Attending college is not only a chance for students to further their education, but it also allows them to experience the lessons that life has to offer. One of the hardest lessons to learn is how unfair life can be. Students who work diligently to achieve academic success in the classroom may quickly realize that their academic efforts are not “paying off” as much as the student-athlete who possesses the ability to kick a football fifty yards. There is a clear failure in the education system when the performance of the student-athlete and how he or she contributes to a winning season is more valuable to the university than the college student who strives to earn his or her degree with distinction. Students who focus their efforts on an academic education are not rewarded with the same benefits, resources, and advantages as their student-athlete counterparts. College sports are a major revenue-generating industry. Athletic programs and their student-athletes can achieve national recognition and generate millions of dollars in revenue for their university. Colleges use this revenue to invest in players, fund their education and provide state-of-the-art training facilities, which serve to improve their athletic performance. As revenue-driven colleges begin to prioritize athletics, the emphasis on the quality and standards of undergraduate education is diminishing. Compromising their academic admissions requirements, universities have now found that the educational capabilities of their newly accepted student-athletes are insufficient to say the least (Gurney). The same universities must then spend millions of dollars to provide these athletes with "learning specialists", who in turn help them meet academic requirements and maintain their eligibility (...... middle of the 'article......Chester E., Jr. "The Cost of College Sports Commentary 112.3 (2001): 53. Web Resource Center November 29, 2011. Gurney, Gerald S. "Stop Downcasting." the bar for college athletes." Chronicle of Higher Education 57.32 (2011): A30. Academic Search Premier. November 29, 2011. Jensen, Mark, et al. "Athlete Stigma in Higher Education." College Student Journal 41.2 (2007): 251-273. Potuto, Josephine (Jo) R. and James O'Hanlon. “National Study of Student-Athletes on Their Experiences as College Students.” (2007): 947-966 Web. November 21, 2011. Wolverton, Brad, Eric Kelderman and Kate Moser. “Spend a lot so that athletes can succeed. » Chronicle of Higher Education 55.2 (2008): A1-A23. Premier Academic Research. Internet. November 21. 2011.