<p>@CheesyMonkey “This does slightly modify my views of these schools. I don’t think schools with credentials such as Ivys should allow certain students to fly under the radar when it comes to grades just because they’re good athletes.”</p>
<p>Believe me, nobody is flying under the radar. Sherpa gave a great overview on the academic requirements of Ivy athletes. My daughter graduated from Harvard with honors and was a recruited athlete. Like Sherpa’s son - her academics in HS would have given her a decent chance in the general applicant pool, but being a nationally ranked athlete in addition to strong academics was a powerful combination. </p>
<p>You have to understand, the subset of top athletes with great academics is very small. Harvard (and the rest of the league) believes that these individuals can bring value to the college and student body. If that lowers your opinion of the Ivy League (which is an athletic conference), there are colleges out there that admit almost solely on test scores and GPA without consideration of the other unique talents that the applicant may bring. </p>