<p>^^^</p>
<p>That is true…I’ve met many students over the course of my life who’ve taken easy majors and “basket-weaving” courses at college.</p>
<p>Allowing athletes to register first is not done to award a “perk” or benefit to an athlete. (Although it is often pitched that way). It is a necessity in order for them to get their classes. NCAA athletes are required to report for practice usually at 2:30 or 3:00pm, on 4 to 5 class days per week (plus weekends). It is very difficult to schedule all classes so that the academic day, including discussion sections, ends by 2:00 or so, without some extra priority in registering.</p>
<p>It doesn’t make much sense to be critical of athlete grad rates, and at the same time be unwilling to accomodate them in registering for the classes they need to graduate.</p>
<p>mom2-Here’s a link to Alabama’s General Studies major. Consumer Science is another big Alabama football major.</p>
<p>[General</a> Studies](<a href=“http://www.ches.ua.edu/academics/gen_studies.shtml]General”>http://www.ches.ua.edu/academics/gen_studies.shtml)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Because of this (from 2007):
</p>
<p>of course, most schools lose money on their athletics programs.</p>
<p>I recall that while Bob Huggins was basketball coach at Cinc the graduation rate was…zero. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[Bob</a> Huggins - Just Win, Baby | College Basketball by Collegehoops.net](<a href=“http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/story/bob_huggins_just_win_baby#]Bob”>http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/story/bob_huggins_just_win_baby#)</p>
<p>Most people who major in “general studies” are people who are non-tradtional students who go back to school after many years to get a degree for their job or job promotion. At Alabama, “general studies” is not a Major. The major is “human environmental sciences”.
There are plenty of “gut” majors on every campus. At the Naval academy they call English and History majors “bull” majors. They have those at every school. Look at Brown - they don’t have any requirements. I guess if you are Ivy League you can get away with that.</p>
<p>
ding! ding!</p>
<p>I just wanted to correct an error where someone said that Lafayette had scholarships in Football. None of the Patriot league teams do so in football. From Lafyette’s financial aid website.
“Lafayette offers athletic scholarships in four sports: mens and womens basketball, mens soccer, and womens field hockey. Recipients are selected based on athletic talent as well as the ability to meet Lafayettes rigorous academic standards. Compliance with NCAA regulations and continued participation in the sport are required. Scholarship recipients are required to file the FAFSA each year in order to determine and maximize federal and/or state eligibility.”
Also when talking grad rates in basketball it need to be noted that tranfers and students leaving to go pro are counted as not graduating and bring the rate down. Also basketball players don’t redshirt like football players and the graduation rate is not for four years i believe. I have two daughters who participated in college sports. One in the Patriot league and one in major division one sports division at a large public. Both graduated in 4 years but it was much more difficult at the public and just because she was given an athletic priority for scheduling did not mean she was guaranteed to get the classes she needed. Also not all team activities were in the afternoon. She had weight training early morning three days week. She did have access to all kinds of perks for athletes and the team was proud of all of its academic successes.</p>
<p>I should have added that Huggins makes $1,500,000/year plus incentives and endorsements.</p>
<p>And where DS played, the athletes do get priority registration and lots of help making sure their schedules allow them to be at all practices and meetings.</p>
<p>“Also basketball players don’t redshirt like football players.”</p>
<p>I personally know basketball players who have redshirted.</p>
<p>This was freshman year ? Basketball has limited scholarships compared to football and what you are calling a redshirt is usually injury related.</p>
<p>To correct a common, silly misconception: Brown doesn’t have any general education requirements. It does require all degree candidates to have completed a major, and each major program or department imposes its own requirements for successful completion of the major.</p>
<p>It’s nice to know that Navy students consider History a “bull” major. Reflects really well on that institution (and on the larger institution of which it forms a part). But somehow I suspect that a History major at Annapolis is a tad more demanding than a “human environmental science” major at Alabama.</p>
<p>waterlogged, I stand corrected. I thought Lafayette had a limited number of football scholarships - apparently not. This is ironic as football was the founding reason for the Patriot league, and the idea of whether a school as small as Laf could continue to field a competitive D1 football team was hotly debated about 10 years ago. There was serious consideration given to ending football, or going to D3. The team is still D1 and is quite competitive in the Patriot League this year, I thought they used scholarships to achieve that goal but I guess they didn’t!</p>
<p>“This was freshman year?”</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>Just to be sure, I double-checked. The boy is clearly listed as a redshirt freshman on the team roster.</p>
<p>Redshirting is so common in Div. 1 football–many schools now require all but superstars to do it, so they can gain weight and strength–that broadcasters and journalists refer to “true freshmen” because they are the exception.</p>
<p>It is much rarer in basketball, where roster sizes and scholarshiops limits are much smaller, and I have only heard of it where the athlete does not meet academic eligibility standards or is injured.</p>
<p>my 3 sons</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I went to that link and that doesn’t suggest some super easy basket-weaving major. It’s a major called “General Studies in Human Environmental Sciences.” General Studies in Human Environmental Sciences is the study of the laws, principles, and ideals concerning the physical, social, economic, political, cultural, and ethical environments of individuals and families including the study of interactions between people and their environments.</p>
