Do our athletes graduate? The National Collegiate Athletic Association

(NCAA) requires colleges to report the graduation rates of their athletes.

At one large university, 71% of all students who entered in 2000 graduated within six years. Seventy-three of the 117 students who entered with athletic scholarships graduated. Consider these 117 as a sample of all athletes who will be admitted under present policies. Is there evidence that the percentage of athletes who graduate is less than 71%?

(a) Explain in words what the parameter p is in this setting.

(b) What are the null and alternative hypotheses H0 and Ha?

(c) What is the numerical value of the sample proportion ^p? Of what event is the P-value the probability?

(d) The P-value is P = 0.027. Explain why this says there is some reason to think that graduation rates are lower among athletes than among all students.

Chapter 22 Exercises 499