The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate report for Division I schools on Tuesday, marking the 20th year it has released the data.
One interesting aspect of the data is that two football programs, Ohio State and Harvard, achieved perfect 1,000 scores over multiple years.
According to the data, among Football Bowl Subdivision schools, Notre Dame topped the list with a perfect APR score of 16 for its athletic programs, followed by Duke with 14 and North Carolina State with 11. In 2023, 54 teams had an APR below 930, while Harvard had 15 athletic programs with perfect APR scores.
According to the NCAA, the majority of schools with APR scores below 930 are institutions with limited resources (80%), FCS schools (74%) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (56%).
What is APR?
The APR was created to hold schools accountable for student-athletes' progress in the classroom, and also takes into account player retention and eligibility based on the metrics.
The NCAA said the four-year national average APR for Division I teams will remain at 984 this year. The APR is calculated by scholarship athletes earning one point for continuing on degree-seeking courses in their chosen major and one point for remaining at the end of each semester (or graduating).
Prior to this year, schools that didn't meet the requirements were banned from the postseason. The NCAA Academic Committee enforces the rule but says conditional exemptions are being granted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, teams that earn an annual APR below the NCAA's target score of 930 will face measures such as practice restrictions, a shortened playing season or disqualification from the postseason “to direct increased emphasis on academics.”
