Duke takes its academics and athletics seriously. The University seeks the best the country and the world have to offer, whether in the classroom or on the field.
Studying and sports, however, do not always go hand-in-hand, University officials say.
In a self-study report of Duke athletics mandated as part of the NCAA certification process, one of the concerns highlighted by an internal committee is the academic gap between student-athletes and the student population at large.
Although Duke is a model for other universities because it attracts student-athletes who are relatively strong in academics and graduates them at a near-perfect rate, the academic differences between athletes and non-athletes remain notable. According to the self-study, the varying levels of academic preparedness are particularly evident in student-athletes’ pre-college test scores.
“There is concern about the growing disparity that exists,” Vice President of Student Affairs Larry Moneta said. “The gap should not grow further, and we will monitor it and see if it reveals itself in lower graduation rates.”
The report includes average “standardized test scores” rated on the Scholastic Aptitude Test scale for incoming freshman classes between 2001 and 2003. The results are categorized by gender, race, ethnicity and athletic participation.
In the Class of 2007, the 768 male non-athletes averaged 1,438, as opposed to the 42 male student-athletes, who averaged 1,172. There was a similar disparity between the 786 female non-athletes and 37 student-athletes, who averaged 1,403 and 1,258, respectively.
Among the student-athletes who entered as freshmen in 2002 and received athletics-aid, the 22 football players averaged 1,063, the eight baseball players averaged 1,206 and the five men’s basketball scholarship recruits averaged 997. The 14 other male student-athletes receiving aid averaged 1,258.
The self-study states that “the basic standard of admission—ability to graduate from Duke—is the same for athletes as for all other applicants.” But with the caliber of students Duke attracts, other personal skills and qualities are taken into account when admitting students, Director of Admissions Christoph Guttentag said.
“The number of times where [ability to graduate] is the primary criterion... in offering someone admission to Duke I could probably count on the fingers of one hand every year,” Guttentag said.
He added that whenever the admissions office evaluates potential students based on considerations beyond academics—whether it be athletic, artistic or some other ability—“it’s not unusual to find a difference between their academic credentials and the rest of the student body’s academic credentials.
“It’s always a challenge to balance all of the different priorities of the University in the admissions process,” he said.
Relative to many other NCAA Division I schools, Duke student-athletes achieve higher marks on standardized tests and grades in high school. The disparity in test scores between athletes and non-athletes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is nearly 300 points for males and 150 points for females. Yale’s student-athletes, both male and female, lagged behind their non-athlete counterparts by approximately 100 points on standardized tests.
Vice Provost for Academic and Administrative Services Judith Ruderman noted that standardized test scores are not always the most accurate measure of academic success. She emphasized that graduation rates among athletes, which near 100 percent at Duke, are better indicators of student-athletes’ academic achievements.
Though the level of some student-athletes’ academic preparedness is not as high as that of many non-athletes, Duke helps compensate for that disparity with academic support services like tutors, officials said.
“The demands of some sports are so huge, our students are practicing and training so much, so we owe them some special attention,” Ruderman said. “They’re a little different from other students.”
The self-study also explained the admissions process for student-athletes, noting the difference from the standard process for all students. The admissions procedure for athletes is often considerably faster and earlier than it is for other students.
A candidate for basketball, for example, can be discussed and considered for admission with only a PSAT score and two years of high school grades. This particular process, however, does not apply to any other sport nor is it used for all basketball recruits. For most other athletes, the process begins during the summer before their senior year.
Junior Danny Miller knew in September 2002 that he would join Duke’s soccer team, but he had to fill out the application before formally being accepted with the Early Decision admits. Nonetheless, his application, along with those of other athletes, was “evaluated on a fast track,” according to the report.
“I think the fact that I was an athlete definitely helped me get into the school, but especially at a school like Duke, you can’t be nonfunctional in class,” Miller said. “There are definitely certain standards that Duke has that other schools disregard, and that’s what I think is different about Duke student-athletes. They’re equipped academically and athletically.”
But once student-athletes get to Duke, Miller said, there are academic opportunities that sometimes seem closed. He said he cannot take certain classes that meet during times he has games or practice.
Student-athletes, however, are also able to choose their classes before the rest of the student body, which makes it an acceptable trade-off, Miller added.
The self-study reported that academic opportunities and majors are not closed to student-athletes.
“There is no evidence that they take easier classes or avoid majors that are particularly challenging,” Moneta said. “It’s the same decisions that every student makes. You just take the path you’re interested in.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.