Research exploring the experiences of college student athletes has traditionally revealed low levels of academic achievement and success. This was especially true of minority college athletes, who demonstrated lower graduation rates than their majority counterparts. However, more recent data suggests the reverse of this trend may now be true. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity, gender, athletic participation, and college adjustment in 207 freshmen and sophomore college student athletes and non-athletes. All participants completed questionnaires assessing background demographics, athletic status, and college adjustment. Findings revealed gender and athletic status were significantly related to college adjustment. In addition, gender and race/ethnicity significantly interacted, and were related to scores on college adjustment. Implications for retention policy and future research are discussed.
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