<p>Harvard athletes often end up living together, at least in small blocks. Under the blocking program, after freshman year they can choose 7 others to form a block, usually end up as roommates or at least in the same upperclass house.</p>
<p>So it's not totally random.</p>
<p>
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she's a hurdler - 100M, 300M ( I know it's 400M in college) and she runs the 4x100
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<p>oops, long thread, forgot. No 300M hurdles in NJ, but comparable 400M time to the distance times listed is probably right around 60 sec, maybe half a second or so either way.</p>
<p>Not sure if Richmond coach will offer money to sprinters, it definitely varies school to school, year to year.</p>
<p>Consider whether the student's practices will conflict with courses he/she wants/needs to take.</p>
<p>Ask the coaches and athletes for details about when (and where, since distance to practice can add a lot of time) the team practices. Figure out what the off-season practice expectations are, as well as the on-season ones.</p>
<p>Think through what the student wants to major in at college. Look at likely courses. Go online and find out when they meet. If you can't find that out online, call the department office and ask. Be especially carefully to check out the times of the labs, film screenings, small sections for lecture courses, studio or model availability times, and so forth, as these crucial components may be scheduled in the afternoon, when practices are usually held. Also check whether there is a team table where in-season athletes are expected to eat dinner with the team, as this can add to the schedule conflicts.</p>
<p>Look carefully. Are there a lot of conflicts? If there are, either look for another college, figure how firmly the student is committed to his/her academic interests, or start asking tough questions about how to handle the conflict.</p>
<p>Various schools handle this in various ways. I know of one college (Williams) that has no classes or labs scheduled from 4-7 PM on weekdays, which is when teams practice (but games or travel would still pose a conflict, and student-athletes still miss out on other non-academic opportunities that are scheduled during that period). Stanford is well-known for trying to accommodate pre-meds who are top athletes, but I don't know the details. Other schools shift lab times. Some have students shifting academic work by doing summer school or being redshirted. </p>
<p>Ask and then try to verify. If you are serious about both your athletics and your academics, this is really important.</p>
<p>Bumping this thread to thank everyone. My best friend's D is as of now a hurdler in the Class of 2012 for one of the most selective Ivy League schools and is out of her head with joy. I thank you, her mom thanks you, and she thanks you all for contributing.</p>