USC's overall GSR next year is projected to reach 83% and then move to 85% in 2017. Last year, USC's rate was a then-best 80%. The current 81% rate is 14 percentage points higher than it was 10 years ago.Seven USC sports had a GSR above 90%, including women's basketball and women's golf at a Pac-12 leading 100%. Three other USC sports ranked second in the Pac-12 (women's water polo at 96%, women's crew at 94% and baseball at 91%).
Men's basketball had an 82% GSR, a jump of 15 percentage points from the previous year and tying it with Stanford for fifth in the conference.
"I am really proud of the work our student-athletes have done in the classroom in getting our overall GSR to an all-time high," said Dr. Magdi El-Shahawy, USC senior associate athletic director in charge of Student-Athlete Academic Services. "They have shown a true commitment to excel in all aspects of their lives, athletically, academically and in our community."
USC's football GSR is at 58%, primarily because of a low rate from the talented 2005 class that had 10 of its 16 members not finish their graduation requirements within the six-year GSR calculation period. Many of them left school early to prepare for the NFL. That class, which went to four consecutive Rose Bowls, had seven members play in the NFL.
USC's future GSR figures in football will trend upward. Next year is projected to be 66% and then 70% in 2017.
"Our current football GSR is a victim of our on-field success back then," said El-Shahawy. "Of the 71 players in the 2005 to 2008 football cohort, 41 of them graduated in the six-year GSR window. Of those who didn't, 22 competed in the NFL. Ten left USC within one semester of graduating and four came back to USC after the six-year window to get their degrees. Next year, when the 2005 figure will no longer be part of the calculation, our football GSR will rise significantly.
"At USC, we remain committed to having all student-athletes graduate. We are in touch with many former student-athletes who haven't received their degrees to encourage them to return to USC's classrooms after their pro careers are completed."
