What do Georgia football players make on the SAT? New study reveals answer

For the past year, a University of Georgia committee has been conducting a “self-study” of the school’s athletics program — a review required every 10 years by the NCAA from Division I schools. The resulting report is 148 pages long, and you can read it all here if you like.

Here are a few things that jumped out at me:

  • The report compares the standardized-test scores of UGA student-athletes to the general student population.

All male students who entered UGA in 2007 -– the most recent year covered by the report -– had an average standardized-test (SAT and converted ACT) score of 1250. By comparison, male student-athletes who initially enrolled in 2007 had an average score of 998. Football players had an average of 916 and men’s basketball players 906.

All female students who entered UGA in 2007 had an average standardized-test score of 1201, compared to 1058 for female student-athletes. Women’s basketball players averaged 955.

The report also provides comparisons of standardized-test scores for the general student population and student-athletes in the years 2004-2006.

The averages for all male students were 1245 in 2006, 1254 in 2005 and 1251 in 2004. For male athletes: 1017 in 2006, 1046 in 2006 and 990 in 2004. For football players: 901 in 2006, 935 in 2005 and 893 in 2004.

The report states: “The pool of student athletes capable of competing for NCAA and SEC championships tends to have lower standardized-test scores than the pool of students competitive for admission to the University of Georgia. Variances among sports groups are comparable to similar trends nationally and can be ascribed to differences in demographics among athletes competitive in different sports.”

  • The report shows that Georgia’s athletes continue to trail the general student population in graduation rates. (These figures might be familiar, because graduation rates also are reported annually to the NCAA.)

Among all first-year students who entered UGA from 1999-2000 through 2002-03, 76 percent earned degrees within six years, compared to 57 percent of athletes. Broken down further, the report shows that 51 percent of Georgia’s male athletes, 65 percent of female athletes, 46 percent of football players, 17 percent of men’s basketball players and 63 percent of women’s basketball players earned degrees within six years.

“Graduation rates, particularly in male sports, have been a significant issue for the Athletic Association,” the report states. “Several new polices have been implemented that appear to be responsible for significant improvement in the academic success of all student-athletes.”

  • The report says Georgia has more female than male student-athletes: 51.6 percent to 48.4 percent.

“It is striking for a FBS [Football Bowl Subdivision] athletics program to be majority female,” the report says. “Nationally, only 43.5% of student-athletes at FBS (formerly Division I-A) programs are female.”

Still, UGA has a smaller percentage of female student-athletes (51.6 percent) than of female undergraduates (57.5 percent).

  • The report addresses a myriad of topics, including compliance with NCAA rules and governance of the athletics program. Prepared over the past year by a committee chaired by Rodney Bennett, UGA’s vice president for student affairs, the report is part of the recertification process for NCAA Division I members. UGA posted the report on a Website, www.uga.edu/ncaa_compliance/, and invited public comment by April 30.

“I am pleased to report to you that our committee found that the Athletic Association is one of the strongest in the nation, and remains committed to principles of ethical governance, dependable rules compliance, equity in terms of diversity and gender, and the highest possible level of student-athlete well-being,” Bennett wrote in a cover letter to “the University of Georgia community.”

“I attribute these qualities to an outstanding leadership team and a dedicated group of administrators, coaches, and student-athletes,” Bennett wrote.  “The UGA Athletic Associaton has undergone a substantial culture change since the last self-study was completed, and it has been all for the good.”

225 comments Add your comment

anotherdawg

April 21st, 2010
3:02 pm

Kim, you say your people are Korean? And you have a sister who is finishing her doctorate? And another sister is a VP for a company in Alpharetta? Well, now I understand the bitterness. I’m sure they didn’t treat you like this in Korea, right?

Baustin676

April 21st, 2010
3:03 pm

KimZ

It’s hard to read your posts because it’s skewed logic built on your own unconditional racism. So you want UGA to start admitting students just because they’re black and their name represents that fact. When I have to hire people I look at their resumè an of course I look at the name…but a decision is not based on the name but on the merits and content of the resumè and if that person will represent my company well. Same with any University. If they are turning people away based on the name, then UGA would completely lose all accreditation.

