<p>My runner son says if this kid really wants to pursue his running, the decision has to be Stanford. The area where you train is superior (he and I have both run at both places).
If the running is of less importance, then the decision is harder.</p>
<p>Princeton has a very competitive distance running program:</p>
<p>On the women’s side, in the fall cross country season, Princeton finished ahead of Stanford in the National meet:</p>
<ol>
<li>U of Washington</li>
<li>U of Oregon</li>
<li>Florida State</li>
<li>West Virginia</li>
<li>Princeton</li>
<li>Villa Nova</li>
<li>Texas Tech</li>
<li>Stanford</li>
</ol>
<p>For the men, Stanford finished 3rd, and no Ivies (including Princeton) made it to the 31 team national championship.</p>
<p>However, two Princeton men qualified as individuals. The opportunity for individual success in running is available at both schools.</p>
<p>Programs ebb and flow. Unless the OP’s #1 goal is to try and win a national team championship, other factors should control the decision.</p>
<p>Princeton’s women’s program is stronger than the men’s. I am not saying Princeton is a bad choice. It’s a wonderful school and very competitive in the Ivy League in running, which isn’t saying much. It can’t compare to Stanford in terms of outdoor training and in how the runners develop. Most of the top runners in the country are choosing Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida etc. if you get right down to it. Depends on how many Kenyans the schools can get and whether you are distance or sprints, too.</p>
<p>mowc I agree about the Kenyans! I guess I’ll argue about the outdoor training: for XC some kids like the cold, others don’t mind the heat. A very personal preference. There are good places to run both places, in my experience. Hours on the indoor track at Princeton in the winter could get pretty boring though, compared to the lovely outdoor track in mild Palo Alto. </p>
<p>I think we’re all saying about the same thing: two great choices. the OP will have to sort out what is most important to him, and how all those subjective things shake out.</p>
<p>^^My son said it is too flat at Princeton in terms of the outdoor training- not just the weather issue. Palo Alto really is amazing for training. You have flat but you also have the hills.</p>
<p>Mowc, congratulations to your son. Amused here by the flatness issue.</p>
<p>cottonwood, we’re not overthinking this at all. 
I’m noticing the OP is basically ignoring us, probably because we are like toddlers with a new toy. “Don’t interrupt them while they’re playing nicely.” And we’re probably not even discussing things relevant to their decision. I, for one, am avoiding work and enjoying this distraction.</p>
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<p>Why is there an assumption that track and field athletes must be … runners? Although the runing events at meets tend to grab the headlines and TV coverage at the Olympics, aren’t there athletes doing their “thing” in the middle of the oval?</p>
<p>I happen to think that your assumptions are on the wrong track -pun intended!</p>
<p>^^woops. I went back through the posts, and could have SWORN I saw something about distance running, but nope. Maybe I’ll just sit quietly until/unless the OP gives us more to go on.</p>
<p>Any bets that the OP’s son is a 250 lb shotputter? :P</p>
<p>UCB, I would not bet against such a guess! That or a slightly related discipline. :D</p>
<p>cottonwood513- No congrats are due my son right now. He is a college junior at his ED school which is neither Princeton or Stanford! Thanks anyway. :)</p>
<p>Xiggi- I made the running assumption due to probably erroneous assumptions related to speaking Mandarin. I pictured a small, fast Asian! (my bad)</p>
<p>Ok. Ok. The Xigmeister is right. He’s not a distance runner, not a small Asian (6’5", 265) and yes, he is a field event participant. Let’s just say if you handed him a heavy dinner plate or a frozen turkey, you might have quite a walk to retrieve it if the spirit moved him ;).
I agree with many of the posters that he needs to decide how important his sport is to him going forward. He has already decided how important his education is by choosing to consider great academic institutions instead of the great track schools that recruited him, (although many of them are fine schools, too). Most importantly, he was well qualified for S & P without his sport, although I’m sure it played a part in his acceptance. His test scores were outstanding and his grades, extracurriculars and essays excellent. Having said this, he loves his sport and would like to continue enjoying it at a high level. Since it is an individual sport, he should theoretically be able to do it at either institution. There are very good field athletes at Princeton headed to the NCAA indoor Nationals this year. Stanford had a bevy of Olympic performers in the last contests.
All of these posts have helped us think things over. We are trying as hard as we can to guide him in this difficult decision. In the end, it must be his. My thanks to all.
I find myself wondering if the decline in endowments will affect how either of these fine schools dole out need based aid. They are currently quite generous. What do you all think? Do we expect the present trend to continue or will the economy encourage cutbacks here, too? In other words, will it last 4 more years?
-violamom and familia</p>
<p>Stanford says they are committed to maintaining their current levels of very generous financial aid. My S is a freshman there, and we are very much counting on that promise. We will qualify for even more aid next year because of the drop in the markets.</p>
<p>(Hey, I am now an official “member” because of my 300th post!)</p>
<p>And about this wandering off into the world of D1 distance running. I apologize. My only hope is that some P/S XC recruit steps into the room and sees that we’ve anticipated every nuance of that subject.</p>
<p>Best wishes, OP and son. I do watch the field events, too! When the runners are dragging, our attention suddenly turns to the throwers, who have saved the day for the track team more than once. Thanks.</p>
<p>I, for one, would love to hear from a Stanford runner about the intensity of the training there. Do you have a life outside of running; are you still able to be a club member, or attend a lecture or concert here and there? Have your academics been negatively affected due to limitations on what majors or courses fit your sports schedule, or due to insufficient time left over after training to spend doing homework and studying? Does the coach/team exercise a lot of control over your eating, sleeping, dating, or studying habits? How much time do you spend in a bus or airplane on average per week? Is there a lot of energy-sapping drama or interpersonal competitiveness on the team?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Violamom: athere’s a recent story in Stanford Daily that no cutbacks in Aid planned, despite broad cuts overall. No doubt true of Princeton too. It’s my understanding, correct me if I’m wrong, folks, that once you accept an aid package, it’s a 4 year commitment.</p>
<p>Hi GFG,
I just emailed your questions over to a recent S grad who ran distance there. I can post the eventual response here, or PM you. Anyone else interested in hearing about this, or have we drifted too far off topic?</p>
<p>I feel like Roseanne Roseannadanna: “I don’t know what all the fuss about violins on television is all about. What? Violence? Oh, never mind.”</p>
<p>That’s great, riverrunner. Thanks, I appreciate it!</p>
<p>I’d love to hear what the Stanford runner has to say.</p>