For my research project, I plan to discuss the effects that being a student athlete in college has on academic performance and success. Other branches of my research question will include the effects of current and past academic policies on student athletes, the prevalence of cheating and falsifying grades in order to continue playing, and also some possible solutions that will help student athletes to be more successful in class. The positions regarding my topic are very polarized. The two primary sides taken on this argument come from either those who are big supporters of college sports or a population specializing in the education of these athletes. My project will include evidence for each side of the argument surrounding my topic and will conclude with why reforms must be made in order for student athletes to be successful after graduation, since the vast majority of them will not continue their sport as a career. Specific studies conducted by institutions will be helpful in defense of my thesis because actual statistics will show positive and negative correlations, depending on the study, rather than just having opinion articles to back up the claims I will make. 
