This fall the Academic Progress Rate, a formula that the National Collegiate Athletic Association developed to measure the academic performance of its member teams, will go into full effect. Known as the APR, the formula consists of two variables: academic performance (which requires satisfactory grades and timely progress to a degree) and student retention. While well intentioned, the new rules--which have previously led to only warnings from the NCAA but which will now result in sanctions--have already had some unintended consequences for students and athletics programs alike. Unfortunately, the progress requirements have trapped many student-athletes in the majors they chose as freshmen, while the retention benchmarks punish even well-run sports programs for events beyond their control.