How extensive are SLU's academic support services

[3star_recruit]

compared to other private schools? Other than Seyfert, every player we lose seems to be to academics. I could understand that if SLU had the academic rep of a Stanford or Vanderbilt but we're not at that level. It seems if the kid isn't a strong student or highly motivated to improve his station in life, he can't handle the student-athlete responsibilities at SLU.

[Sheltiedave]

3star, the tutoring, study halls, and one-on-one attention available to the athletes are at the level where Brad has graduated every player who did not transfer to another school for his entire tenure. They were rated in the top 5% three years ago for support systems, the last rating I saw. A student who has these services available really decides his own fate.

[3star_recruit]

"3star, the tutoring, study halls, and one-on-one attention available to the athletes are at the level where Brad has graduated every player who did not transfer to another school for his entire tenure"

I guess what I'm asking is that do so much to the strength of our academic support services or the fact that the vast majority of our players were honor roll students coming in?

[TheRaginCajun]

"Brad has graduated every player who did not transfer to another school for his entire tenure"

That was not the case last year.

[NashvilleBilliken]

I've been out of school for a few years, but when I was there I believe you could go get tutored in just about any subject for free. Also, I never had a teacher who wasn't willing to spend any amount of time necessary to teach you the subject.

I have no sympathy for anybody who flunks out of school. I cringe when I think about how little effort I put into school and how many braincells I lost. Yet I still passed without taking advantage of the aforementioned services. It takes some effort on the students part if they want to graduate college. It take more for some people than others. But it's not like passing freshman core classes is brain surgery. If HD was unable to keep up acedemically during his first semester, i doubt he ever could.

[DoctorB]

Actually, the first year (even the first semester) is the toughest, in terms of acclimating and predicting success and graduation.

Most loss occurs during the first year. At SLU, our loss of students has risen dramatically recently, so much so that it has become a priority. from the Provost's office on down.

I am glad that some say how easy college is but perhaps you underestimate what is at stake for kids who have not benefited from a middle or upper class background and 12 years of Catholic or middle-class public schooling.

Yes, it is very much about attitude and commitment. but issues of economics and family background come into play as well. It is hard to compete in a marathon race when you give some runners a ten-mile head start.

I am very very sad to see any SLU student struggle and eventually leave the university, but retention of Freshmen at SLU right now is hovering around the 90% mark, last I heard (It may even be in the range below 90%). What that means is that around 100-150 freshmen will not return for their sophomore years. (Freshman class this year approx. 1550 or so, I think.) It is sad, yet not actually that uncommon, for regular freshmen to drop out. let alone all of the other demands placed on student athletes.

someone said that we have very strong support systems for athletes but #1 I am not altogether certain that that is the case; and #2 even if we do have adequate support, that 10-mile head start is sometimes hard to overcome--especially when habits and demands cut into it. This is why recruiting good STUDENT-ATHLETES is so important, character and otherwise. See Coach Carter. Offer Eckerle. Bring ins quality guys and do not offer thugs, or as one person put it last summer, guys who can "jump out of the gym, whether they can read or onot." These are all good moves, but sometimes desparate situations means heightened risks.

[jjray]

We might not be Stanford or Vandy but SLU is still a difficult acedemic school (and increasingly so). Not having a physical education major to shelter athletes in makes it even tougher. I'm not advocating we start a PE major just for this purpose. But our recruits need to be screened to a higher level on acedemics than at other schools. It's just something we have to accept and deal with.

[StLouBlue]

I wonder how many of these academic problems are related to lack of playing time. If a kid is not getting off the bench and realizes at some point during the season, that transferring is his next step--going to class & doing the reading/homework are probably not getting done. Especially since it is not his money he is wasting at that point.

[pompeytir]

>>our recruits need to be screened to a higher level on acedemics than at other schools. It's just something we have to accept and deal with.<<

If they're extensively screening recruits for academics then SLU is going to have an even tougher time recruiting. There is enough valid complaints about the recruiting and now there is a flag raised about wanting SLU to make sure they have acadmic all-americans on the team. It's impossible to have a balance unless you are an established power and SLU isn't that. I hope UB keeps taking chances on kids he feels can succeed academically if they really want it and at the same time bring in some high upside/chance kids. If Dixon had worked out I think he would have been a big impact player in a couple of years if not next year.

[volfan]

The problem with a having a PE major is that it is not easy as it use to be to be a PE MAJOR. YOu have to take all these sports medicine classes now and A/P to go along with the education courses. If you wanted to get a easy major, they need to major in education to be a history teacher that is the easiest major there is. This is just my opinion, but since I work in the department of education at WM, this is how I see it. Even if we had a PE major here at SLU, it would not be a cake walk like some people think.

Here is our requirements at William and Mary for Kinesiology(PE)major

http://www.wm.edu/registrar/UGCatalog/Kinesiology.pdf

[billiken_roy]

i think that dixon was a flyer taken on a pure athlete with little basketball sense and skills. if it works, who knows what he turns into. from watching him in games, he was out of position a lot, seemed to be running in wrong directions etc. he just isnt a basketball player at this time.

the system he might work sooner in is one like mi$$ouri that seems to be nothing more than players creating chaos and frantic decisions with wild hustling defense. but even then, he has to have some ability to play basketball on those trips down the floor that turn into a half court game.

[tseugnekillib]

As mentioned several months ago (on this board), I spoke with a South Carolina D1 head coach about HD, shortly after HD committed to SLU. That head coach stated HD was very athletic and improving as a player. However, the head coach also stated (and this was not posted) that he could not get HD admitted to his university.

Botton-line.....SLU was willing to take a chance on a recruit who evidently had academic issues and it didn't work out! Some will workout, some won't. SLU tried, and HD tried, but it didn't happen. Too bad, because HD seemed like a good kid.

Personally, I think HD was at least 12 months away from being a big help on the court. HD could run and jump, but he was not an experienced player. Hopefully his scholarship will be put to good use this Spring/Summer.

[RealisticBilliken]

I blame noone but the player if he can't hack in academically at SLU. Its not a tough school if you are taking general business or communications (it was farrrrrrrrrrrrrr easier then high school).

And the moron who said SLU has 10% drop out rate is just stupid. A large portion of those who leave, transfer to other schools, not drop out.

Its very hard for me to feel sorry for someone getting a full-ride to go to a fabulous academic school, for free, and not even be able to hack it one semester. HD was a long way away from seeing extended time on the court, but his atheleticism would have been nice to have. It's gonna suck not having him, but he has noone to blame but himself.

If he couldn't get admitted to SC, that should have said something to Brad right away. HD, you have noone to blame but yourself.