<p>Teacher recs and essays play larger roles for athletes because Admissions realizes that the grades for recruits are on average lower than the rest of the admitted class, therefore they look elsewhere on the application for reasons to admit the student to their school. As much as the Ivies deny it, their standards are lowered for athletes. I would know. There is no way I would ever have gotten into Yale if it were not for Track, my kick-ass essays, and my amazing teacher recommendations.</p>