<p>Our D is a senior and is just now starting to think about running xc in college (late, I know.) She has not yet contacted the coach. </p>
<p>XC isn't critical to her, but she'd like the opportunity to run with the team. Her times seem comparable to some girls on the team at the NESCAC school where she will apply EDI and she's recovering from a surgery so her times are improving a lot with every race. </p>
<p>She isn't seeking coach support for admission and won't apply for aid.</p>
<p>An admissions advisor suggested to her this week to contact the coach. What does that mean exactly? We don't know or understand the lingo. Would she be a 'walk-on'? </p>
<p>How and when does she go about asking if she can run with the team?</p>
<p>She should just express her interest in the way that you have–she’d like to run, her times are ____, she’s applying ED, and she’s not seeking support just wants to know if she’d be able to run for the team if she’s accepted. I think now would be a great time to email the coach.</p>
<p>Thanks. That’s reassuring and about what I figured. Regionals are tomorrow, so once her time & rank are posted I’ll suggest to her that she send an email to the coach.</p>
<p>I’m not 100% sure that it’s applicable across all sports but I know my son filled out a questionaire on the websites of all of the schools he was interested in applying to. It was usually in the specific team section of the athletics tab. Maybe since you’re coming in a little late to the party it’s not important…but I think starting there and following up with an email to the head coach might be a good way to get the ball rolling.</p>
<p>It is not too late because there is ED2 at least at some schools. My S is still in frequent communication with 3 NESCAC schools while he finishes up a couple OVs at D1s. I would send the emails and fill out the questionaires and see what transpires. A coach may decide they want to help you with admissions and that does not hurt. We know a female athlete (track) who did not communicate with any schools until December of her senior year and then had OVs at more than one ivy and ended up at one of the best ivys. So anything is possible, and it is better for females.</p>
<p>Definitely e-mail coach with times, interest and plans to attend the school if she is admitted. We found the questionnaires to be a waste of time by senior year, but put all of that typical info into an e-mail. This will at least put her on the radar for the coach and he/she will let you know if x-country is a requirement or not or what the walk on/try-out process may be. They can also let her know if they will tell her if she has a roster spot up front or if there are numerous athletes competing for a few select openings. Many schools will require runners for 1500m on up to be part of the cross country team, 800 runners can sometimes opt out if they also run shorter distances but better to know the situation up front. I do not know if NESCAC schools are different but some schools like to brag that all of their track athletes are on athletic scholarship, even if it is just books. So while you should say she will attend if admitted, I wouldnt actually say you dont want to be considered for any type of scholarship.</p>
<p>You may want to broaden your scope and email the coaches at similarly academic LACs such as Swarthmore, Vassar and possibly Bard or Skidmore. Check their websites for the stats and see how you fit in.</p>
<p>If she isn’t seeking any type of admissions support - it’s really easy. I interviewed Jeff Stiles who was the D3 womens xc coach of the year at WashU and he said (paraphrasing)"…Sometimes you’ll recruit and work with a kid for months and months but since there are no scholarships, you end up losing them to a D1 program. And sometimes you’ll get an email from a kid that’s already admitted and he says coach, I run a such and such mile and I want to run for you. I love to get those emails."</p>
<p>varska, and the rest of you who posted, thanks, you’re really helpful. Yes, she knows where she wants to go to school, already submitted her app and I think she’s likely to get in. Just wants to run, no need for recruiting. We are off shortly to cheer her on at regionals this morning. She completed the little online form yesterday and will email xc and track coaches this weekend.</p>