Do you think that a African-American or Hispanic business owner would be more or less likely to hire someone from their own race? Studies have shown that white people mostly hire white people, blacks hire blacks, and Hispanics hire Hispanics. What they’ve found is that this a racist action, yet an acton based on comfort. Black people are usually more comfortable around black people because they share general beliefs/backgrounds/memories/attitudes toward certain subjects an so forth. Same with whites and Hispanics. If you walk into any local school’s cafeteria you will notice the same thing…races (for the most) part, sit next to one another. Does that make everyone in that lunch room racist? According to you’re previous posts it would. But I’d beg to differ…and so would the African-American author that conducted the survey. She concluded, along with many other researchers, that races usually stick together not because they are racist but because they share commonalities. Just don’t be so quick to cry for racism when that’s not the case. It’s easy to scream racism from the top of a mountain (or from behind your computer screen), but you are embarrassing your own race (and mind) if you have no research to back your claims of UGA being racist.

gapeach1

April 21st, 2010
3:06 pm

KimZ- you bet, you bet, you bet……but do you really know?

The numbers don’t lie and I know a few GIT graduates who couldn’t balance a checkbook!

at least those 57% could find jobs- What do you think those GIT players do that do not graduate?

AltamahaDawg

April 21st, 2010
3:11 pm

Not only are you not very logical, you are an outright Liar. Students with balck names get rejected? Is that seriously your contention? Geez, Now I am convinced that you are a white guy making fun of a black cartoon character.

First of all , you need to do just a spec of research. UGA was sued a few year ago for admitting LaShonda OVER Bonnie Sue. Today they give no preference to either, nor sex, nor if thier Daddy when to UGA in the past. It’s the law. But frankly it sound to me as if you arent advocating equal regard, you are saying LaShonda needs to be considered because of her race, otherwise it just racist.

They have however managed to increase the ratios by recruiting minorities, which is not an illegal practice.

Secondly, why would a college campus mirror the general population? Thats not even logical. It called higher eduation and not required education for a reason. Its optional, and fairly expensive. Only 1 in 4 American ever romp around on college campuses, did you know that? It’s a small and specific segment of the general population so why would that ever be proportionalty the same?

Now IF UGA did not mirror the demographics of the Georgians that attend college, ok then fine. But thats apples and oranges to the general population. BTW, Its true, they don’t. UGA has a higher percentage of minorities in the student that attend college than the factual percentages would deem “fair representation of the state”.

And sorry I don’;t get it. I am still puzzled by this concept of real “Black College experience”. Would that model include a proportionate diversity as well.(as you call for, and UGA is) If so then why isnt that just “College Expereince”? Or is it your contention that UGA is unfairly planting in the minds of the “smart black students”, the idea they should not apply because there is not a overwhelmingly disproportionate black enrollement there?

Id’ say IF a student was in the minority by birth they probably are aware of that and factor it in to everything including college choices. Or attend a university that is geared to minorities. You know, the true Black College Experience, I guess.

Strokers all day

April 21st, 2010
3:12 pm

What did Tim Tucker make on his/her SAT, and how did he get a job with the AJC? You mean score.

GT Bball Fan

April 21st, 2010
3:15 pm

Please don’t compare the educations of GT and UGA Alumni. It can’t be done. The majors the schools offer are so different, it isn’t comparable data. GT educates NASA engineers. UGA educates 50% of the teachers in the state of Georgia. Both very important professions. But why would you ever want to say a teacher with a 3.5 is better educated than a NASA engineer with a 3.4. Both schools educate the willing students to VERY high standards.

Reality

April 21st, 2010
3:28 pm

GT Bball Fan is a UGA Grad.

Tombo

April 21st, 2010
3:28 pm

Off topic note to KimZ racist SAT whiner – is the ACT racist too? A test won’t be pro-black, asian, american-indian, caucasian, hispanic or whatever. It will just be a test over stuff kids were supposed to learn in school. Since when is a square root black or white? I never knew that a noun was different part of speech for hispanics than asians. Oh, of course, minorities are never taught algebra, english, biology or anything else that might appear on a standardized test. You are a moron.

On topic comment – What a non-story. Everybody knows athletes have lower admission standards…and most people don’t care as long as the kids stay out of trouble and perform well on the field/court/track/whatever.

Engy

April 21st, 2010
3:29 pm

Of course you can compare the education provided by Georgia Tech and U(sic)GA. Average starting salaries for the former are much higher than the latter. That’s all that really matters nowadays.

egeagle

April 21st, 2010
3:30 pm

Some observations:
KimZ has to be the biggest racist
I’ve read in a long time. Why isn’t he/she/it banned? I or any other poster would be if we said anything remotely close about blacks, Asians, or Hispnaics.
AJC stirs pot once again. Overiew of the study is that things are going typically, yet we get a headline about lagging scores. Accentuate the negative to incite fools like Kim and all the Techies to throw stones and incite UGA folks to defend themselves-that’s the Urinal and Constipation’s stock in trade.
Any person who is driven to succeed may do so because he/she is free to pursue those personal goals. That’s why some who never graced a college classroom have amassed fortunes while honor graduates of Ivy Leqgue schools have gone bankrupt or been invvolved in scandal.

