as an academic failure, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.
The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation makes it a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success.
