This is the OP again. Just as a thought exercise, let me pose a hypothetical question. We’ve toyed with the idea of my son taking a gap year or post graduate (PG) year at a private school and I am wondering how track might factor into the equation.
Say the same kid runs around 1:57 in the 800 and 51-52 in the 400 as a senior at current public HS and then applies to the same D3 schools listed above the following fall as a PG senior at a different high school or gap year student (who is still training independently). Would a coach view these spring 2020 times by a senior in the same light as they would for same times run by a junior applying in same admissions cycle? Or would those times be perceived as less impressive because the kid is a second-year senior?
Just to be clear, the reason for considering an extra year is NOT athletics nor chasing a pipe dream of being recruited. Rather, the incentive is an extra year of maturity and academic rigor for a kid who is young for his grade and attends a low-income urban school. The late-arriving focus I described earlier also applies to academics and other areas of his life so another year of HS might serve him well in the long run. The athletic piece is just a collateral issue–yet might work to his advantage.
I’m also wondering about prep school PG admissions. If this student applies to one of the top NEPSTA schools for PG year, would 2 flat 800, ~16:30-16:45 5k XC be assets in application? Might those times be seen favorably in PG admissions for NEPSTA boarding schools?