<p>Hello, I am a rising senior female who has been dreaming of stanford for a long time now. I've got a pretty solid academic record (2340 SAT, straight A's, AP classes, good EC's, etc., but like all Stanford dreamers I know it will still be tough to get in. I'm hoping to use cross country as a hook to put me over the edge. This year will actually be my first year doing cross country (I did swimming for 2 years and have spent the last year training with a personal trainer and doing a few triathalons), but I'm already the best on my team and hopefully competitive at region and state. However, I know Stanford is probably the worst school to use cross country as a hook for since they have such a good XC team. What kinds of 5k times do I need to be looking at for any hope of being recruited? If not recruited, will XC be of much use to me in admissions? Also, will the fact that this is my first year of XC be a problem- will I be less desirable than someone who has been on the team for 4 years? Lastly, I'm doing a running camp that's held at Stanford this summer- will this help my chances there? Thanks!!</p>
<p>You will most likely need to be or almost be a Foot Locker Finalist to be recruited. However, if you can win some races it will count as excellent EC/awards for admissions.</p>
<p>bump- any answers to the other questions?</p>
<p>How many years you have run won't matter provided you are running fast times and winning big races. What are your PRs?</p>
<p>If your performances are hot, don't wait for them to recruit you. Send the info to the Stanford coach. Send your PRs and newspaper clippings of your victories. My nephew got into Stanford this way. They hadn't noticed him. But after he filled them in, they wanted him and went to bat for him with the adcom. He got into Stanford with a 3.6 GPA and a 4:06 mile. In the end, however, he chose to go to another school, was plagued by injuries, and never really competed at the college level.</p>
<p>A 4:06 is a serious time. The girls equivalent of that would help you a lot. However, you won't have gotten in a track season by the time the whole admissions/recruiting process is going on. Train hard and peak your best for cross country. Footlocker is where its at.</p>
<p>I'm currently running about 22:40 5k's. How will that work for me?</p>
<p>errr...that's not too fast</p>
<p>That would almost be average on our girls varsity CC here. Some of us guys are running in the low 16's.</p>
<p>Some of the girls going to stanford are going to be running in the 16's....</p>
<p>Hmm...yeah I've never done this XC thing before, all I know is I'm the best on my team and still improving. If not recruiting material, will it at least be a hook in admissions?</p>
<p>22:40 is not fast. The fastest girl on our girls team runs 19:00s, and she's probably 100th in the state. Running for one year probably won't be a hook, sorry.</p>
<p>A 22.40 is not competitive on the college level. It won't help for admissions except as a regular EC --> something you participated in, like joining a club, but that's about it.</p>
<p>But keep working and improving. Running is a sport that can serve you well for a lifetime.</p>
<p>What about going to the Nike running camp at Stanford? Will that maybe get the attention of admissions people there? Sorry to sound desperate...</p>
<p>Don't want to kill your hopes, but you honestly have no chance at being recruited to run on the XC team for Stanford. None.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, Stanford doesn't have cuts nor do they limit walk-ons, I have a friend running there next year who was a 5-minute miler in high school, but he's still, technically, "on the team", he trains with the guys and everything so he's still running even though he might statistically be the single worst runner in the NCAA. Running is about personal success anyway, if he breaks 4:50 this year in the mile, he'll be pumped. I definitely urge you to try to run for Stanford competitively if you decide to go there.</p>
<p>And, coureur, a 4:06 is serious stuff, who was your nephew? I can't think of any recent 4:0x milers turning down Stanford.</p>
<p>bump .</p>