Baylor student-athletes again lead Big 12 in Graduation Success Rate

As fans pore over Big 12 championship scenarios and college football playoff rankings, the latest Baylor ranking shouldn’t go unnoticed. Baylor Athletics achieved the Big 12’s top Graduate Success Rate (GSR) score again in 2014, proving once more that Baylor’s athletic excellence extends to the classroom — and prepares Bears and Lady Bears who don’t go pro with a foundation for success after their playing days are over.

Baylor has received the top honor four times, last pacing the Big 12 in 2008, and has finished no worse than second for six of the last eight years. Graduation Success Rate is an NCAA metric aimed at more accurately gauging student-athletes’ academic success. As opposed to a more simple graduation rate, the GSR accounts for transfers and midyear enrollees, rather than counting them with their old school, and doesn’t penalize colleges for students who transfer elsewhere.

Why are Baylor Bears and Lady Bears so successful? It’s certainly a credit to them and the caliber of student-athletes Baylor attracts. If you were to travel with a Baylor team on a multi-day trip, you’d undoubtedly find athletes in hotel lobbies or common areas, studying and keeping up with classwork amidst their games. But it also speaks to the university and athletics department itself — from Baylor Student-Athlete Services, which helps athletes juggle the dual roles of student and athlete, to professors who take the time to assist them in their courses, answer questions and keep up with classwork despite the demands of travel.

Sic ’em, Baylor student-athletes!