<p>I'm a rising senior at the moment, and I just started running track -I'd like to continue in college.</p>
<p>I'm moderately fast, at least just for starting. I definitely wouldn't come close to first in Division 1 sports for my event -the 800 meters -but I'd be around 3rd or 4th on the Harvard varsity team. The first and second runners are way ahead.</p>
<p>I sent an email to the coach already. He said that I'd almost definitely be able to run if I was accepted.</p>
<p>However, I'm pretty sure recruited, I'd just be able to walk on and run varsity if I wanted to.</p>
<p>Would this give me any advantage in admissions? I'm not lacking in grades or elsewhere, and I'd really just like to run more than anything else. But even if I'd run varsity, since I'm not recruited, would it matter at all?</p>
<p>I'm just trying to get an idea for how it works.</p>
<p>Just my opinion -- it probably won't help much with admissions.</p>
<p>Curious though, what time are you running for the 800 in your first year out? It seems to me you would have to be 1:57 or better to be anywhere near third or fourth on the team. Don't forget that a lot of those distance guys who usually run 1600/3200 or 5K xc have good 800 legs, often around 2:00 or better, sometimes much better. </p>
<p>If you are running under 2:00 in your first year out, the coach may be very interested, with the thought that you have great natural talent, who knows?</p>
<p>The Harvard coach was a pretty good 800 runner in his day, I think around 1:53.XX. For Columbia.</p>
<p>Sad note -- Assistant Coach Paul Turner died this past week, he was a great guy, beloved by his athletes. He coached the multis, sprints, throws and will be greatly missed at Harvard.</p>
<p>I ran high 2:01 after running for a semester. I also realize that I definitely can't compete in terms of 1500/5k times in college, as they run low 4s. I ended up doing a 4:52 1600.</p>
<p>On the note on Paul Turner -my parents had actually met him before, they thought he was pretty classy? A nice guy, for sure.</p>
<p>But the information is much appreciated. I'm going to start cross-country, boost mileage, and see if I can enter some allcomer's track meets or something to get official times, and hopefully get to at least 1:57 before applications get sent in.</p>