Do I do Cross Country in Freshman or not?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Our XC is Nationally Ranked, and I run our Middle School 1.95 Mile Course in 11:54 minutes, but it is a BIG commitment!</p>

<p>I am already doing LD Debate, Model UN, and I am founding a student run handball club for Winter-Spring (so basically no time for indoor track/track</p>

<p>However, if I could get an Athletic Scholarship (I want to go to Stanford) for running, then I would be tempted to do running </p>

<p>Keep in mind I either choice will be fun, but which one?
Do you guys think I could get a scholarship with that time, given I will do intense XC for 4 years?
I am rated #6 in the State for 1/2 Mile (2:19) and had the option to go to Junior Olympics</p>

2

<p>Most runners who get scholarships run all 3 seasons</p>

3

<p>That is why I would like to know now, I could cut out Team Handball </p>

4

<p>do it. Athletes are favored when applying look at this post by a fellow CCer:
<a href=“Chances for Ivy League Schools and others? - Chance Me / Match Me! - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1659747-chances-for-ivy-league-schools-and-others-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>If the only reason you’d do it is for a scholarship, then don’t. That’s stupid. Do it because you enjoy it. </p>

6

<p>I even said I liked them both…</p>

7

<p>I know, but I don’t think the opportunity for a scholarship should be a deciding factor. Do whichever you like more. </p>

8

<p>Thats the problem, I love them both so much, I just do not know which one to pick</p>

9

<p>It is VERY hard to get a scholarship for running. Only the very fastest kids in the entire country (if not world!) get full scholarships. Most kids are given a partial scholarship - sometimes just enough to cover the cost of books. Doing well in running might help you get accepted to more schools, though! It’s a wonderful sport. My older son was on a team that won a national Junior Olympics XC tournament. It helped him get accepted to several excellent schools, such as Wash U and Amherst. He wasn’t fast enough for DI, though. (He ended up getting injured and didn’t run in college.)</p>

10

<p>Based on a 2:19 half mile, I don’t think you’re at a level to worry about Stanford recruiting. The two mile time at a little over 6 a mile is slightly better but still not good enough. Run because you love it though, not for scholarship. You have plenty of time to improve and maybe compete for a small partial scholarship, but don’t worry about it yet. I run track at a bit shorter distances with similar time levels and while I ran and loved it, I never used it in admissions beyond my year round running on my activities listings.</p>

<p>Don’t feel obligated to run year round. Do XC and then your other stuff with it, and drop something if you find its too much. Freshman year is a good time to try a bit of everything and narrow it down over the years.</p>

11

<p>The best way to gauge your level is the Footlocker cross country race. That is how most runners are ‘found’ by colleges. If you can get top three regionals, and then top five nationals, then you definitely have a shot at a scholarship. If you can’t, the colleges won’t even look at you as a scholarship candidate. I assume you’re a male. The senior boy last year who received first had a sub 17 minute 5k. Can you do it?
Source: Cross country fanatic and also hoping to get a scholarship</p>

12

<p>@angelacao‌ </p>

<p>I don’t know where you are, but my A1 (lowest level XC team) had two runners under 17, and the senior only got a partial scholarship (about 1/2 tuition) to a half decent school. He will be their top runner by a long ways. If you want real options, recruitment, and any shot at a top school like Stanford, you need probably around 15:30, give or take 30 seconds on each side.</p>

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<p>@pengsphils Yeah, I realized an hour ago that I posted the girls’ times instead of the boys. Sorry!</p>

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<p>Agree with 15:30. Near here a guy about 10 seconds under that had full ride offers from UCLA and Harvard. It helped that he was probably at least a match for UCLA admission. Prior year a guy who did about 15:10 at state was heavily recruited and chose Oregon. </p>

15

<p>Are you a girl or a guy?</p>

<p>Your times right now are good for an incoming frosh guy (especially the 800m) but nothing fantastic, and if you want to have a chance at recruitment at any point, you’ll need to improve drastically – to have a shot at Stanford, think around the realm of sub 1:53 800m and sub 15:20 5k. The Stanford track recruits the last year included an 8:55 3200 guy, and I’ve known 1:56 800 and 4:20 milers that couldn’t walk on to their team. Not that couldn’t get recruited, but that couldn’t walk on. </p>

<p>To have a serious shot at a scholarship you’d also have to run both indoor and outdoor track, and have serious improvement over the next four years while also keeping your grades up. Again, it’s a huge commitment and probably one of the most difficult ways to get yourself into Stanford. </p>

<p>If you’re a girl, not doing track and XC would be a serious waste of talent, as you’ve got the potential to run some very fast times in the 800 in the next few years if you have a decent coach. </p>

16

<p>Darnit, my 5k is mid 19</p>

17

<p>Yeah, not good enough for a D1 school.</p>

<p>Most D3 schools, however, will accept all walk-ons who are willing to commit to the program (this is taken from my friend who runs at the University of Chicago). </p>

18

<p>Alright, I will not go for XC (too much work for no reward :l)</p>

19

<p>You will regret that decision…</p>

20

<p>@Modern1‌ what does that thread have to do with sports?</p>