A Pennsylvania player dunks against Harvard University during a NCAA men’s college basketball championship game in the Ivy League Tournament in 2018 in Philadelphia. (AP)
Another bomb has struck the college admissions process. Rather than a Supreme Court decision, this time it’s research from a group called Opportunity Insights consisting of Harvard University economists who study inequality. Their research found that recruited athletes have an advantage in college admissions by virtue of being needed on the playing fields — and those same applicants tend to be wealthier, sometimes very wealthy.
The connection between wealth and superior athletic performance isn’t that hard to trace. Participating in sports can cost quite a bit and price out poor families. Research from the Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan found that “only 30% of students in families with annual household incomes of less than $60,000 played school sports, compared with 51% of students in families that earned $60,000 or more a year.” Just participating in sports is out of reach for many, much less excelling at them.
Advertisement
While most people will decry this as an equity problem, I see another wrinkle: a character consideration. Recruited college athletes actually don’t have to play. Yes, they’re expected to, but if they’re not tied to playing because of financial need, in other words, because of a sports-based scholarship, then they can quit and remain on campus as any other student would.
Schools in the Ivy League don’t offer and have never offered athletic scholarships. Neither do Division III colleges. If their families can swing the tuition, any recruited athlete to these schools doesn’t have to spend a day on the pitch, the ice, the mound or in the pool. And there’s no consequence for skipping out on their agreement.
Advertisement
If recruitment confers such an advantage in admissions, then it should be a binding contract that comes with liability like all other legal agreements.
[ Editorial: Legacy admissions at colleges are more complicated than they appear. They won’t fully disappear. ]
The numbers on this are hard to track, mostly because elite colleges and universities don’t report how many athletes quit. The Harvard Crimson, Harvard’s student newspaper, reported that as many as 25% of athletes in the Class of 2020 quit their teams, but that number included recruited and nonrecruited athletes.
Chicago Tribune Opinion Weekdays Read the latest editorials and commentary curated by the Tribune Opinion team. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
As of 2019, approximately 8 million students play high school sports, and only about 2% of them will be offered a scholarship to play, a rough proxy for the number of recruits, leaving out Ivy League and Division III athletes.
College is a time when students explore areas of study and activities that were previously unavailable to them. Many recruited athletes play another sport that wasn’t available at their high school. Or they discover a love for a subject no one’s taught them so far, or an activity they hadn’t thought of before. Expanding one’s knowledge and experience is central to the intellectual and spiritual growth we want for college-educated students.
At the same time, it’s unacceptable to make a promise to secure an advantage and then break that promise when it becomes inconvenient. But that behavior is reinforced again and again on elite campuses when recruited athletes quit.
That’s one of the worst lessons an institution of higher learning can offer, not just to students who make these commitments but also to other students who may see that wealth and entitlement confer advantages with little accountability.
College sports generate billions of dollars, but they’re not the sole mission of higher education institutions. Colleges create citizens. Letting recruited athletes bypass their pledge to play teaches a very bad lesson to young people who are lucky enough to be recruited.
Leelila Strogov is CEO and founder of Atomic Mind, a college admissions consulting company.
Advertisement
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
We must insist that recruited college athletes actually play
- Advertisment - 
Recent Comments
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on The Rev. Al Sharpton to lead protest after Florida governor’s ban of African American studies course
on Sports World Hails ‘Superwoman’ Lindsey Vonn for Her Grand Comeback Despite Career-Changing Injury
on San Mateo County Community College District sues five companies over role in ‘pay to play’ scandal
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on ‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Violet’ Fan Theories Suggest Legendary Time Travel, Alternate Dimension Plot
on Joe Manchin and Tommy Tuberville introduce bill on name, image and likeness rules for college sports
on Inside the Michael Jordan ‘Air’ movie, plus why NFL, others are buying into the sports film industry
on If you’re a frequent traveler, these wrap tops from Aday will revolutionize your on-the-go wardrobe
on How Does Jack Nicklaus Travel? Exploring the Private Jets Owned by the ‘Golden Bear’ Over the Years
on Hollywood Reporter: Tom Cruise negotiated with movie studios over AI before the actors strike began
on Ford Blue Cruise: US regulators investigate fatal crashes involving hands-free driving technology
on Dozens of boats cruise the Seine in a rehearsal for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 26
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Boise State vs. Air Force live stream, odds, channel, prediction, how to watch on CBS Sports Network
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Carlos Sainz’s Soccer Fanboy Emerges as Spaniard Shares Defining Moment With This Real Madrid Legend
on Biden: ‘At this point I’m not’ planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on Ahead of big sports weekend, dispute with Disney leaves millions of cable subscribers in the dark
on A heavy wave of Russian missile attacks pounds areas across Ukraine, killing at least 4 civilians
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on Army vs. Coastal Carolina live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez Spreads Joy and Sportsmanship to the Youth of Loma de Cabrera
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year, more than in 2019
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on Dave Portnoy: Taylor Swift’s security should ‘drag Kim Kardashian to jail’ if she attends Eras Tour
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports, Serie A announce new TV rights deal; Paramount+ to air over 400 Italian soccer matches
on Cam Newton’s Violent Public Incident Draws Hilarious Reaction From 3x All-Star: “Where Do I Sign Up
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Angel Reese Launches Foundation Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Sports & Financial Literacy
on A weaker dollar, skyrocketing prices and ‘record’ visitor numbers: Good luck in Europe this summer