Am I a potential Wharton admit?

ivyparent43
Fri, 21 Feb 2014 22:44:39 +0000

Given the ability that you mention at rowing and soccer, would you consider yourself a college level skilled athlete in either of those sports? If so, I’d suggest using one or the other to raise your chances of admittance at Penn or any other Ivy.

Ivies are NON- athletic scholarship / NON-merit scholarship schools, so when they recruit with the hope of getting highly skilled athletes to attend, they need the student athlete to want to attend because of that school’s excellence / prestige alone — UNLESS you’re a skilled athlete BUT financially needy, in which case your documented financial need will be met.

So, if you’re a legit athlete contact the coach for that sport. They can in theory help lower the admissions bar a bit…and if you’re admitted then your financial need should be met.

Example: Lebron James, had he chosen to attend college instead of going straight to the NBA, and had the grades + test scores, would’ve been admitted to any Ivy under “less strenuous criteria” than the typical applicant. Being from a poor family in Akron, Ohio he would have received zero $ in athletic scholarships at an Ivy, but being so poor he would have received very heavy financial aid.