Does Athletic Success Influence Persistence at Higher Education Institutions? New Evidence Using Panel Data

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between athletic success and student persistence toward a degree. We build an updated panel of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions and utilize within‐institution variation to identify the effects of athletic success. Using a ranking of all institutions, we find that having more successful men's basketball and football teams has a significant positive effect on first‐year retention rates. We also find some evidence that improved basketball rankings increase graduation rates, and that success in the NCAA tournament may have a sizable impact on retention. Although the estimated effects are generally modest in scale, we find rather limited evidence of other institutional factors affecting persistence, suggesting that athletics can be one avenue for institutions of higher education to engage and retain students. (JEL I23, Z20, L83)

The role of football win percentage on college applications for Power Five and Group of Five schools

“…(2014) discovered that universities with higher ranked FBS football teams received higher assessment scores from faculty and administrators at peer institutions according to U.S. News and World Report. Studies by Mixon and Treviño (2005) and Hickman and Meyer (2017) also found a positive correlation between athletic success and increased first‐year retention and graduation rates at a university.…”

The impact of peer mentoring in first-year education students

“…Current research supports that students' sense of belonging is crucial for retention (Burke, 2019). Students who interact with peers through honors programs, intramural sports, or student clubs have higher retention rates and increased institutional satisfaction (Bowman and Culver, 2018; Hickman and Meyer, 2017; Weaver et al ., 2017). A crucial factor for academic performance is whether students, early on in their university lives, create social networks of fellow peers who provide psychosocial and academic support (Thiele et al ., 2018).…”

Using a Pre-entry Program to Increase Community College Student Athletes’ Self-Efficacy

“…In a study sampling 239 athletes at a midwestern community college, Pflum et al (2017) found that student athletes' athletic participation was a catalyst for their academic endeavors. Sports participation also encourages higher retention rates, most often seen with institutions with more successful athletic programs (Hickman & Meyer, 2017). Given the benefits of participating in intercollegiate sports, it is crucial that more researchers continue to investigate how to further support success and retention among student athletes.…”