Many people are aware that athletes have special privileges. People have either heard about it, have seen it on TV or in movies, or have even experienced it first hand. If for some reason, student-athletes do not or cannot meet certain academic requirements, the coaches will aid them to neglect these requirements so that the student-athlete can play on the team. Various times, the student-athletes will get away with more than just breaking the rules. Student-athletes can have grades changed, can break the law and not get penalized so they can stay on a team. It is not right that student-athletes can over-ride these rules due to their athletic ability only.
             The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) has set rigid requirements for students so that they may profit from the learning atmosphere colleges and universities have to offer. Unfortunately, these rules are not always effective. Some student-athletes and universities try to get around the regulations through outright cheating. Students and sports programs, with the encouragement of their schools, work their way to sidestep these rules. Doing this may be in the best interest of coaches and athletic departments, who want to keep the best players eligible, but it rarely is in student-athletes' best interest. Student-athletes wind up without legitimate education and with limited job prospects after their eligibility is used up.
             At many colleges, coaches and athletic departments apply pressure on professors and academic deans to do what is necessary to keep student-athletes eligible. The result is that many student-athletes take the minimum of academic courses and never exert themselves in schoolwork. Student-athletes are famous for taking courses in which it is relatively easy to make good grades. Even the brightest student-athletes face pressure to avoid tough courses so the student-athletes will not be distracted from athletic training and practicing...