Portland Shows Well in Latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate Announcement

NCAA Release I NCAA GSR Database I Portland GSR Data I Portland FGR Data

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- The NCAA released the latest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) data for student-athletes who entered college in 2007 among all Division I institutions as part of the annual NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program. University of Portland posted strong numbers once again as women's soccer, women's basketball, women's tennis and volleyball each posted perfect scores, while all 10 reported scores for the Pilots were higher than the national average.

Portland's GSR of 93 percent ties for third best in the West Coast Conference, behind only Gonzaga (97) and Santa Clara (95). The national average among all student-athletes was 84 percent, up two percent from last year and the highest number ever.
 
Portland's 2007-08 Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) for student-athletes (78 percent) was higher than the University's general student-body (75 percent). The FGR, which counts transfer students as academic failures, is the only rate that allows comparison between the general student body at a school and its student-athletes.

"A successful student-athlete experience culminates with graduation," said Portland Athletic Director Scott Leykam. "We do everything in our power to provide the resources and support structure to allow our student-athletes to maximize their potential, both in competition and in the classroom. We are pleased that the various metrics support our mission and reaffirm our commitment of putting our student-athletes in the best position for success."

The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative as a better measure of student-athlete academic success. 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.

Institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing.  The outgoing transfers are included in the GSR cohort of the institution to which they transfer.

The GSR allows student-athletes six years to earn their degree. This year's rate is based on student-athletes who entered college in the fall of 2007, the most recent data available. The rate shows the percentage of those student-athletes who earned a degree by the spring of 2013. The four-year cohort of student-athletes who began college in 2004 through 2007 is also included.

The NCAA began collecting this data on incoming freshmen in 1995. This year marks the 14th year that GSR data has been collected and analyzed.