OK maybe I was wrong. It is complicated. Or the NCAA can't explain a formula in FAQ to save its life.
The APR seems to just provide an incentive to keep kids in school and eligible as long as possible. As such there is a slight advantage to the quarter system as long as people remain eligible.
Let's use Terry's example, but with quarters. (I'm assuming the calculation is the same.)
Start with 80, 68 remain at the end of spring. If those 68 also make it through winter, the APR is higher than a semester program with the same retention rate that academic year:
Fall points:Â Â Â 80 x 2 =160
Winter points:Â 80 x 2 = 160
Spring points:Â 68 x 2 = 136
Total achieved = 456
Total available = 160 x 3 = 480
APR = 456/480 x 1000 = 950 > 925
Schools are rewarded for keeping people eligible longer. Same situation but half of those 12 drop out winter quarter:
Fall points:Â Â Â 80 x 2 =160
Winter points:Â 74 x 2 = 148
Spring points:Â 68 x 2 = 136
Total achieved = 444
Total available = 160 x 3 = 480
APR = 444/480 x 1000 = 925Â (ruh, row, raggy; again same end of year retention but now the program is in trouble)
Schools are also rewarded for having ineligible kids try to regain eligibility rather than up and quit. That seems like a good thing. Assume instead of dropping out winter quarter, those 6 stay in school and since they can't play, they sit on the bench in street clothes, become morose, and fail out spring quarter anyway. But at least they were there; if only a name in a database.
Fall points:Â Â Â 80 x 2 =160
Winter points:Â 74 x 2 + 6 x 1 = 154
Spring points:Â 68 x 2 = 136
Total achieved = 450
Total available = 160 x 3 = 480
APR = 450/480 x 1000 = 938Â (same exact situation at the end of the year, but we have staved off sanctions)
The APR seems to just provide an incentive to keep kids in school and eligible as long as possible. As such there is a slight advantage to the quarter system as long as people remain eligible.
Let's use Terry's example, but with quarters. (I'm assuming the calculation is the same.)
Start with 80, 68 remain at the end of spring. If those 68 also make it through winter, the APR is higher than a semester program with the same retention rate that academic year:
Fall points:Â Â Â 80 x 2 =160
Winter points:Â 80 x 2 = 160
Spring points:Â 68 x 2 = 136
Total achieved = 456
Total available = 160 x 3 = 480
APR = 456/480 x 1000 = 950 > 925
Schools are rewarded for keeping people eligible longer. Same situation but half of those 12 drop out winter quarter:
Fall points:Â Â Â 80 x 2 =160
Winter points:Â 74 x 2 = 148
Spring points:Â 68 x 2 = 136
Total achieved = 444
Total available = 160 x 3 = 480
APR = 444/480 x 1000 = 925Â (ruh, row, raggy; again same end of year retention but now the program is in trouble)
Schools are also rewarded for having ineligible kids try to regain eligibility rather than up and quit. That seems like a good thing. Assume instead of dropping out winter quarter, those 6 stay in school and since they can't play, they sit on the bench in street clothes, become morose, and fail out spring quarter anyway. But at least they were there; if only a name in a database.
Fall points:Â Â Â 80 x 2 =160
Winter points:Â 74 x 2 + 6 x 1 = 154
Spring points:Â 68 x 2 = 136
Total achieved = 450
Total available = 160 x 3 = 480
APR = 450/480 x 1000 = 938Â (same exact situation at the end of the year, but we have staved off sanctions)
Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working .I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work. Peter Gibbons