Around two-thirds to three-quarters of varsity athletes in the Ivy League are likely letter recruits.
A "likely letter" is a communication sent by college admissions offices to inform applicants that they are highly likely to be admitted, as long as nothing changes before the official admissions deadline. While likely letters are commonly used for athletic recruits in the Ivy League, they are also sent to outstanding non-athlete applicants. These letters serve as a reassurance that the applicant has a place waiting for them before official acceptance letters are released.
The Ivy League schools, despite competing at the Division I level, do not offer athletic scholarships. Therefore, likely letters are used as a means to indicate to athletes that they will be accepted into the school without the need for a National Letter of Intent. Around two-thirds to three-quarters of varsity athletes in the Ivy League are likely letter recruits.
Likely Letters for non-Athletes
Likely letters are not exclusive to athletes. Institutions can send them to candidates regardless of their athletic status. These letters are used by Ivy League schools to secure highly sought-after applicants and prevent them from committing to other schools that may send earlier acceptance letters or generous financial aid offers.
Likely letters are particularly important for Ivy League schools because they do not offer merit scholarships or similar incentives. Instead, these schools send likely letters as a signal to exceptional applicants, indicating their strong candidacy. The goal is to attract and retain the most talented students in a competitive landscape.
Likely letters are not limited to Ivy League schools. Other institutions, such as the University of Virginia, Smith, Clark, and Grinnell, also send out similar communications. However, it is important to note that likely letters are only received by a small, elite group of applicants who align with the school's priorities. The majority of non-athletes admitted to these schools do not receive likely letters.
It is crucial for applicants to understand that likely letters cannot be obtained through any specific actions beyond what they have already submitted in their applications. These letters are a targeted form of marketing employed by competitive schools to attract and secure exceptional candidates.
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