What is the purpose of the Academic Progress Rate (APR) and how can it affect a program?

• A. It measures the travel efficiency of a team.
• B. It measures the academic success of a team's student-athletes; poor APR can lead to penalties like restrictions on scholarships or postseason participation.
• C. It measures the athletic performance of a team.
• D. It determines attendance at games.

Answer: (C)

APR, or Academic Progress Rate, is an NCAA measure of how well a program supports its student-athletes academically. It tracks whether players on athletic aid stay on track to graduate and maintain eligibility, incorporating factors like retention and progress toward a degree over time. A low APR signals that the program isn’t ensuring adequate academic progress, and the NCAA can impose penalties such as restrictions on scholarships or postseason participation to incentivize improvement. So the purpose is to monitor academic success and progress—not travel efficiency, athletic performance, or game attendance.