<p>We all know recruited athletes from Harvard get in for free, and that almost all of them apply early action to Harvard, but how many (###) are there that get in early from athletic recruiting?</p>
<p>^^^ You’re very misinformed. Ivy League Conference rules stipulate that an athletic recruit cannot receive more aid that a non-athletic recruit. Hence, no merit aid for athletes – only need-based aid – just like all other students at Harvard.</p>
<p>See: <a href=“http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/information/psa/index[/url]”>http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/information/psa/index</a></p>
<p>[The</a> Official Website of Harvard University Athletics: Harvard Athletics - GoCrimson.com](<a href=“http://www.gocrimson.com/landing/index]The”>Harvard University - Official Athletics Website)</p>
<p>Harvard has 41 athletic teams. If you go through each individual roster, you can count up the number of seniors, which will give you an approximate number of available spots for freshman. For example, looking over the Football Roster, 22 seniors will be graduating next fall, which would leave approximately 22 openings for incoming freshman.</p>
<p>^ but that would overestimate the number of recruited athletes … most of the teams, especially the in the “minor” sports, include a lot of walk-ons.</p>
<p>[Athletics</a> committee recommends axing four varsity teams - The Brown Daily Herald - Serving the community daily since 1891](<a href=“http://www.browndailyherald.com/athletics-committee-recommends-axing-four-varsity-teams-1.2549814#.Tqx6AmC9dBU]Athletics”>http://www.browndailyherald.com/athletics-committee-recommends-axing-four-varsity-teams-1.2549814#.Tqx6AmC9dBU)</p>
<p>According to this Brown University Daily Record article from April, 2011, Brown is reducing the number of athletic teams from 37 to 34 and slashing it’s athlete admission spots from 225 to 195.</p>
<p>“The report also includes a recommendation to decrease the number of recruited athlete admission spots from 225 to 195.” (26th paragraph)</p>
<p>Based upon Brown’s info, I would guess Harvard, with 41 teams, probably recruits about 250+ athletes per year . . . and most of those would now be applying SCEA.</p>
<p>^ Correct. As an example, the fencing squad carries about 30 athletes on the combined M and W rosters, or about 8 per class, but the coach only gets 3 slots/year.</p>
<p>If I am applying EA solely on academics and there is a recruited athlete in my school applying EA, are my chances affected? I assume/hope they are not.</p>
<p>No – you and the recruited athlete are not competing for the same “role.”</p>
<p>What does that mean? Well, think of a high school musical director who is choosing a cast for a show. Let’s use “Urinetown” as the example. The director needs to cast so many males, so many females, so many sopranos, altos, tenors etc. They need to cast for particular roles. </p>
<p>Admission to a top college works pretty much the same way. In a very real sense, you aren’t competing against everyone in the applicant pool for admission; you’re competing against those who can play the same “role” or “roles.” So, at most top colleges, about 15% of the places will be reserved for athletes. If you’re not an athlete, those spots are not for you. About 10% will go to internationals; if you are a US citizen, those spots aren’t for you either. Some places will go to underrepresented minorities (URM’s). Again, if you’re not a URM, that’s not a role you can play. </p>
<p>If you’re applying EA solely on academics, then you are competing for that “role” (not that of an athlete).</p>
<p>^^ This. Well said.</p>
<p>On a random sidenote gibby, I was in Urinetown! I played Caldwell, and it was one of my absolute favorite productions!</p>
<p>But in all serious, I agree with what you (Gibby) are saying. When I went to visit Harvard, one of the current students told me that a friend of hers grew up in the professional circus. That friend applied to only one school–Harvard–and got in. The point of the matter is, Harvard seeks to balance its incoming class with an eclectic group of individuals. Athletes bring one important thing to campus. You will bring another. What school you come from, while important, is not a deciding factor if you both can contribute something unique to campus.</p>