<p>I'm applying ED to a small D3 school (second deadline) and after recovering from a lovely bout of illnesses that kept me from finishing my senior season (I had MRSA on my leg and couldn't walk, let alone run, for a while), I've decided I want to run. I don't expect to be recruited or however that works. I'm not a bad runner but I'm no star. The school I'm applying to has a very open team, from what I've seen whoever is willing to put the work into it can run. How would I go about walking on to the team? Do I need to fill out the athletic supplement on my common app or no?</p>
<p>Oh and I forgot to mention, I’m a senior.</p>
<p>OMG, since you’re talking about a single school, it’s probably worth your while to try to find out something about that school’s coach, rather than having us speculate. If the school has a roster of current XC runners on their web site, you might be able to find someone from either your high school or a high school whose current members you’re friendly enough with to call them and say, “Is it okay if I call your alum X and tell him or her that I know you and would like more information about the team?”</p>
<p>Otherwise, in general, coaches are in the business of talking with HS athletes and are pretty frank about what their procedures are. You might start by sending an email to the coach explaining your situation and your interest in the school, and include your best times/distances while healthy. In the email, you might ask if there’s a time when you can talk to the coach about the possibility of walking on (so to speak) to the team. I believe that a coach is more likely to think highly of a kid who has the gumption to come forward and politely ask a bunch of tough question than the coach would feel that the kid is being too pushy.</p>
<p>At this point in the year, the coach may have a general idea of how many of his or her prospects have applied binding ED and thus how many slots may be available. The problem with thinking of a single school is by the luck of the draw there may just be too many kids already committed to the school and there may not be a chance for you. And, you may have to make a decision on the school before the coach finds out how many ‘recruits’ come in through regular decision applications, so you may be left without any resolution.</p>
<p>Now, I know nothing about college XC (though my S ran JV in high school), and the coach may be willing to take onto the ‘team’ additional runners who will practice with the team and then see how they develop, something like most high school teams do. Just be prepared for the possibility of spending a lot of time practicing without being able to actually don the school’s uniform in a meet.</p>