<p>Human Environmental Sciences is the study of the laws, principles, and ideals concerning the physical, social, economic, political, cultural, and ethical environments of individuals and families including the study of interactions between people and their environments.</p>
<p>The curriculum in General Studies in Human Environmental Sciences enables students to integrate knowledge from all areas of the field and prepares them for employment or further study. Students choose one of two options.</p>
<p>The general studies option is designed for those interested in careers in cooperative extension, government, human services, utility companies, or an area of the communications field. Courses are selected in consultation with an advisor.</p>
<p>General Studies in Human Environmental Science - Areas of concentration:
Agricultural Safety & Health
Consumer Conflict Management, Negotiation, & Mediation
Interactive Technology
Quality Management
Restaurant, Hotel, & Meetings Management
Rural Community Health
Sport Management </p>
<p>I would argue that an elementary ed major is not any more difficult, and I doubt any here would “pooh pooh” an athlete pursuing that major.</p>
<p>I have known several people to get degrees in consumer science. So, before you “pooh pooh” that one, too, please know that such a degree is often used to become a certified financial planner. (A very good friend got that degree from CSULB to become a financial planner.) The Consumer Sciences curriculum allows students to select a concentration in either family financial planning and counseling or consumer affairs. Both options provide tremendous job opportunities for consumer-oriented professionals.</p>
<p>SAMPLE CURRICULUM FOR THE CONSUMER SCIENCES MAJOR</p>
<p>FRESHMAN YEAR </p>
<p>Courses Hours
EN 101 and EN 102 (or EN 103) (FC) 6
HES 100 3
Computer science (C) or foreign language (FL) 3–4
History (HI) and social and behavioral sciences (SB) 9
Mathematics (MA) 3
Natural science (N) 4 </p>
<hr>
<p>31–32 </p>
<p>SOPHOMORE YEAR </p>
<p>Courses Hours
CSM 201 3
CSM 204 3
Computer science (C) or foreign language (FL) 3
Concentration 6
Electives 3
History (HI) or social and behavioral sciences (SB) 3
Humanities (HU) and fine arts (FA) 6
Natural science (N) 4 </p>
<hr>
<p>31 </p>
<p>JUNIOR YEAR </p>
<p>Courses Hours
CSM 401 (W) 3
Concentration 9
Electives 10
Humanities (HU) and fine arts (FA) 6 </p>
<hr>
<p>28 </p>
<p>SENIOR YEAR </p>
<p>Courses Hours
CSM 403 3
CSM 405 3
CSM 445 (C) 3
HES 310 3
CSM 459 3
Concentration 8
Electives 4
Writing course (W) 3 </p>
<hr>
<p>30</p>
<p>(W) = course fulfills the upper division writing course requirement. 6 credits required</p>
<p>(C) = course fulfills the computer course requirements.</p>
<p>(FL) = course fulfills the foreign language requirements</p>
<p>While the above may not be majors that Ivy-bound students would seek, they can and do lead to real jobs.</p>
<p>Here is an interesting (and sad) chart of major sports schools racial 6 year graduation gaps:</p>
<p>Grad Rates for African American Football Players: Selected Others
African- American Caucasian Difference
Florida 61% 86% -25%
Miami 61% 100% -39%
Michigan 54% 86% -32%
Alabama 48% 74% -26%
Auburn 48% 88% -40%
LSU 44% 71% -27%
Ohio St. 41% 72% -31%
Arkansas 39% 82% -43%
Texas 38% 67% -29%
Georgia 38% 76% -38%
Georgia Tech 36% 81% -45%</p>
<p><<i have=“” two=“” daughters=“” who=“” participated=“” in=“” college=“” sports.=“” one=“” the=“” patriot=“” league=“” and=“” major=“” division=“” sports=“” at=“” a=“” large=“” public.=“” both=“” graduated=“” 4=“” years=“” but=“” it=“” was=“” much=“” more=“” difficult=“” public=“” just=“” because=“” she=“” given=“” an=“” athletic=“” priority=“” for=“” scheduling=“” did=“” not=“” mean=“” guaranteed=“” to=“” get=“” classes=“” needed.=“” also=“” all=“” team=“” activities=“” were=“” afternoon.=“” had=“” weight=“” training=“” early=“” morning=“” three=“” days=“” week.=“” access=“” kinds=“” of=“” perks=“” athletes=“” proud=“” its=“” academic=“” successes.=“”>></i></p><i have=“” two=“” daughters=“” who=“” participated=“” in=“” college=“” sports.=“” one=“” the=“” patriot=“” league=“” and=“” major=“” division=“” sports=“” at=“” a=“” large=“” public.=“” both=“” graduated=“” 4=“” years=“” but=“” it=“” was=“” much=“” more=“” difficult=“” public=“” just=“” because=“” she=“” given=“” an=“” athletic=“” priority=“” for=“” scheduling=“” did=“” not=“” mean=“” guaranteed=“” to=“” get=“” classes=“” needed.=“” also=“” all=“” team=“” activities=“” were=“” afternoon.=“” had=“” weight=“” training=“” early=“” morning=“” three=“” days=“” week.=“” access=“” kinds=“” of=“” perks=“” athletes=“” proud=“” its=“” academic=“” successes.=“”>
<p>Waterlogged, did your two D’s play the same sport? Do you think the difference in their experiences was based on which sport each played (if they were different) or just the different level of athletic expectations between the large public and the Patriot League school?</p>
</i>
<p>I’m pretty sure basketball and football are in a separate league (so to speak) from track, volleyball, tennis, etc. Joke majors and low graduation rates seem to be a significantly bigger problem for the former than for the latter.</p>
<p>All of the arguments in this thread have some merit, in my opinion, except the argument that it’s just fine to go to college solely to play sports, even if one has no interest in getting an education. That attitude captures everything that’s wrong with big-time college sports. How anyone can make that argument with a straight face is really beyond me. In fact, I’m not sure I believe anyone on CC would say that seriously; I wonder if there’s a bit of ■■■■■■■■ going on.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>How is it any different than the one who goes to college “just to party?” And then gets kicked out because they didn’t care about going to class. There are people who go to college because “everybody goes to college” and those people have no interest in getting an education. Or the ones who go strictly for some sort of music?</p>