Pascarella , Ernest T . ; And Others TITLE

This paper estimates the effects of freshman athletic participation on reading comprehension, mathematics, and critical thinking controlling for pre-college aptitude and other influences. A group of 3,331 students from 18 four-year and 5 two-year colleges and universities participated in initial testing during fall of their freshman year. Testing involved pre-college surveys and the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP). Subjects (n=2,416) were given followup testing the following spring. Women and non-white students were over-represented, and nearly twice as many women participated as men. Intercollegiate athletic participation was found to have significant adverse consequences for the general cognitive development of both men and women during the first year of college. The analyses for women showed somewhat less pronounced and extensive general effects than those for men. In particular, males participating in football and basketball experienced net declines in reading comprehension and math skills during their freshman year while students in other sports and non-athletes showed net gains. The study raises questions as to the educational wisdom of allowing freshmen to participate in varsity level intercollegiai:e football and 'asketball. (Contains 40 references.) (GLR) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************