<p>Hi, I have been posting some things about ivy league sports, but I would like to get some more insight and information if possible. I know that girls at Cornell run under 18 minutes for 5k. I just started running cross country this year and my best time was a 21:20. I am training over the summer (intensely with my father and my coach) in order to hopefully achieve my goal. I was wondering if a 19 minuted 5k (about 6:15 per mile) would get me recruited. I looked onto the website about the recruiting times and many say that they would put it in between recruit one and walk-on one and that time would be about 18:50. Is there any chance a 19 would do? Hopefully people have had some experience regarding this, but if not please feel free to post and or express your own problems. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the incoming class of Ivy T&F recruits. There are quite a few female sub-18 5k runners. The ones running 19ish seem to be bringing some other assets with them like good steeple or mile times. </p>
<p>lemonbars, it would be unusual for a distance runner to be recruited based only on cross country times, as coaches are usually looking for distance runners to compete in XC as well as indoor & outdoor track. Also, times vary a lot across XC courses and conditions, so coaches often rely more on track times which are more consistent. XC times can be useful if they’re run on well-known courses for which the coaches have some comparison or in very large invitational meets which again provide the coaches some basis for comparison. So I’d encourage you to think beyond just the XC times to track times as well - what year are you currently?</p>
<p>@runners: I am a junior and I know that I am running out of time/time is already out. I also run varsity track and field and play varsity soccer. For track, I am a sprinter though and a strong defender/midfield for soccer. I would just like to be recruited for any one/two of those sports for Cornell. I emailed the coach and he said to send him emails regarding my progress and that is what I intend to do.</p>
<p>lemonbars11, what kind of training did you do for x-c season this year? Was it very minimal? Even if it was, I think it would be unlikely for you to drop more than a minute or a minute and a half in just one year. How are your sprint times? Soccer players can make good middle distance runners.</p>
<p>It was very minimal, but I am pretty confident that I can cut it down. My sprinting times are average I guess (26 for 200m and 1.00 for 400m). If I were to train harder than I am pretty hopeful that I can help the team. If all else fails though, I will pursue soccer instead of track and field and cross country since they usually are paired together. I just really really really really want to attend Cornell and I know that obviously right now I am not good enough and there are tons of girls who are qualified. This is so stressful.</p>
<p>If you haven’t had much training, then those times are encouraging. So as soon as your track season is over, take a 7-10 day rest and start your x-c training. You can’t lose anything by trying! But also use the summer to work on your college essays, and study again for the SAT if you think your junior year scores can be improved upon with an Oct. re-take. We wish you the best! The fact that you are eager to set goals and work hard means you will be successful in life.</p>
<p>lemon, I admire your determination. Besides trying to become an XC recruit, you should also focus on the department you are intent on joining. Are there things you could be doing this summer that demonstrate your deep interest in that area? If I were Cornell, I’d probably be more impressed by your single-minded drive to be in a particular area of study, but I’d want to see you back that up with some summer activity in that area. The XC card is worth trying. However, throwing yourself into your future field of interest and making an earnest attempt to contact somone in the department is maybe a better way to convince Cornell that you belong there.</p>
<p>@all: thanks for your encouragement guys it means a lot. </p>
<p>@GFG/varska: Yes my training was very minimal for cross country however I have been an athlete my entire life and my coach keeps telling me that I have so much potential and that if I improve college coaches will look at me because I would be considered “a diamond in the rough” who has solid times but also has the ability to keep improving and not plateau out. </p>
<p>@riverrunner: Yes! I would like to be admitted to the CALS portion of Cornell so I can study animal science. Besides intense training I am doing a college prep course for my essays and common apps and also studying for my retake of the ACT. The big thing that will hopefully show my interest is that this summer I am going to be a vet intern at a great vet hospital, studying under the head doctor of the whole clinic. So my question would be: should I contact a teach or someone from the department and what should I say. Will that help my chances/ do they even remember who emails them? Because if it helps, then I am willing to try!</p>
