Making the Grade

[cygnus34]

UM Nuggets - May

OMAR KELLY

Sun-Sentinel

Generally U folks could care less about anything that doesn't end with a score, but sticking to that theory I just wanted to mention Miami's impeccable APR score, which tracks each Universities graduation and progress rate for their athletic program.

Athletic director Paul Dee and the entire University is big on making sure every athlete leaves UM with a degree (which is why you usually don't see players being pushed out without a degree in hand) and it was reflected in their overall APR rate, which I believe was higher than every other school in the state.

Poor APR scores could result in yearly losses of scholarships, which is what Florida International is presently facing, and what the University of Florida could be looking at in basketball if some of the members of the 2007 national championship team don't finish out this semester strong.

To help you better understand the APR, which took a while for me to grasp, just remember it's not a snapshot of the school's academic portrait. It's a long study that's been ongoing for the past three years and comes out annually like a report card telling the public how much each school cares about educating its athletes. With that in mind it's safe to say the Hurricanes remain on the honor roll.

UM's men's basketball team (which was hit with a number of transfers before Frank Haith took over), the baseball team (which loses 75 percent of its junior to the major league baseball amateur draft), and the football team all scored marks above the Division I average with the football team scoring in the 80th-90th percentile.

In case you wanted to take a look here are UM's scores. 925 is the cut-off mark meaning scholarships can be reduced.

WOMEN'S SPORTS: Basketball (974), Cross Country (954), Golf (990), Rowing (987), Soccer (973), Swimming (972), Tennis (969), Track (974), Volleyball (986).

MEN'S SPORTS: Baseball (947), Basketball (938), Cross Country (1000), Football (966), Diving (1000), Tennis (959), and Indoor Track (983).

I find it continuously perplexing that UM does so well in all aspects regarding academic standards for their athletes but Miami's reputation is so tarnished I have to constantly battle misconceptions and inaccuracies when it comes to portrayal of UM's athletes.

[Sir Robert Peel]

UM Nuggets - May

OMAR KELLY

Sun-Sentinel

Generally U folks could care less about anything that doesn't end with a score, but sticking to that theory I just wanted to mention Miami's impeccable APR score, which tracks each Universities graduation and progress rate for their athletic program.

Athletic director Paul Dee and the entire University is big on making sure every athlete leaves UM with a degree (which is why you usually don't see players being pushed out without a degree in hand) and it was reflected in their overall APR rate, which I believe was higher than every other school in the state.

Poor APR scores could result in yearly losses of scholarships, which is what Florida International is presently facing, and what the University of Florida could be looking at in basketball if some of the members of the 2007 national championship team don't finish out this semester strong.

To help you better understand the APR, which took a while for me to grasp, just remember it's not a snapshot of the school's academic portrait. It's a long study that's been ongoing for the past three years and comes out annually like a report card telling the public how much each school cares about educating its athletes. With that in mind it's safe to say the Hurricanes remain on the honor roll.

UM's men's basketball team (which was hit with a number of transfers before Frank Haith took over), the baseball team (which loses 75 percent of its junior to the major league baseball amateur draft), and the football team all scored marks above the Division I average with the football team scoring in the 80th-90th percentile.

In case you wanted to take a look here are UM's scores. 925 is the cut-off mark meaning scholarships can be reduced.

WOMEN'S SPORTS: Basketball (974), Cross Country (954), Golf (990), Rowing (987), Soccer (973), Swimming (972), Tennis (969), Track (974), Volleyball (986).

MEN'S SPORTS: Baseball (947), Basketball (938), Cross Country (1000), Football (966), Diving (1000), Tennis (959), and Indoor Track (983).

I find it continuously perplexing that UM does so well in all aspects regarding academic standards for their athletes but Miami's reputation is so tarnished I have to constantly battle misconceptions and inaccuracies when it comes to portrayal of UM's athletes.

It is a private school and grades can be fudged much easier.  How thier football players get above 925 amazes me.