Study Links Athletes' Low Grades With Attitudes

A new study examines characteristics of athletes across divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association who have the lowest grades. The study found that these athletes:

• Viewed themselves as athletes more than students
• Thought about their sport more than academics
• Expected a professional or Olympic career (excluding Division III student-athletes)

The authors of the study argue that their findings point to the importance of educating athletes about the long odds of professional athletic success (or even participation).

The study -- by Kurt Beron and Alex Piquero of the University of Texas at Dallas -- appears in Social Science Quarterly.