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
3:34 pm

Thanks for all the feedback. Most was very classy. Do I give UGA a hard time? Yes. Do I believe they Owe the State more Black College Graduates? YES. UGA is a PUBLIC COLlEGE funded buy Tax Payer money. BAUSTIN676 You expressed some of what I said. That Like people congrate together, but UGA is a GOVT./PUBLIC/TAX PAYER funded college and therefore should have more DIVERSITY than it does. DUKE, VANDY, HOWARD admit who you want to because they are privite colleges, but my STATE run school should have a better record of Diversity. Does UGA recruit African American Students as hard as it recruits African American Athletes?

Jeff

April 21st, 2010
3:42 pm

since you closed comments on the arrest of punter- I will comment here: Seems to me if the message hasnt gotten thru to this kid after seeing two teammates go- he is either a complete idiot or doesnt take our coach serious. Maybe he needs to get the message we are sick and tired of all this crap. Hopefully Coach Richt sends him that message LOUD and CLEAR!

GT Bball Fan

April 21st, 2010
3:43 pm

Reality – Tech grad here, just one that understands reality. Funny that I have to point that out to you.

Engy – NASA enginneer’s starting salary will always be higher than a teacher’s, but the point is they both can be highly educated. Being educated isn’t always about the benjamins.

anotherdawg

April 21st, 2010
3:47 pm

Kim, UGA has to be very careful in the way they admit students. Please see link: http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/120901/opi_1209010001.shtml The Federal government is very strict about admissions procedures that favor anyone including minoritys.

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
3:49 pm

egeagle which RACE am I against? Our country is turning out uneducated masses with degrees. More White kids go to college because there are more whites, but shouldn’t more Black Students be in college instead of jail, prison, or a gang? More Students don’t go to schools like GIT & MIT because the Govt. public schools don’t make our children learn the hard subjects. Govt. schools just pass them along and the parents don’t demand better either. Many Colleges on the West Coast are full of Asians that couldn’t get into schools in their home countries because they didn’t have the grade. NOW, the kicker those same students are at the top of their classes in the US colleges. They may not be smarter, but they damn sure work harder. They are not DRUNK at 2:30am on a tue. morning getting arrested.

Tombo

April 21st, 2010
3:51 pm

GT Bball fan – agree with your statement. pointless to compare any schools. I went to UGA – kid goes to Tech. Both good schools…but train kids for different roles. Thus, the schools should have differences in admissions….just like an employer hiring an accountant looks for different skills and experience than an employer hiring a software developer. And…after a few years of job experience, nobody really cares where you went to school…your experience becomes more relevant.

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
3:55 pm

AnotherDawg I understand that. UGA doesn’t recruit the best of the best Black Students in GA because they don’t want them. If UGA wanted more diversity they could/would have it. Recruit the best students of all races like you recruit your football players. Is that PLAIN ENOUGH for the UGA masses?

Alphare

April 21st, 2010
3:58 pm

KimZ, Hines Ward is a half-blooded Korean, and he attended UGA.

anotherdawg

April 21st, 2010
4:03 pm

Kim, Did you read the link? UGA has been sued on numerous occasions for doing what you are suggesting. It’s not that they don’t want minorities. It is against Federal law to give anyone favoritism based on race, gender, etc. Please read the link.

Tombo

April 21st, 2010
4:06 pm

Wow – KimZ completed a post that we could read without total disregard for basic rules of grammar, punctuation and spelling.

UGA75

April 21st, 2010
4:17 pm

If UGA players are so dumb . . . why is Tech recruiting them too?

Baustin676

April 21st, 2010
4:21 pm

KimZ

Number 1 – Students are not recruited, they apply. Athletes and other specialty degrees will recruit, but don’t refer to the general population at UGA as being recruited because no state university recruits general students. I can’t believe I just had to say that.

