Athletes should not have different requirements than the average college applicant for admission into universities. By allowing athletes to have more lenient requirements for college admission, universities are perpetuating the belief that athletes don't have to work hard in school and can skate through life on athletic talent alone. Not only are the universities perpetuating this stereotype that athletes are not, and cannot be as smart as the average student, they are setting the athletes who aren't smart up for failure in a competitive college environment. They aren't at the level of the other students enrolled in the university. Athletes should not have more lenient admissions requirements because it perpetuates the belief that they can rely on athletic talent alone in an environment in which they would or will fail alone.

Athletes should not have different requirements because if they need the university to lower standards, they obviously aren't prepared for the academic level of the university. Universities are hurting the athletes by placing them in an environment in which they are most likely going to fail. "However, this is not the case at many schools and this study provides additional evidence that universities should be cautious in giving preferential admissions treatment to athletes. Individuals less prepared for college have lower grades and admitting athletes unprepared for college may make it extremely difficult for them to succeed." If they do get through college, it is with a diluted education filled with easy classes that their coaches selected so that they would guarantee NCAA eligibility. "(1) Ernest L. Boyer, former president of Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, said, 'I believe that the college sports system is one of the most corrupting and destructive influences on higher education. It is obscene, and there is no way to put an educational gloss on this enterprise.' In short, as currently structures, big-time sports are not compatible with education."(2) If these athletes were to get injured, they would find themselves without the help of the athletic department in a university for which they aren't academically prepared. Also, other students might carry around bad feelings towards athletes because of their preferential treatment and athletes may endure hostility from their classmates. This creates an uncomfortable learning environment for all students. Universities should not lower academic standards for athletes because they are not prepared for these prestigious universities and probably, will fail and drop out and further rely on their athletic ability in the future. In a nation that idolizes athletes, especially college athletes, colleges are
only perpetuating the idea that these athletes don't need to work hard in the classroom and can take the easy ride on their athletic talents.

In our society, athletes and non-athletes have been separated and stereotypes have been created and sustained labeling the athletes as the unintelligent brutes who need assistance to get into schools. James Shulman and William bowe wrote the book, The Game of Life: College Sports and Educational Values, which is about athletes getting into colleges based on athletics alone. "But today's small college athlete isn't what it used to be. In 1951, male athletes averaged 36 points lower on the SAT than their classmates. By 1986 the gap had widened to 118. One of the many suspicions Shulman and Bowen confirm is that a unique ethos-a "jock culture"-has been institutionalized on campuses and has disturbingly changed the image of the student-athlete: 'Those who play college sports have different expectations from the time that they entered college, different priorities in the classroom, and different views as alumni of what the priorities of college should be." (3) If we continue to admit these athletes without making them prove themselves academically, younger generations will continue to idolize these athletes who, in extreme cases, don't even know how to read. "At one point, newspapers focused on a star college athlete who, when asked what he would do with a large professional contract, said he intended to hire someone to help him learn to read." (4) As role models to young kids and impressionable teenagers, universities must stop the pattern of athletes and their tendency to skate through on athletic talent alone. If colleges don't hold athletes responsible for academic material, the division between athlete and non-athlete will continue to grow and it will only increase as years go on.

Athletes should not have different standards for college admissions because it perpetuates the stereotypes and labels of different kinds of students. Also, while every student can use a different angle to get into college, it is unfair that athletes still have the upper hand in a difficult college process. Athletes should not have different requirement for college admissions; universities should make athletes meet the high standards set instead of lowering standards to admit academically unprepared athletes.

Citations:

(1) Keil, Jack."The relationship between athletic participation and academic performance: evidence from NCAA D3." Applied Economics.April 15, 2000.

(2)Eitzen, D. Stanley. "Slaves of Big-time college sports." USA Today. Sept2000.

(3)Rose, Matthew. "Good Sports." The Weekly Standards. Feb. 26,2001.

(4)Nathan, Joe."Taking on the NCAA-We Can change the world." Phi Delta Kappan. Dec2000.

"The relationship between athletic participation and academic performance: evidence from NCAA D3." This article is written by Jack Keil about a statistical study between athletes and non-athletes on various topics. It gives statistical charts about things such as: GPA, GPA by sport, and class loads.

The National Study of Intercollegiate Athletes (NSIA)- This organization provides information on Division I athletes' academic performance.

The Cooperative Institutional Research Programme- This organization provides information on graduation rates and post-college earnings for athletes and non-athletes comparatively.

"Taking on the NCAA-We Can change the world." Phi Delta Kappan. Dec2000. by Joe Nathan. This article discusses the problems of the NCAA and possible solutions and suggestions for reform.

The Game of Life by James Shulman and William Bowen- This Book is about how athletes aren't what they used to be. It talks about how athletes expect things to go their way, instead of working to get thing to go their way.