JERSEY CITY, NJ - The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has released its annual Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) Data on Tuesday, and Saint Peter's University student-athletes tied the single-year GSR high water mark at 95 percent for the 2014-15 cohort year.
Additionally, a school-record 10 programs attained a perfect GSR score, which was based on the four entering classes between 2011 to 2014: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's cross country/track & field, men's golf, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming & diving, women's swimming & diving, and women's volleyball. The previous record for sports with a 100% success rate was eight set in the 2011-12 and 2013-14 cohorts.
Saint Peter's student-athletes once again also posted a higher federal graduation rate than the national average with 100% of female student-athletes in the 2014-15 cohort earning a college degree.
Taking a closer look, the graduation rate of 10 programs improved or matched their rating from last year, with two teams improving their score:
Baseball: 100% (+10%)
Men's Basketball: Remained at 100%
Men's Golf: Remained at 100%
Men's Swimming: Remained at 100%
Women's Basketball: Remained at 100%
Women's Cross Country/Track: 100% (+5%)
Women's Soccer: 100% (+3)
Softball: Remained at 100%
Women's Swimming: Remained at 100%
Women's Volleyball: Remained at 100%
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.
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