Number 2 – And this is merely specualation on my part and I don’t have any numbers or research to back this up but…Do you think that the population discrepancies at UGA have anything to do with more HBC’s than any other state? (And prestigious ones at that.). My point is that Georgia is made up of a 30% African-American population, and UGA has 10% blacks that make up the student body. But Atlanta alone has 3 or 4 HBC’s which would cut into those black college student numbers greatly at a state funded university. Just a thought. I just think you are arguing for something that can’t be concrete. And there are no right or wrong answers to all of your questioning about UGA except racism (and the SAT). On that you are way off base. You have a right to want to better any particular race and it’s own developement but asking a state institution to now meet certain quotas (which is what you really want) is racist in and of itself a will not be for the betterment of ant society.

Dawglasville

April 21st, 2010
4:26 pm

KimZ’s Package- You hate Georgia. We get it. Why do you spend so much time on UGA blogs? Couldn’t you find something more positive to do with your time?

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
4:27 pm

BAUSTIN676 please read the AJC article from this weekend about kids and college. One College Flew an Applicant from his visit at one college to their college. Yes Colleges do RECRUIT STUDENTS VERY HARD for the BEST and BRIGHTEST. Your are crazy to think the only Athletes get SPECIAL treatment to attend a school.

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
4:32 pm

No the general student population is recruited. Is that why so many colleges advertise? I see the UGA MBA program all over the place. That is recruiting to get the best and week them out.

Baustin676

April 21st, 2010
4:33 pm

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
4:37 pm

I hate UGA football. I don’t hate UGA. I hate that UGA use my tax money and only tries to educate blonde chicks. I know the joke that when UGA’s library burned it was no loss because all the pictures were colored. That can’t be true but the fact that UGA is not printing an Annual is funny. Eban UGA students don’t want a book with nothing but pictures of White Fake Blonde Chicks. Now that is funny.

SE GA LADY

April 21st, 2010
4:38 pm

I honestly can’t believe that the AJC has not had anything to say about the SEC golf championship, which UGA won team and individual trophies. The AJC can’t say anything positive about UGA, and why in the world would you print scores from 2004-2007? That seems like a decade ago!!!

chc4

April 21st, 2010
4:39 pm

Did anyone actually think athletes wouldn’t have lower SAT scores? Those football players aren’t there to get a physics degree. Neither are Florida’s, Bama’s or anyone elses.

SE GA LADY

April 21st, 2010
4:40 pm

KimZ’sPackage obviously never attended an institute of higher learning but seems to know all.

AltamahaDawg

April 21st, 2010
4:40 pm

Would a college education require passing a cource on statistics?

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
4:40 pm

It has been interesting Poking Fun today. Just keep your players out of trouble and healthy until the season starts. Blessing and best wishes to all. Mother’s Day is coming up. Don’t forget MOM.

Delbert D.

April 21st, 2010
4:40 pm

Talk Damon Evans into scheduling the University of Phoenix. The game would have to be played using EA NCAA Football, of course.

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
4:42 pm

too funny Dilbert D.

Baustin676

April 21st, 2010
4:47 pm

And what’s wrong with gettng the ‘best and the brightest’. This is a college education, it is not a requirement by the state that you attend. Like I said and apparently you didn’t comprehend my last post, they will recruit for specialty reasons because every University wants the next prodigy so you made my point for me. And having advertisements for the university is not a concept that UGA came up with. Every school markets their own school. I’m sorry but I can’t argue with you anymore. You are so incredibly and deeply rooted in your own incoherent racism that you can’t see the fault in anything that you’ve said. You have absolutely no evidence to stake your claim of UGA approaching any form of racism. All state funded institutions are similar in their approach to this issue and in most people’s opinion, they are all working hard to quell any issue with racism. Whether it be admissions or whatever else your heart desires. Don’t separate UGA on your preconceived (ill mind you) notions that UGA is racist because you didn’t get or whatever your reason is. Looking for racism creates it…remember that.

Dawglasville

April 21st, 2010
4:49 pm

KimZ’s Package I don’t remember hair color being on my UGA application. That was 27 years ago. Maybe a lot has changed. You don’t have to be blonde to be fake but I’m sure that you know that. Maybe you should let this “blonde fake white girl” thing go. The sooner you do that the happier you will be. Happy Mother’s Day.

UGA75

April 21st, 2010
4:54 pm

Tech thinks that their standards are so much higher than UGA or any other college out there? A friend of my daughters will be attending Tech in 2010 on an athletic scholarship . . . I can honestly say that he is no smarter than any athlete that attends UGA or anywhere else for that matter. In fact, there were several people who were very, very surprised that he was admitted to Tech. I know this for a fact. So, don’t say that Tech doesn’t lower their admissision standards for athletes . . . they do, and you know they do.

