Research is quickly showing that college football graduation rates are higher these days. Maybe it is because parents are once again being harder on their kids to succeed academically and not just athletically. Perhaps it is due to the higher incidences of people getting hurt, even in their high school and college years, on the football field. Or perhaps it simply lies in kids wanting to enhance their experiences and knowing that football will not last forever but an education most certainly can.
Perhaps it is due to colleges paying more attention to the academics behind these players and wanting them to succeed more. Or maybe it is caused by teachers instilling a love of learning in these kids. Whatever the reason, and chances are high that all of these reasons come into play, the college football graduation rates are higher than they have been in a long time, and both parents and kids are rejoicing. Teachers and even football coaches are as well, since they all understand that a higher level of education is necessary for any football player to succeed at any level of the game.
These college football graduation rates compare quite well with the overall college athlete graduation rates too. This includes soccer players, college baseball and softball players, kids playing tennis and golf, and pretty much every other college athlete too. Historically speaking, the college graduation rates for athletes in other sports have been higher than they are in football, for whatever reason. But now college football graduation rates are much more on par with these other graduation rates by college and by sport, proving that football players are just as likely to succeed as their college athlete counterparts. This is music to parents’ ears, to teachers’ ears and to virtually everyone else’s ears as well. It means that kids can still play the sport and earn decent grades, upping the college graduation rate throughout the country overall for football players.
The same can usually be said for community college graduation rates, which also are gaining steam and higher numbers, but historically speaking the college football graduation rates in question are those that are from four year colleges and universities. Most community colleges lack sports teams and football in particular, simply because of cost. But they do stack up quite well with these rates and offer further proof that our education system from a college and university based perspective in this country is looking better and better every day.