Collegeswimming.com ranks recruits according to a Power Index. If you haven’t done so, look at the rankings and times of recruits who have committed to your targets schools from this year’s class. Clicking on “(How’s this computed)” under the Power Index will quickly show you what you are up against.
Since there are only 9.9 men’s scholarships on a fully funded swim team, athletes whose families make less than 150K per year may find that they can attend one of the Ivy schools more cheaply than they could attend a “swim school” on a partial scholarship. Harvard had 5 in the top 50 and a couple more a few spots back. Most of these swimmers have best times that are fast enough to make an Ivy A Final. Other Ivy League schools that have excellent programs and great academics will be much more receptive to someone who is an excellent swimmer but not as fast as those who are recruited at the top Ivy teams.
Some D3 teams have excellent programs and facilities and for many athletes are a better balance of academics and athletics than elite D1 programs. Good luck on your quest and let us know what happens.