BYU scores last in MWC in Academic Progress Rates

Collegiate sports teams that fail to achieve an APR score of 925 – equivalent to a 50% graduation rate – may be penalized with the loss of scholarships. A perfect score is 1000. The scores are calculated as follows:
The APR is calculated by allocating points for eligibility and retention — the two factors that research identifies as the best indicators of graduation. Each player on a given roster earns a maximum of two points per term, one for being academically eligible and one for staying with the institution. A team’s APR is the total points of a team’s roster at a given time divided by the total points possible. Since this results in a decimal number, the CAP decided to multiply it by 1,000 for ease of reference. Thus, a raw APR score of .925 translates into the 925 that will become the standard terminology.

I wonder if this includes players that have been suspended due to non-academic reasons. Like NC Ute says transfers could play a role. And BYU’s academics are better than many schools. (Including the U and USU. Depending on the program.)

Even though we are just 4 points from losing scholarships I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I’m sure the administration and AD are working to stay above the 925 mark.

Is there any sort of a trend going on? Are we consistently at the low end of our conference, or was this a down year?

NC Ute brought up a good point with BYU being a tough school. I got all A’s without blinking in my Georgia high school and I had to work my butt off to stay alive my first year at BYU. And that’s taking the difficulty change into account. I consciously told myself before getting there, “I will have to work harder than I did in high school to make it at BYU.” I knew it and it still shocked me my first year. I imagine that could be a factor here.

On any given year a player or three could bomb out and that’s not really a reflection of the institution. If it becomes a trend however, that’s definitely a cause for concern.

From the Deseret News article on APR rankings

Under APR guidelines, a player who transfers from an institution in good academic standing does not negatively impact the APR of either the former or the new school.

Link

BYU will always do poorly in the APR because the APR does not factor in players who leave on missions. In the APR people who leave on missions are “no longer with the institution”. Additionally, normal colleges graduate entering freshmen in four to five years. With BYU that might be six or seven years from the day freshmen players start until they play their final game. That is not “academic progress” of student athletes according to the NCAA.