Abstract
AbstractWith increased public accountability implemented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the academic success and graduation of student-athletes, colleges and universities are compelled to consider the influential factors of academic success or failure for collegiate student-athletes. This study explored pre-college academic and nonacademic factors that are important for determining the potential for academic success or failure for first-year student-athletes in college. Data pulled from the academic and NCAA compliance records of student-athletes who entered the institution from which the sample was drawn during the 2013–2014, 2014–2015, 2015–2016, and 2016–2017 academic years was analyzed using multiple linear regression to determine if certain pre-college academic and selected non-academic variables were predictive of first-year academic performance of student-athletes. The results of the analysis found that the composite score of the ACT, was the academic variable with the most significant correlation to first year grade point average. In addition, race and ethnicity and first-generation student status were identified as non-academic variables with significant correlation to first-year grade point averages of student-athletes. Based on the findings of the research, three recommendations were proposed; the use of pre-college input data to identify student-athletes at-risk for poor academic performance, support services made available to all student-athletes despite revenue status, and mentoring programs established to meet needs of Black student-athletes and first-generation student-athletes.
Keywords: student-athletes, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), academic success, first-year students, academic support