With students diligently preparing for the upcoming exam period, many of them consider this the most stressful time of the year. Late hours, caffeine and dark circles under the eyes are all indicative of the late- March, early-April time period.

But what happens when you throw varsity athletics into the equation?

For many athletes in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), balancing academics with the demands of high-quality sport is extremely taxing. As a fourth-year law student and member of the men’s basketball team, Cole Hobin said experience is one key factor in the discussion.

“It’s challenging at times, but as you get older over the years and go through it, you get a better grasp of it and pick up things that work and realize what doesn’t,” Hobin said.

Ravens forward Brandon MacLean of the men’s hockey team said hard work is the best way to overcome this challenge.

“There are definitely times when you need to put in some long hours at the library and just put your nose to the grindstone in order to get things done,” MacLean said.

But it seems that not all varsity athletes are willing to put forth the same work in the classroom as they do on the playing field.

A recent report from the San Francisco Chronicle claims that varsity athletes at Stanford University were given special access to a closely guarded class list beginning in 2001, which was designed to offer easier courses to those dealing with the strain of both athletics and academics. The list was distributed by the Athletic Academic Resource Center, which ensured that other university departments remained oblivious to its existence.

“There are little exceptions here and there. If you have a playoff game, for example, you can get a day extension or so, but in terms of a separate class list, I think everyone should be treated the same way,” MacLean said. “We’re students first, and I don’t agree that athletes should get preferential treatment.”

Officials at Stanford now seem to agree with this viewpoint. Circulation of the infamous list, entitled “Courses of Interest” was ended by the university in early March.

As the bench boss of the women’s basketball team, Taffe Charles agrees with the thought that athletes should take the same courses as other students. He said the coach plays a vital role in ensuring that players stay up to speed with their studies.

“I am always studying the players to make sure they are keeping up with school work and managing their time well,” he said.

Players on the women’s basketball team are required to achieve a B-minus average if they hope to avoid study hall sessions during the year. If they can hit that mark, they become eligible to obtain athletic scholarships as well. Since his appointment to the head coaching role in 2007, Charles said he has never recruited a player who has had trouble reaching that grade. If players do require extra help, tutors are available to them, courtesy of donations from the Ravens alumni.

“In order to build a successful program, the players have to be around. If they can’t play because the marks aren’t good enough, then they obviously can’t help us do well,” he said.

In addition to the coaching staff keeping an eye on the players, Hobin said there are a variety of “different outlets” in place to help athletes who may be struggling in the classroom.

“Carleton does a really good job in that respect,” Hobin said.