professional journal 1

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Tim Mellstrom Professional Journal 1 Med. If Athletes on top ranked teams lack grades and test scores of other students.

This article deals with division one-college athletes participating in football and basketball. The typical college athlete enters college in the bottom quarter of their class. The article goes on to say that athletes are allowed in only because of their athletic ability. Most score below the rest of the college students on the ACT and SAT. Their grade point averages would not be at an acceptable level if they were a typical student applying for admission; most schools make exceptions or have exceptions for college athletes. In order for the athletes to graduate, most have a watered down curriculum, special tutors, and study halls. These athletes are not students attending school for an education but rather are attending school to play sports.

Arguments on behalf of the athlete say that athlete needs special programs because of their rigorous schedule. They practice for several hours a day, they spend many hours traveling which takes away the time needed for studying. The other argument is that sports or athletics is a part of the educating of people and that the student athlete is learning valuable lessons while participating in sports.

I would have to agree that a lot of the athletes are attending school, primarily to play sports and secondly for getting an education. I don't think it is fair that student athletes should be given preferential admissions because they are an athlete. They should have to meet the minimum requirements that are expected of all students attending that college.

A good example is the alleged wrong doing at the University of Minnesota and their men's basketball program. If this is true, which it sounds like it is, it really is a shame that people would resort to this type of activity for the sake of having a successful athletic program. If athletes are their just to play a sport, then their should be some other institution for these athletes rather than wasting the tax payers money for education. The educational institutions are there for people who want to expand their knowledge base and prepare themselves for a career. The universities by allowing these athletes to slide through are exploiting their talents. They are not preparing them for success but instead setting them up for failure. There are very few college athletes that make it to the professional level. Those that do, congratulations and good for them, but the vast majority that don't will have to go out and find a job. These individuals will have a hard time due to the fact that most of the time they were given preferential treatment and did not have work for anything.

It's time to get these athletes working, rather than giving everything to them!

-- Anonymous, April 16, 1999


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