Spring Break
Personal Foul! Low Test Scores
Low test scores for Kent State football's incoming recruiting class
Mitch Cooper
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: News
With the economy at one of its lowest points in decades, paying for college is
becoming more and more difficult. To get a scholarship you have to get good grades. Well maybe not.
Last month the Kent State Golden Flashes football team signed 23 players to its 2009 recruiting class. All 23 were given full-ride scholarships. That pays for their tuition, housing, food and even their books.
Kent State Athletic Director Laing Kennedy said those scholarships are well deserved.
"I would hold the standard of this department against any department on this campus, we're higher," Kennedy said. "We are one of the jewels of this university academically."
But just how bright does that jewel really shine?
We filed a public records request to the athletic department getting the forms of every football player who visited Kent State. Those forms include players' ACT and SAT test scores. We then matched the players to their scores.
Finally, we talked to the Director of Admissions, Nancy Dellavecchia, asking her what it takes to get a scholarship.
"We recommend that students have a 21 on the ACT or a 980 on the SAT," Dellavecchia said. "Now for scholarship purposes, students need to have a minimum of a 21 on the ACT."
Some players' recorded ACT scores in the 16s, 15s and even a 14.
Dellavecchia said incoming students with these scores most likely wouldn't receive scholarships.
"No. You wouldn't be eligible for scholarships at that range."
We asked Kennedy for his thoughts on these low scores.
"Now keep in mind too, alright, many, many students who are admitted to Kent State University with an ACT score, maybe there is a learning deficiency," Kennedy said." Maybe there are other factors that went into the admitting standard. See we do not set the admitting standard."
We didn't ask the director of admissions how many students with learning disabilities get full-ride scholarships. But we did discover the athletic director doesn't like being asked about athletes on full scholarships with low-test scores.
"These are tough questions gentlemen. I wish I'd had time to prepare for this kind of an interview," Kennedy said." I feel somewhat attacked here."
becoming more and more difficult. To get a scholarship you have to get good grades. Well maybe not.
Last month the Kent State Golden Flashes football team signed 23 players to its 2009 recruiting class. All 23 were given full-ride scholarships. That pays for their tuition, housing, food and even their books.
Kent State Athletic Director Laing Kennedy said those scholarships are well deserved.
"I would hold the standard of this department against any department on this campus, we're higher," Kennedy said. "We are one of the jewels of this university academically."
But just how bright does that jewel really shine?
We filed a public records request to the athletic department getting the forms of every football player who visited Kent State. Those forms include players' ACT and SAT test scores. We then matched the players to their scores.
Finally, we talked to the Director of Admissions, Nancy Dellavecchia, asking her what it takes to get a scholarship.
"We recommend that students have a 21 on the ACT or a 980 on the SAT," Dellavecchia said. "Now for scholarship purposes, students need to have a minimum of a 21 on the ACT."
Some players' recorded ACT scores in the 16s, 15s and even a 14.
Dellavecchia said incoming students with these scores most likely wouldn't receive scholarships.
"No. You wouldn't be eligible for scholarships at that range."
We asked Kennedy for his thoughts on these low scores.
"Now keep in mind too, alright, many, many students who are admitted to Kent State University with an ACT score, maybe there is a learning deficiency," Kennedy said." Maybe there are other factors that went into the admitting standard. See we do not set the admitting standard."
We didn't ask the director of admissions how many students with learning disabilities get full-ride scholarships. But we did discover the athletic director doesn't like being asked about athletes on full scholarships with low-test scores.
"These are tough questions gentlemen. I wish I'd had time to prepare for this kind of an interview," Kennedy said." I feel somewhat attacked here."
Low Test Scores for Recruiting Class/Mitch Cooper/KentNewsNet.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 27
Mike B
posted 4/17/09 @ 5:04 PM EST
What a joke! I got a good score on my ACT and got $1,500 off my tuition. While I'm paying back $50,000 in college debt these kids who cant even put a sentence together will be off scott free just because they can catch, most likely drop, a football. (Continued…)
Robin Anderson
posted 4/18/09 @ 7:16 AM EST
Can you spell...'elitist'?
Brian Fellows
posted 4/18/09 @ 7:17 AM EST
Dude that was a great story. Thanks for raising the bullshit flag on these retards.
JW
posted 4/18/09 @ 9:30 AM EST
That's bull s***!! I was salutatorian of my high school graduating class & had the highest ACT score in my class. All I got was a couple thousand lousy bucks off of tuition. (Continued…)
Doug Martin
posted 4/18/09 @ 1:01 PM EST
This story is trash!
T. Lincoln
posted 4/18/09 @ 4:15 PM EST
Wow! Not surprising that those on athletic scholarshops get a bit of a break on admission- most schools follow this practice - but this seems to be a pretty low standard. (Continued…)
KSU Fan
posted 4/18/09 @ 5:12 PM EST
This story IS trash. We don't need investigative reporting on our own campus. We don't need our own students attacking our athletic department, which is one of the biggest parts of this school. (Continued…)
KSU Fan is a Complete Idiot!
posted 4/18/09 @ 7:50 PM EST
KSU FAN are you serious? Isn't it the job of a journalist to investigate? The reporter didn't make KSU and the athletic department look bad, they did it with their actions! The reporter was unbias and fair. (Continued…)
Mark
posted 4/18/09 @ 8:13 PM EST
As much as I love KSU athletics, way to hit him them hard Mitch! It should be noted that the QB we signed in this class had offers to play for Ivy League schools, so there is at least one bright kid in the group!
Dean24
posted 4/18/09 @ 11:08 PM EST
The KSU Athletic Dept. is one of the worst in the MAC. Every team does this though, they give full rides to players who don't deserve it. That's college football. (Continued…)
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