Academic Progress Rate Calculation

Below is the calculation of the Academic Progress Rate, which is from this USA Today article.

"The NCAA annually calculates an Academic Progress Rate (APR) for every team at every Division I school, using data collected over a rolling four-year period (from 2004-05 to 2007-08 in the most recent case). Teams failing to achieve a score of 925 are subject to penalties that become progressively harsh for repeat underperformers. After public warnings, they can face reductions in scholarships, recruiting opportunities and practice and playing seasons and eventually can become ineligible for postseason competition. The totals in each category of the following equation are tallied at the end of each term. Using the grand totals for the four-year period, this is the basic method for determining a team's APR score:

Step 1
Number of players who were eligible for the next term PLUS Number of players who returned to school for the next term or graduated

Step 2
Number of players on scholarship or who were recruited** MULTIPLIED BY 2

Step 3
DIVIDE figure from step 1 by figure from step 2

Step 4
MULTIPLY figure from step 3 by 1,000 and you have an APR score.

Eligibility

The NCAA requires athletes to pass a minimum of six credit hours a semester and make annual progress toward graduation -- completing 40% of their degree requirements by the end of their second year, 60% by the end of their third year and 80% by the end of their fourth year. They also must post a grade-point average that keeps them in good academic standing at their respective schools."

This was from the article by Erik Brady on 11/20/2008 entitled, "Athletes' academic choices put advisers in tough balancing act", USA Today.