Which of the following processes is involved in determining which students become athletes in schools?

The filtering-out process is a significant mechanism that determines which students become athletes in schools. This process involves evaluating and eliminating students at various stages based on their abilities, interests, and performances in sports.

In many school athletic programs, there are often more students who wish to participate in sports than available spots on teams. As a result, schools implement this filtering process through tryouts, training sessions, and evaluations to identify those who demonstrate the necessary skills, commitment, and potential to compete at a higher level. This serves not only to select teams but also to foster competition, helping to improve the athletes' skills over time.

While other options might suggest different influences in the athletic landscape, they do not capture the systematic approach to selection that the filtering-out process does. For instance, high academic achievement awards recognize students for their academic performance but do not directly relate to athletic participation. Administrative decision-making refers to broader organizational choices that might impact sports programs but does not specifically address the selection of individual athletes. Popularity contests imply a less meritocratic approach that is dependent on social standing rather than ability or skill, which contrasts with the objective nature of the filtering-out process that focuses on tangible sports capabilities.