<p>If you’re planning on making a visit to the campus (highly recommended) contact the track coach in advance to make an appointment to discuss the possibility of running for Cornell. In addition, try to contact the dean/chair of the Animal Science program to see if you can arrange a meeting to express your interest in the program and see what type of advice he can offer.</p>
<p>lemonbars, I think straight-forward communication is always best. Look at the online bios for the Cornell faculty members in the department you are interested in. If you see someone who is teaching in an area you are currently pursuing, or see some other point of connection with one of them, don’t be afraid to write them an email. </p>
<p>Say you are interested in studying at Cornell. Talk about your summer job and ask what you could be doing within the scope of this job that might help your case for admission to Cornell. Would they like you to do some sort of case study with the vet in charge? If this person can’t help you, ask if there is someone else who might give you some advice about how to spend your summer productively with Cornell in mind for your future. And as Varska says, if you can make a visit and have an appointment with this person, so much the better. </p>
<p>Don’t fake up some questions you already know the answers to. Be genuine and enthusiastic. You are a good writer, and your voice is very compelling. Use it to work some magic!</p>
<p>I know for sure that I will not be able to visit Cornell in person until later on even though I would like too. </p>
<p>My other question is can I run in marathons/runs during the summer and send the times to the coach? If I improve then can I call him and let him know that I am extremely interested? Because besides intense training and my internship I would like to begin communicating my progress immediately so I have more time to make my decision and a larger amount of time/persuasion to be recruited.</p>
<p>College track/XC coaches aren’t interested in marathon times and the training a marathon would require of you to be able to run one this summer would not be the kind of training you should be doing for XC. You should be doing 30 or so miles per week this summer for XC, while a solid marathon training plan would have you hitting 50 per week, then a taper, then the marathon, followed by a few weeks of recovery. This would put a big damper on the start of your XC fall season. </p>
<p>If you want to be part of fall recruiting with Cornell as your target, you would need to improve your track times for some summer meets, and/or run fast in the early part of the fall XC season. Here are some summer track meet possibilities.</p>
<p>To be bluntly honest, your times so far are very far off the mark for Cornell. I completely believe someone who runs a 21:30 could run a sub-19 a year later with really good training, and some natural running talent. Make every effort to hit that goal, but know that this will very likely NOT be your ticket in to Cornell. It’s everything else you’ve been doing that will get you there.</p>
<p>Marathons? Really? Lemon it seems like in your determination to get into Cornell you’re trying to throw everything at the wall to see what sticks. I think your plan needs a bit of focus. As riverrunner said, your passion for the field of study probably supersedes your athleticism as your ticket in.</p>
<p>OP - just repeating what others have said … focus on school first and being a viable academic candidate for schools like Cornell.</p>
<p>As far as XC and track goes … when I was recruited in high school coaches only wanted to know two things … 1) track times (1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, and 2 mile) … 2) placements in XC meets. They were not interested in times on cross country courses (to much variability in terrain, surface, accuracy of measurements) or in any road course times (5k, 10k, or marathon). So I’d focus on high school XC and track (or are you playing soccer in the fall) … and I’d suggest contacting your high school coach to design a summer training program so you can start next year much improved.</p>
<p>@varska: I have a lot of things showing my interest in Animal Science and of course I see myself as a great candidate for CALS, but I am just not sure I will get in. Of course, no one can be sure if they would get in, but my gut is telling me that I have less than %18 (acceptance rate) chance of getting in. </p>
<p>@3togo: I am playing soccer in the fall because I am also pursuing that for college too. I set up a training program for the summer and I will be training daily and on weekends, lifting weight, sprint work, swimming and core workouts. My plan is to be ripped and ready to go for senior year and all sports. </p>
<p>To ALL: thanks everyone again for your input. Thanks varska and riverrunner, you guys seem to really know your stuff and have experience! So thanks again!!!</p>