Spartan Student-Athletes Excel In Graduation Success Rate and Federal Graduation Rate
12/2/2021 2:49:00 PM | General
For the fourth consecutive year, Michigan State has established an all-time high with a four-year Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) of 80%, according to data released by the NCAA on Dec. 2. MSU's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 92% tied the school's all-time high, established last year. This year's data includes the 2011-12 to 2014-15 freshman cohorts for the four-year totals and 2014-15 for the single-year rate.
"I'm immensely proud of the effort and focus our student-athletes display every day," said Alan Haller, MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics. "Their academic success is tangible proof of our culture of excellence within Spartan Athletics."
An all-time high nine sports posted a 100% GSR, including men's basketball, men's cross country/track, men's golf, men's tennis, rowing, women's golf, softball, women's tennis and volleyball.
Michigan State's 80% FGR is 10th-highest among Power Five conference peers and fifth-highest among public institutions in that group.
Thirteen sports had a four-year FGR that ranked in the Top 20 of Power Five conference schools, including eight in the top 10. Field hockey, hockey and women's tennis all ranked first among their peers.
"These numbers are, once again, a testament to our Spartan programs and the emphasis put on developing and supporting a well-rounded experience here," said Todd Edwards, Executive Director, Student-Athlete Support Services. "First and foremost, it's a tribute to the students themselves and the effort they put into their academic and career pursuits while balancing their athletic demands. Our coaches and department staff who bring them here and support these students throughout their journey, along with our campus community, reflect why MSU is such a special place. These particular cohort rates are also due in very large part to the foundation of support created by my predecessor and dear friend, the late Jim Pignataro, whose legacy lives on through these graduates."
The FGR is the proportion of first-year, full-time student-athletes who entered a school on athletics aid and graduated from that institution within six years. This federal rate does not account for students who transfer from their original institution and graduate elsewhere. The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation provides a more accurate look at student-athlete success.
