<p>“It is unfair to not consider this and to think that because some number attached their name is not as high as some average, that they have nothing to contribute to a great school.”</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone is trying to make the case that they don’t have anything to contribute … obviously they do. Whether that something is academic is, in some cases, debatable. </p>
<p>I think ND AL’s point is the important one. Many universities use their athletic recruits to help rake in millions of dollars, but don’t compensate them even for the full cost of attendance (per NCAA rules), and don’t even make a pretense of giving them the academic qualifications for life after college. </p>
<p>The reality is that someone who scores 18 on the ACT and spends a huge amount of time practicing and playing football is most likely going to need some academic attention to be successful at Notre Dame. Let’s hope that as they admit students with more academic need, Notre Dame does not shirk that responsibility.</p>