For Those Who Know

[4everwarriors]

Harvard, like the other Ivies, does not give out athletic scholarships. Yet, student athletes are "recruited" by their coaches. Do the athletes receive grants in aid instead of scholarships? Or, is they're financial package more need based? Could it also be that the athlete is paying his/her own way and just competing for the glory of one's alma mater?
Also, is it reasonable to assume that a student athlete "recruited" by an Ivy, may be of above average intelligence, but not necessarily one who fits the academic profile of said university?

[mviale]

Penn has had its fair share of NBA players over the last 30 years.  They usually take this kids with huge scholarships and some are just wealthy and pay their way.  Penn often had top 10 teams in the 70's when the likes of Harter and Daly were coaching there.  Its all about the coach.

[bma725]

Harvard, like the other Ivies, does not give out athletic scholarships. Yet, student athletes are "recruited" by their coaches. Do the athletes receive grants in aid instead of scholarships? Or, is they're financial package more need based? Could it also be that the athlete is paying his/her own way and just competing for the glory of one's alma mater?
Also, is it reasonable to assume that a student athlete "recruited" by an Ivy, may be of above average intelligence, but not necessarily one who fits the academic profile of said university?

Very rarely do student athletes at the Ivies pay their own way....or at least very rarely in a sport like basketball.  All of of those players are receiving some sort of "academic" scholarship that takes care of nearly all of their tuition.  A friend of mine's younger brother was a Harvard basketball player a few years ago, and everything was taken care of in terms of tuition, room and board etc.  All he and his family had to pay was books.

And yes, they do have much lower standards for athletes than for the general population.  But it changes from school to school and sport to sport.  Princeton mens b-ball will have lower standards than say....Dartmouth women's golf.  But even though the standards are lower than for their normal students they are generally still much higher than any other school in the country.

[rocky_warrior]

At the Ivies, all scholarships are "need based" - that's a requirement of the conference.  Of course, I'm sure there's always a way for a coach to prove the "need".  I've got to imagine that if the school hires a high-profile (yet humbled) coach from a major conference - that coach may demand a little more relaxed requirements on what the "needs" are