MAC Football Programs Lead I-A Public Institutions In Graduation Success Rates

CLEVELAND -- In data compiled this week on football graduation rates, statistics revealed that the Mid-American Conference has the highest percentage of institutions with a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 70 percent or above (8 of 12 schools) and a GSR of 50 percent or more (12 of 12 schools) for public institutions.

In football Graduation Success Rates, the MAC leads all other I-A leagues as eight of the 12 schools top the 70 percent or better rate. The MAC's total of eight at 70 percent-plus accounts for 32 percent of the 25 public institutions nationwide that posted 70 percent or better.

The eight MAC schools with a GSR of 70 percent or above were Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Kent State University, Miami University, Ohio University and Western Michigan University.

Every MAC institution graduated more than 50 percent of its football student-athletes. The ACC and Big East were the only other conference to have all of its institutions graduate football student-athletes over 50 percent.

The GSR is a NCAA measurement developed two years ago that improves on the
federally mandated graduation rate by crediting institutions for student-athletes who leave in good academic standing or for transfers into the school who graduate. The GSR has been able to account for both of those transfer groups, which has resulted in a more accurate depiction of student-athlete academic success, since it captures about 35 percent more students than the federal methodology.

The most recent GSR release is from the four-class aggregate of entering classes from 1996 through 1999, for which the NCAA has compiled sport-by-sport GSR and the comparable graduation rate using the federally mandated methodology.

"This strong academic achievement is consistent with the Mid-American Conference Membership Standards Plan that was adopted by the Council of Presidents in June 2006", said Dr. Michael Rao, President of Central Michigan University and Chair of the MAC Council of Presidents. "It reflects the comprehensive commitment each of our institutions has made to the overall success of MAC student-athletes."

The data includes 99 public I-A institutions and no other I-A conference in the country had even one-half of its public institutions graduating its football student-athletes with a rate of 70 percent or better.

I-A Football Graduation Success Rates 70 Percent or Above

Conference Percentage # of Public at 70% Standard

1. MAC 66.7% 8/12

2. ACC 37.5% 3/8

3. Conference USA 37.5% 3/8

4. Mountain West 33.3% 2/6

5. Big Ten 30.0% 3/10

6. Big 12 27.3% 3/11

7. Big East 14.3% 1/7

8. Sun Belt 12.5% 1/8

9. Southeastern 9.1% 1/11

10. PAC 10 0% 0/8

11. WAC 0% 0/8

I-A Football Graduation Success Rates 50 Percent or Above

Conference Percentage # of Public at 50% Standard

1. MAC 100% 12/12

1. ACC 100% 8/8

1. Big East 100% 7/7

4. Big 12 90.9% 10/11

5. Big Ten 80.0% 8/10

6. WAC 77.8% 7/9

7. PAC 10 75.0 6/8

7. Sun Belt 75.0 6/8

9. Southeastern 72.7% 8/11

10. Mountain West 66.7% 4/6

11. Conference USA 62.5%

source: MAC Press Release