<p>I was just wondering if any parent could give me any insight on the major differences. For example: time commitment and graduation rates. To be more specific the schools I'm looking into are Duke and Tufts and track will be a huge part of my decision.</p>
<p>Hard to answer that, but Div 1 is big time with more stringent rules. Schools like Duke are vested in their Div 1 sports. Hence, if you are on the team you will be at practice etc. Div III, more club like, less stringent rules for the schools, and you are likely to get more flexibility on time issues. Talk to students on the respective teams. Off the top, Duke track and Tufts track will be different worlds.</p>
<p>I’ve heard playing a D-I sport is like going to school and having a full-time job in season (40 hours/week), having a part-time job out of season (20 hours per week). Definitely more sacrifices of personal time, but Duke is an awesome school.</p>
<p>Are you being recruited? If your times are good enough for a Div. I school like Duke, you must be pretty darned good. S1 had only one injury-plagued first year of XC and track at Tufts before he finally had to give it up. He found it easily manageable time-wise, but obviously being hurt it wasn’t a typical experience. Tufts has some very good runners, but am guessing there’s probably a world of difference between overall competition at NESCAC schools vs. Div. I. Have you contacted the coaches?</p>
<p>Also, are you a distance runner? While Tufts home XC meets are at Grafton (near the vet school), note that a lot of the distance training takes place on the road - running to/from parks, over to Cambridge, etc. I’m a parent, not a runner, but I think a lot of pavement/road work can be rough on the knees, hips, etc.</p>
<p>If you are a male, I would not recommend Duke for track. It simply isn’t a very good program. Someone near and dear to me was recruited by Tufts, and was impressed with the program, but I think the coach was interim at the time. If you are running at that level, take a look at Williams and Haverford, unless those schools are too small for you. There is such a range in D1 programs that your question is hard to answer. (also range in D3 programs). For example, if you run at Oregon or Texas, you are looking at a huge time commitment, but also incredible coaching and the possibility of really developing as an athlete. If you run D1 at Duke, not so much. I would look at Rice- it’s D1 with a great program and great academics. D3 Chicago has a great program and coach, too.</p>
<p>I was recruited at both and I am a sprinter. Thanks for the input everyone. Other choices are Syracuse, U of Miami, UNH, and Ithaca College but I’m leaning towards Tufts and Duke because they are better overall schools in my opinion.</p>
<p>I like Tuft’s track programs ALOT more but I don’t know if I should go simply off that, especially since Duke has been my number 1 since forever.</p>
<p>“Duke has been my number 1 since forever”</p>
<p>If you’ve visited Duke, love it, and it’s your overall first choice, I wouldn’t let (just) the track program dissuade you. I guess it depends on just how big a factor track is to you, and how much you think it will affect your college experience. Also, some students tend to build their peer groups and social lives around their sport, while for others it remains just a sport.<br>
I don’t usually go for sayings like ‘follow your heart,’ but if Duke has always been your dream, it seems a shame to turn it down.</p>
<p>Thanks, I just don’t want to let my dream blind me if you know what I mean. I want to take everything into consideration.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to sprinting programs, but son was recruited heavily at Tufts for distance. He really liked the coach there, but decided he wanted to run D1 and ended up running at an Ivy. As was said previously, there is a wide range of programs within DI and DIII, so it’s hard to generalize about level of commitment just based on the division of the program. At Tufts and at his Ivy, although his sport does take a very big commitment, there is an acknowledgment that academics come first. For example, as an engineering student, he had a lab that is scheduled only once per week at a time that conflicted with practice. At his current school, his coach individualized his practice schedule for that day so he misses practice and goes to the lab. The Tufts coach indicated to us that the same accommodations would be made in the track practice. That was important to us as parents, paying those big tuition bills! It might not be such a big issue in a major where multiple sections exist for all courses. Not sure what the philosophy is at Duke - I’d ask the coach directly. Either way, you’ve got great options - congratulations!</p>
<p>If you take track off the table, where would you rather be?</p>
<p>just curious, but what are your best times for the 400m and 800m? what are you running now? What does Duke consider a “good time” for the 800m (1:53.xx?)</p>
<p>With track off the table I would rather be at Duke</p>
<p>I would suggest you try to visit both and spend some time with the teams. Both are great schools, but if you run at least two seasons in sprints (winter and spring), you’ll be spending alot of time with the team and coaches! See if you are more comfortable with one or the other.<br>
Good luck! They are both great choices so be comfortable that what decision you make, it’s the right one.</p>
<p>I have spent multiple nights with both teams. I’m going for one final night at Tufts before I decide, though. Thanks!</p>
<p>As the mom of a D1 athlete at a smaller program, I would highly recommend you make your choice based on the the school you want to attend and not the athletic program. D1 athletics, even at a smaller program is a big commitment and much different than what you have experienced through your high school years. For most freshman in all sports there is an adjustment period. My son’s class had quite a few athletes go on to play college sports. These were kids who lived their sport in high school. I have now seen several of those athletes leave their programs after the freshman year because they realized that they are not willing to make the type of commitment that is required. You just do not know how you will feel about college athletics until you experience it. It would be a shame to choose a school based solely on the athletic program and then decide that the college athletic experience is not what you want for 4 years.<br>
On the other side there are obviously many kids who love the college athletic experience and thrive on it. But if you can do that at your first choice academic school then it is a win-win.</p>
<p>Good luck and have fun!!</p>