Jasont13

April 21st, 2010
4:55 pm

For the record, 750K. The UGA Athletic Association is not affiliated with the school and pays a portion of all the coaches salaries. For instance Coach Richt’s salary may be 1 million and the actually state of GA may only pay 350K in which the remaining is paid by the athletic association. However Coach Richt and other have to do appearences, endorsements etc. So stop with all this non sense with all this money is being taken away from student programs.

Dr. Phil

April 21st, 2010
4:57 pm

If all schools held athletes to regular admission standards, we wouldn’t see any difference on the field and far fewer crimes and arrests off the field. Adams is really cranking up the heat for the NCAA job, but Georgia’s football academics and arrest record are going to bite him. Expect more expulsions for athletes in the next few month originating behind Adams’ $500,000 desk.

Jasont13

April 21st, 2010
4:57 pm

For the people that are bashing the heck out of UGA, you should look at the graduation rates and ACT and or SAT scores from other colleges. I can tell you as a former athlete that was on scholarship academic standards are lower for athletes at every school.

Dawglasville

April 21st, 2010
5:03 pm

football = slavery People are forced into slavery. You choose to play college football. If you don’t think it is fair then do something else.

Jasont13

April 21st, 2010
5:04 pm

KIMZ following you post about UGA should give blacks a better opporunity to get into school cause your tax dollars go to fund the school. Funny how you never mentiond Tech, cause its a state funded school and your tax dollars go to fund that school as well. So do you hate Tech as well.

Jasont13

April 21st, 2010
5:06 pm

DP, if your going to post numbers through a link as to where you got your numbers. I do bot believe Auburn and Alabama’s SAT scores were higher. I bet they are all about the same. As for the walk on punter. I played baseball at a well known D-1 school and there were plenty of times I went out and stayed out until 2 or3 in the morning and drank. Mainly because I didn’t have a class until 11 or 2 the next day.

Jasont13

April 21st, 2010
5:12 pm

DP, first off 926, 922 and 910 are all relative. If the numbers were off by about 50 points there you have a valid point. Plus look over this link. It is from December 2008 and it shows UGA football players average SAT score is 949.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/12/29/admit

DP

April 21st, 2010
5:28 pm

Jasont13, here’s the link to the 926 and 922 for Alabama and Auburn for 2004-06.

http://blog.al.com/solomon/2008/12/admission_qualifications.html

The 910 for Georgia is the average of the 2004-06 scores in Tim Tucker’s article.

I didn’t intend to suggest that the difference between 926, 922 and 910 is statistically significant. They’re close enough to suggest that admission standards for football recruits for all 3 schools are basically comparable, which is what I would have suspected. But often on these blogs I see a Georgia fan making an excuse for losing a player to another SEC school by suggesting that they couldn’t get into Georgia academically but the other school has lower standards. The numbers say that’s nonsense, at least with regard to Alabama, Auburn and Georgia.

4 ncs are better than 1

April 21st, 2010
6:24 pm

Maybe they can work with them and get them a job at the post office instead of being garbage men. Noticed ANOTHER dawg got arrested last night. And the beat goes on!

miledawg

April 21st, 2010
6:25 pm

To respond to KimZ:

I can assure y’all the the hierarchy at UGA agrees that we need more A-A students. And they are working hard to get those students. Unfortunately there is heavy competition for highly qualified black students and UGA has to compete with higher cachet schools (ivys, duke, vandy, uva etc) as well as HBCs. As for Asians, hell they can often write their own ticket, and that usually means ivys, caltech, stanford, mit. I foresee UGA having a good hispanic student base in 10-20 years as there will be a large pool of qualified latino h.s. grads who will be glad to go to uga.

as for the ‘white redneck’ and ‘fake blond chick’ stuff, it’s a shame KIm had to color what was otherwise thought-provoking comments with those epithets.

are you serious??

April 21st, 2010
7:29 pm

gt fans please quit sh*ting on our page.no one cares what you have to say.f*ck off.

Academic Dawg

April 21st, 2010
7:53 pm

Bring back developmental studies for football players! The classes they have now are too tough and Ga misses out on a lot of top recruits who end up at weak academic schools like auburn, tennessee, florida or alabama, costing the Dawgs a lot of wins! Get the easy classes back–I’m tired of minor bowls and 4-5 loss seasons! Do what bama and florida do—let anyone in who is good!

KimZ's Package

April 21st, 2010
8:52 pm

UGA75 Him\She? Get your lie stright like Micheal Stipe of R.E.M.