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Academic Progress Rate Explained

What is the APR and how is it calculated?

While the idea of a more contemporary and accurate measure of a team’s academic success sprouted in the early 2000s as part of a comprehensive reform effort, it wasn’t until the 2004 NCAA Convention that what is now one of the most recognizable acronyms in the NCAA was officially adopted.


The APR is calculated as follows:


Teams must earn a four-year average APR of 930 to compete in championships.?




While postseason bans are commonly applied as a penalty in the NCAA enforcement process, they are not considered as a penalty for poor academic performance. Instead, the requirement that teams achieve a minimum APR is simply a benchmark for participation in championships. Just as teams must win in competition to be eligible for championships, they must also achieve in the classroom.


In 2015, 1124 teams (696 women’s teams and 428 men’s or mixed squads) were recognized for academic achievement.