"Harvard and other schools were calling every single week," recalls freshman Elliot Prasse-Freeman who was recruited by the men's basketball team. "It was like this extravagant and long drawn-out dating game."

By July, the quiet period begins. At this point, all schools must cease contact with the athletic prospects. This is the point at which the coaches visit the summer league games and evaluate the players. For a brief period, the elaborate competition to lure students subsides, and the recruits are given a chance to prove themselves.

The short respite from the recruiting process ends abruptly when school begins again, and the schools once again intensify their efforts with home visits. In these ritualistic events, the coaches generally meet with the parents of the recruit and run down a laundry list of what their particular programs have to offer. If the prospects are still interested at this point, the university pays for trips to the college campus, which gives the students a feel for the university and helps them to make the difficult decision.

At this juncture, the two recruiting processes diverge. Large schools with impressive athletic programs emphasize the facilities, professional exposure, high-level competition, and, of course, the possibility of an athletic scholarship.

As for the Ivy League, the stress is put on the academic opportunities and name recognition of the school. The attraction of a name like Harvard or Yale can certainly not be underestimated despite the lack of financial compensation.

"There's definitely natural compensation in the fact that it is an Ivy League school," says sophomore Dan Farley, who was recruited by the football team as a receiver. "Plus, I had a great time on the recruiting trip and could not find a good reason not to come to Harvard."

Prasse-Freeman, who was also recruited as a point guard by nationally ranked basketball programs like Stanford, echoes these sentiments.

"Basically, Harvard offered the best mix of academics and athletics," Prasse-Freeman says. "Sure, there is definitely a trade-off to turning down money from another school, but coming to Harvard is a much longer-term investment."