Exploring academic performance: An examination of athletic reclassification from FCS to FBS

Abstract

ABSTRACT We examined the changes in academic qualifications of incoming freshmen to the general student population and the Academic Progress Rate (APR) of football student-athletes at universities who transition within National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Eight institutions that made the transition between 2012 and 2017 were included to see the changes in applications received, grade point averages (GPA) of the entire incoming class, and football team APR. Data analysis consisted of pre-and post-reclassification tests in 4-year and 8-year windows to explore the duration of changes. The results showed there was a significant increase in GPA of incoming students and a significant decrease in APR of football student-athletes. The findings suggest that the transition is positively correlated with the quality of students entering the general student population, while conversely having a negative correlation with football student-athlete academic progress metrics.